Innsbruck returnees Nico Feldner on the Haie success run! – Hockey-News.info
He went through the Red Bull Academy in Salzburg and made his debut for Mozartstadt in 2018 in the EBEL. Now he’s back home in his Tyrolean homeland and is experiencing a flight of highs with the Innsbrucker Haien. In an interview on the Haie’s homepage, Nico Feldner explains why things are going like this and why his job as a DJ is so important.
Nico, how do you like it back home?
Extremely good of course! It fits, especially to play at this level again with my former colleagues from the youngsters is unbelievable. We have a lot of fun and push each other, which makes us all better.
Were your friends and colleagues also a reason for your return?
For sure! That was in the back of my mind when I first came into contact with Innsbruck. Fun and the environment are also extremely important in professional sport.
You are the Austrian with the best points in the Haie team, have the best season of your career so far, why?
It always depends on what role you have in the team. I have a lot more responsibility here than in Salzburg, for example, and I get the trust of the coaching team. I worked for that and of course I try to give it back. I know that I have good work within me, I just have to learn to retrieve it.
Why have the sharks got such a run so far?
Team spirit and hard work. We all get along incredibly well on and next to the ice cream, we are always on the move in private, we are fast as a family. But we’ve also worked hard to achieve our successes so far, the training sessions are very tough. If you do not work hard you will not see any results.
Was this season possible for the Haie?
Everything – the league is so close, with a winning streak you are up very quickly, if you go down a few games badly again. The most important thing is of course the playoffs, then anything is possible.
What do you think of the atmosphere in the hall, which has been getting better and better recently thanks to the two fan clubs?
It’s like a kind of reward for us gamers. It pushes us and can maybe make the difference in tight games. Unfortunately, I was injured in the last match against Vienna Capitals (note: practically sold out), but I was indoors and it was special.
Unfortunately, you had to cancel the national team, actually you would have been in Slovenia. What is Nico Feldner doing away from the ice?
Currently relatively little due to the injury. I loved playing golf in the summer, now I meet up with friends or go out with the dog. But to be honest, there is little time and energy left for other things besides ice hockey.
Who actually sets the tone in the booth – who is the booth DJ?
I got the job this year. I take that very seriously because the sound in the dressing room before the game is, I think, extremely important. There are several playlists, from country to rap or charts. Before the game, you have your own, which always stay the same during a win-streak. That pushes us.
www.hcinnsbruck.at, image: HC Innsbruck