YORKTON - When it comes to ‘storied’ franchises in hockey – those with long and well-known histories we immediately think of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens in the NHL.
But if you look beyond North America you might well look at Davos the long-time member of the National League in Switzerland, and host to the historic Spengler Cup.
Interestingly the head coach in Davos is a Canadian – Josh Holden who grew up in Calgary now in his second season as bench boss there.
It was an interesting journey to the coaching job with HC Davos.
Holden actually had what looked to be a promising NHL career path ahead of him, after he was drafted in the first round, 12th overall, by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
Holden had played four seasons in the Western Hockey League with the Regina Pats, finishing in the league's top ten in scoring in both 1995–96 and 1996–97, and following the draft made his NHL debut with the Canucks in the 1998–99 season, appearing in 30 games.
But Holden never quite found a place in the NHL bouncing from Vancouver to Carolina to Toronto with numerous minor league visits along the way. In total, he appeared in 60 NHL games, scoring five goals and nine assists.
Then the career path swerved across the Atlantic.
During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Holden went to Finland's SM-liiga to play for HPK.
“I really liked it,” Holden told Yorkton This Week.
So while the NHL lockout ended, Holden chose to stay in Europe, eventually finding a long term home with EV Zug in Switzerland, playing there for a decade.
Holden said as he approached 40 he was wondering what might be next.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do,” he admitted.
At the time Zug hired a Finnish coach who felt he needed someone on the bench with him who knew the Swiss league well.
“I kind of fell into an opportunity as a second assistant coach,” said Holden.
Holden said he might have stayed an assistant but decided “to step out of the comfort zone and be all in for a coaching job.” He applied for the HC Davos job.
“I ended up getting it,” he said.
The job in Davos was what most would term a dream job.
“Honestly, it really is. You can compare it to an original six team (in the NHL),” said Holden, adding the team has existed for a century and has 31 league championships. “. . . It is kind of the dream job for a lot of coaches.”
That Davos in situated in the Swiss Alps is part of that too.
“I’m looking out my window right now watching people ski down the mountain,” said Holden
“I walk everywhere. I don’t take the car.”
In some respects the league is a ‘cozy’ one. There are 14 teams but none are more than six hours away (Zurich in Davos’ case).
“We sleep at home in our own beds every night,” said Holden.
While the setting for the league seems idyllic, the hockey is great too, offered Holden. While nodding to the NHL as the best, and suggesting the Russian pro loop was second, and the Swedish league next, he slotted Switzerland fourth.
“Our top six teams here would compete with the lower level teams in the NHL,” he said.
And, of course there is the Spengler Cup associated with the team too.
The Spengler Cup is an annual invitational ice hockey tournament first held in Davos in 1923, and widely considered the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world. The event is hosted by HC Davos and played each year from Dec. 26 to 31.
According to Wikipedia “it was originally devised by Dr. Carl Spengler as a means to promote teams from German-speaking Europe, who might have suffered ostracism in the aftermath of World War I. Eventually, the tournament grew well beyond expectations. Many of Europe's most prestigious clubs and national programs have appeared, including Soviet, Czechoslovak, Swedish, German, and Finnish powerhouses. Through its history, club or national teams from 13 countries have won the tournament, with HC Davos tied with Team Canada in winning the most cups as a club (16) while various teams from Switzerland have won the most cups for one country -- 22.”
HC Fribourg-Gottéron a professional ice hockey team based in Fribourg, Switzerland, which competes in the National League won the most recent Spengler Cup.
Holden actually played in four ‘Cups’ with Team Canada winning once in 2012. He said the experience of the Spengler is special and that is reflected in how teams clamour to participate.
“Teams all over Europe are trying to get into play,” he said, adding it used to be teams came for the ‘experience’ but now they want to hoist the cup. “They’re all in.”
The whole atmosphere around HC Davos can be a plus – especially when it comes to recruiting import players – the league allows six to dress.
“The majority of guys are at least interested. They know the club . . . They know the history,” said Holden.
Now Holden is just focused on carving out what he hopes is a long tenure in Davos. He admitted upon arrival he was seen as “a guy from Zug” and that didn’t sit well with many.
Holden said he has had to gain respect and that has meant working to earn it.
“I coach every day like it may be my last and enjoy it,” he said.
