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First Article Bonus (2x)

WC: 2018

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The following is translated from an internet article about Finn Krüger.

Seven in the morning on a crisp Saturday morning. I’ve arrived at the Krüger household in search of Finn, the oldest son, who’s recently declared himself for the Simulation Major Junior Hockey League (SMJHL) Draft. When I arrive, however, I’m only greeted by his father, Leo.

“You’re a bit late,” the father says, laughing. “He won’t be back for at least a half an hour.”

I’m invited in for a cup of coffee and a chat, during which his father clues me into what exactly is going on--why Finn is nowhere to be found in the household.

“Every morning, he’s up early. Five in the morning, maybe six if he’s feeling lazy--which isn’t often.” He smiles somewhat proudly, lifting his mug to his lips and nodding. “He’s back in a couple of hours, showers up and then heads out to face the day.”

It wasn’t long after than Finn returned and greeted the two of us with a smile. He apologized for the way he looked and disappeared for ten minutes to clean himself up. When he returned, he poured himself a mug full of coffee and took a seat next to his father. I asked about where he’d gotten off to and he simply smiled at me.

“I was out training.” He said, sipping his coffee and looking strikingly like his father. “Every morning, I need to get my training in. A few sprints, a bit of stretching, and if I’m lucky, a little bit of time out on the ice. There’s this excellent little pond just a few miles west of here--certainly makes for a brisk run over in the morning and then a brisk one back!”

The boy recounts his training, an incredibly strict and tiring regimen that would make the average person shudder and crawl back into bed, and he speaks about it with a surprisingly soft grin and a rather cheery attitude.

“There’s no reason I shouldn’t love it. Hockey is my life, I live and breathe the sport. That means doing whatever it takes to be the best player I can be.”

What about this young hockey player makes him so special among other German hockey players, especially those in the draft that he’s declared himself for? If you asked his U18 hockey coach, he’d have a couple of answers for you.

“I think one of the biggest standout qualities that Finn has is his playstyle. Like any good two-way defender, he doesn’t lean too heavily on his offensive qualities or his defensive qualities. He’s got talent on both ends of the ice and he’s one of our biggest playmakers. His ability to move the puck is impressive, to say the least, and his defensive intuition has been useful many times for us.”

If you asked Finn's father, he might be a bit more braggadocious.

“I’m obviously biased, but if I were to sit here and say that Finn was not the best in his class, then I’d be lying. He is an amazing hockey player and an amazing defender, and I could not pick out one quality that I believe doesn’t set him above the rest--he’s the best in every way and I know he’ll do well.”

If you asked Finn himself? He would tell you that nothing makes him special.

“I don’t know that there is anything that sets me above the rest. Maybe how in tune I am with myself makes me special. I know my strengths. I definitely know my weaknesses and I am always trying to improve upon them. I work hard day in and day out, and I know that, right now, I am the best defender that I can be. Shortcomings and all, I am the best I can be right now. Tomorrow, I can and will be better.”

That’s a mentality that the boy has had for a long while. A hockey player from the age of twelve, Finn has always had the dream to go out and become a professional player. It’s been in his blood as long as he can remember, he told me.

“Growing up, my friends all idolized footballers, you know, they wanted to be like their heroes and go out and play on the pitch as long as they could. Not uncommon, obviously, but I can never remember a moment in my life where my goal was to be a footballer. It’s just so boring, you know, so dull to me. This sport is everything to me.”

Finn and I left the home and took a walk around the property on which he’d spent his whole life, and during our trip, the conversation turned to his family, his homeland and the future he wanted in hockey. For himself and for his country as well.

“Growing up, my family and I were very close and very connected. My mother and father always supported my goals in life, and my two little brothers have been a thorn in my side for so long that I’ve almost gotten used to the pain.” He laughs. “So, as much as I’m doing this for me, I’m doing this for my family. I would never have gotten the chance if not for their support and everything they’ve done and said to keep me on this path has led up to this moment. Everything I’ve worked for, every game that my father carried my bag to, every play that I’ve made--it was all for this.”

His ambitions always lied in the SHL, he said, even though he believes he would have been blessed to be a part of the German professional scene.

“Absolutely, I would play for a German team in a heartbeat, but--I want to be an SHLer. That starts with the SMJHL, and from there it goes wherever it will. The SHL is just that league, you know, it’s the one where everyone makes their names known. Period. That’s where I’m going, and I’m more than positive that someone is going to see the good in me and take me in the draft. And I can promise that whatever team takes that risk is going to be well-rewarded.”

