Dominik Egli has made the leap to Sweden this season and wants to recommend himself for the NHL at Frölunda Göteborg. So far, things are going well for him.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Dominik Egli moved from Davos to Frölunda Göteborg to improve his NHL chances, as there are more scouts in Sweden. He also accepts a pay cut in return.
- Egli impresses with 8 scoring points and an average ice time of almost 20 minutes per game, supported by the flexible system of coach Roger Rönnberg.
- Egli lives in Gothenburg, learns Swedish every week and appreciates the intensive training conditions that promote his development.
It's no secret that salaries in the National League are higher than those in the Svenska Hockeyligan (SHL). Offensive defensemen like Dominik Egli are in demand and accordingly well paid, yet the Thurgau native left Davos last summer. He took advantage of a clause in his contract with the Grisons, which he had extended until 2025 shortly beforehand. The 26-year-old fulfilled a dream by moving to Frölunda Göteborg.
"The long-term goal is North America, but in Europe, Sweden was the country that had priority," says Egli in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency about his move. "There are more scouts at the games here than in Switzerland, where the main focus is on talent for the NHL draft." He also saw better opportunities in Sweden to improve his defensive game, for which he was repeatedly criticized.
"It's a defensive league with few scoring chances," says Egli. "You have less time here than in Switzerland when you get the puck. And it's more difficult to assert yourself along the boards and in front of goal. On the other hand, the individual quality is somewhat higher in Switzerland."
No individual summer training for once
Egli is only 1.74 m tall, which brings certain disadvantages, especially as a defender. This is one of the reasons why he trained individually with a personal trainer in the summer for five years before moving to Frölunda. He now knows exactly what he needs. His focus is on speed, core strength and explosiveness.
This time, Egli also trained together with the team off the ice for the most part, traveling to Gothenburg just two weeks after falling victim to a cut in preparation for the World Championships in Prague. "This gave me more time to get used to it," explains Egli. He then spent another three and a half weeks in Switzerland in July.
He says of his summer training in Sweden: "The load was pretty high. We actually trained twice a day (during the week) - except on Friday." The workload is also high during the season. "In Switzerland, we were a little more measured," says Egli. In addition, he has the opportunity to work individually on the ice on the afternoons when there are no games, which he does regularly.
Optimal start
Egli is now benefiting from this. He scored his first goal for Frölunda in the very first championship game. After 18 games, he has three goals and five assists, with an average ice time of almost 20 minutes. Together with Henrik Tömmernes (ex Genève-Servette), who is well known in Switzerland, he forms a defenseman duo.
Egli will benefit from the system of coach Roger Rönnberg, who will be coaching Fribourg-Gottéron from next season. "He has his principles, but there aren't that many rules in the game system. So it's up to us to take responsibility in the games. That allows us to grow. I think that's a cool way of thinking, because there are different ways to play in every situation, so everyone can shape the game based on their strengths." Rönnberg also has a very good relationship with each individual player. "You always know exactly where you stand. He demands a lot, but on a good basis, and finds ways to make everyone better."
Egli sees the fact that Rönnberg is leaving the club at the end of the season after twelve years as head coach as an additional source of motivation. "He has done so much for the club that everyone wants to give him the best possible finish."
The start to the season has already been a success. Despite two recent defeats, Frölunda are in second place in the table after 18 rounds. "We have a good balance, all four lines can make the difference," says Egli. "We also play a little differently to all the other teams. We want to switch immediately when we win the glass."
Swedish lessons once a week
Egli lives with his girlfriend in the middle of Gothenburg, with a view of the harbor. Once a week, the two of them take Swedish lessons online with a student and aspiring teacher together with 18-year-old compatriot Gian Meier, who has already made three appearances in the first team.
Egli's contract with Frölunda runs until 2026, but it remains to be seen what will happen after that. "When the first season is over, I'll think about what the future looks like. I don't yet know which direction it will take." Of course, he would prefer an offer from North America. Then the adventure in Sweden would be even more worthwhile.
SDA
