With Mike Stewart, the Vienna Capitals presented the 14th head coach in the club’s history on Monday. The Austro-Canadian signed a two-year contract in the federal capital. The 53-year-old is returning to Austria after 14 years.
Stewart left a lasting impression on the local ice hockey scene as a player for EC VSV between 2001 and 2010, and was then first assistant and then head coach on the Drau for two years. The new head coach of the Capitals took on Austrian citizenship in 2005 and represented the Alpine republic at two A World Championships.
After 13 seasons as head coach in German ice hockey, Stewart is back in his second home as Caps head coach. In his debut interview, the 53-year-old talks about his personal preparation in the coming months, his philosophy as head coach and that the decision to choose Vienna was very easy for him.
Mike Stewart, welcome to the Vienna Capitals! What are your thoughts on your new role?
I’m really happy, it’s a great honor to be able to work here. Vienna is a big city, a cultural center in Europe. There is a great ice hockey tradition here and very loyal fans. From the many conversations with Christian Dolezal and my visit to Vienna, I know that the conditions there are great for the team. Together we want to take the next step in the development of the organization.
You were the athletic director’s preferred candidate from the start. What factors convinced you to join the Vienna Capitals project?
Vienna is a great ice hockey address. There is tradition here, the fans and the hall are great. In the preseason the team showed what they could do when they were healthy. We want to take the next step next season and steer our development as a team in the right direction. This new task is a challenge, I like that. Vienna is Vienna and the Caps are a name, so the decision was relatively easy.
Every head coach has their own style. What should a team coached by Mike Stewart stand for on and off the ice?
We want to establish our Caps identity from day one, that’s very important. We want people of good character who are decent young men. I stand for aggressive “in your face” ice hockey, for fast and structured ice hockey with a responsible defensive attitude. We want to use a quick transition game to create offense. Not only should we work hard in both directions, but we should also work together. The team should come out of the locker room as a unit. These elements are extremely important to me.
Have you been able to get to know the team from afar?
Because of my past in Austria, I always followed the league even when I wasn’t here. Through further discussions with the sporting director, my assistant coach and players, I will gain an even deeper insight. It’s my job in the coming weeks to know what we have, what we need and how we can optimize our team.
As you mentioned, there are still one or two places available in our team. You will fill this position together with the sports director. How will this play out in the coming weeks?
We will do a lot of scouting. There are also background checks. Just having talent as a hockey player is not enough to become a cap. We need people who do honest work, are willing to learn and make good teammates. This is extremely important to me. This process will obviously take time.
You are a fixture in Austrian ice hockey, you are Austrian yourself and have been on the ice twice at the A World Championships for Red-White-Red. How excited are you about returning to your second home?
Returning to Austria is like coming home, after all, I’ve been here for eleven years. I have three children, all three were born in Austria. I still have a lot of friends here and the contact has never been broken. The transition will be very easy for me and my wife. We both speak German, the dialect will return soon. Although English is the international ice hockey language, it is always an advantage to know German for one-on-one conversations with the Austrian players.
When you think back to your playing career, how did you feel about the Capitals back then?
Vienna has always had great teams and players like Phil Lakos, Mike Craig and Darcy Werenka. The Caps were always a candidate for the championship title. It was never easy playing in Vienna as an away team. This should also be the case in the future.
You also addressed our fans. What is your message to Capitals fans?
I’ve only heard positive things about the Caps fans in recent years, the atmosphere in the STEFFL Arena is always great. With the support of Caps fans we can achieve a lot. When the connection between team and fans is strong, it always gives the team an advantage.
www.vienna-capitals.at, Pic: Grizzlys Wolfsburg
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