His ambitions don’t just lie in the SHL, however. Like any player of any sport, Finn Krüger dreams of being called to wear the jersey of his home country in international competition. We often think of footballers wearing our colors in the World Cup, but for Finn, wearing them in an IIHF competition is just as prestigious, if not more.

“Playing for Germany would be…” He pauses, sighing. “It would be the ultimate honor for me. There are so many fantastic players that will make that team, and I’m sure that it will be a little bit before I’m called upon to play for my country, but that chance. That’s what drives me. I want to wear the sweater, you know, I want to help prove to the world that Germany is not just a soccer nation.”

Above all else, Finn says, his ambitions are to show the world and kids back home that football is not the only option.

“Like I said, I want to show that Germany can be more than just soccer. There’s already a lot of great German players, and to be added that list would be an honor. I want people to know that this great sport is just as viable and just as fun. The day that more people are looking to German hockey players rather than German footballers will be the day that I have finally accomplished what I set out to do.”

Finn Krüger is set to be a part of the upcoming SMJHL Draft, set for early April. He is an incredibly driven young man, and I can do nothing but wish him the best of luck going forward, and hope that he finds nothing but success wherever he may land.

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Transcript taken from a radio show, discussing prospects for the upcoming SMJHL draft.

Reporter 1: ...And of course, we’ve really gone over a lot of the big names that are involved in the draft. Robert Phelps, Louie Garrett, Khet Chupp, all of the big names that are being tossed around right now in the draft list. It’s definitely turning out to be a skilled draft, to say the very least. Wouldn’t you agree, Tommy?

Reporter 2: Yeah, we’ve definitely touched on a lot of the different names that are getting thrown around, but let’s talk shop about defencemen. There’s a lot of good ones on the docket this year, but I wanted to talk a bit about Finn Krüger, a name that I’ve heard thrown around a couple of times. Definitely seems like he might be one of the lesser-known prospects, but the kid’s got a lot of good to him. I think there’s a lot of skill there. You know who I’m talking about?

Reporter 3: Yep, Finn Krüger. German-born defenceman, and not the only one in this draft either. Decent-sized, 6’1" and 200 pounds. A real puck-mover from what we’ve seen of him, he’s got a lot of skill in driving the play and finding an open passing lane. Pretty sound in his own end, but seems a little soft in the corners, you know? His physical play seems to be lacking, not someone with a strong check in any sense. But what he lacks in physicality he obviously makes up for in other areas. You’re definitely right, kid’s got a lot of potential.

Reporter 1: I didn’t really think we needed to talk about Krüger--I think everyone who’s listening and, you know, those people that have been following the prospects and seeing who’s declared themselves eligible, I think those people already know that Finn Krüger has the potential to be a real stud for whatever team picks him up. Sure, he’s not anything flashy, you know, there’s nothing about him that pops. But from what we’ve seen of his play in Germany, he’s nothing to sniff at.

Reporter 3: Certainly not, no. He’s definitely one of the quieter defencemen, but that’s not exactly something to consider a bad thing. He drives play, he gets the puck to the net and he can play well in front of his netminder. He’s pretty much exactly what you want in a two-way defender. Aside from that lack of physicality that we see in his puck battles, like I said, he’s got a versatile skillset. Hard shot, good defensive sense, and great vision, I think. Couldn’t tell you where he’ll wind up in the draft, though. Second round maybe?

Reporter 2: Yeah, maybe. I definitely wouldn’t expect first round, but he could surprise us. I think he’ll be drafted based on the virtue of his position and team need, not necessarily, you know, his prestige or anything. If there’s a team that really needs a solid, puck-moving defender, then Krüger is your choice, I’d wager. Like you said, if he keeps up the sort of play that he’s had and improves upon it as time goes on, he’s likely going to develop into a stud, he’s going to be important to the blueline of whatever team drafts him... I might even go as far as to say that he’s going to be one of if not the steal of the draft.

Reporter 1: Really? That’s definitely a strong statement to make. Lot of people could be claiming that title and you’re giving it to Finn Krüger?

Reporter 2: I am. I am, I’m calling Finn Krüger as the steal of the draft. His stock isn’t as high as it could be, but I think whatever team takes him is going to walk with a stud.

Reporter 3: Well, that much remains to be seen, of course. Coming up, we’ve covered some of the incoming draftees for Juniors, and now we’ll be taking a look at the rest of the eligible defencemen and then at this year’s SHL Draft. Who to look for and what to expect. We’ll be right back.

The program goes to commercial.