What Happens After the Final Whistle?

What Happens After the Final Whistle?

In professional ice hockey, it's common to sign contracts for a couple of seasons. You spend years with a club — not just working, but living life alongside goalies, players, coaches, office staff, and the people who keep the arena running behind the scenes. Bonds form, routines settle in, and suddenly, it becomes more than just a workplace.

But eventually, the day comes when the job ends. Sometimes you move on by choice. Sometimes the club decides to go in a new direction. That's just how professional sports work — but it doesn't mean the connection disappears.
I try to follow all of my previous clubs. Right now, I'm watching the Kölner Haie, my home for three years, as they battle in the DEL semifinals. And I couldn't be happier for them.

This is a team — an organisation — that's been through tough times. The COVID years were brutal. Playing in one of Europe's largest arenas, the Lanxess Arena, without spectators didn't just mean empty stands — it meant no ticket income, no merchandise buzz, no game-day atmosphere to fuel the club both emotionally and financially.

But they held on. They rebuilt. Quietly, patiently, they laid new foundations without chasing shortcuts. And now, they're reaping the rewards. It's a testament to the people — not just the players, but the whole KEC family.

To everyone in the locker room, behind the benches, at the offices, and around the practice facility — chapeau. Wishing KEC all the best in the games ahead.

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