Back in Blue and white - Schwenningen returns to DEL

Cuckoo clocks, great cake and amazing landscapes in a peaceful environment. Everybody knows the cliché of the Black Forest in Germany’s South. But there is one important piece of lifestyle in this region missing and that’s ice-hockey. To be more specific: Schwenningen Wild Wings. It is one of Germany’s hockey hotspots although they did not play top tier hockey over the last years. In 2003 they had to leave the DEL due to financial reasons and since that they played in 2^nd Bundesliga. However, the fans never stopped loving and supporting their team. In fact the blue and white crowd is still one of the best known ones in Germany in regards to loud and passionate support. 

For them it was the biggest relieve when they heard a few weeks ago that DEL team Hannover Scorpions sold their DEL license to Schweninngen. Especially since the Wild Wings just lost a tough 6 game series against one of their main local rivals Bietigheim Steelers to finish only second in the league and missing the championship by inches.

They can now look forward to write a new chapter in a long club history that dates back to 1904 when the people of Schwenningen founded a swim- and ice sport club after a tragic death of a few children, who drowned in a lake near the town. Ice-hockey was played from 1927 on and quite early the club started having success on the local level winning some Southwestern championships. But in the early stages the financial situation and the question where to play ice-hockey has also been a continued challenge for the club. In the mid-1960s the club was almost given up as they were having problems finding a suitable ice rink. Finally the people of Schwenningen all together worked out something and found the right spot to keep the team alive. It should not be the only time when the people of the Black Forest sticked together to keep the club in town.

In the late-1970s Peter Ustorf took over as a coach and the club started to have national success. In 1979 they were promoted to 2. Bundesliga for the first time but did not stay long there. In the first year they came in 3^rd and one year later second, what already got them the promotion to the first Bundesliga. The club kept on rising. After four years of getting accustomed with the league they started an 8-year-streak of Play-Off appearances including their biggest success in team history: In 1990 they won the Best-of-5 quarterfinal series against BSC Preussen Berlin and moved up to the Semi-Finals. The only time ever the club finished within the best four German teams.

In 1994 the hockey scene changed in Germany. The sport became professional by installing the DEL. Schweninngen became a founding member of this new era in German hockey and for that they finally changed their name into Schwenninger Wild Wings. Until then they were just known as Schwenninger ERC. In the very first year the Swans made the quarterfinal again, but got swept by Preussen in 4 games. Unfortunately it was their only Play-Off appearance in the DEL as they did not make the Play-Offs until 2003 when they had to go down.

Up to this point in club history they were not just known across Germany for their passionate fans, they were also known for developing great players and having some top stars on their roster. For example they had a couple of well-known import players over the years like Wally Schreiber, Mark Mackay and Mike Bullard. But even more important than that were the young kids developed by the club. One of them just won the Stanley Cup a few years back: Dennis Seidenberg (and of course his brother Yannick) was one of them. Another group of brothers also made it to the NHL and is currently leading Team Germany. The Goc brothers! The oldest of the three, Sascha, played for the New Jersey Devils and later for a couple of teams in Germany. The most famous one is definitely Marcel Goc, who is still playing for the Florida Panthers and is the captain of the German national team. The third brother is Nicki, who is one of the best defenders in the DEL and also a huge part of team Germany.

And then there is one player coming out of Schweninngen, who is known as one of the toughest defenders in Germany’s hockey history, who almost never missed a game: Andreas Renz. He just had two clubs in his career: Schwenningen and Kölner Haie.

During their stay in the second Bundesliga they never missed the Play-Offs on a single occasion and three times they made the finals. Unfortunately like in the top tier leagues they played in, they were never able to win the championship. However, DEL fans all across the country were happy to hear that the Swans are coming back to the league this year as they always stand for passionate hockey in a small but traditional and proud market. To say it shortly: The Wild Wings are just one of those teams every league wants to have.

Welcome back Schweninngen!

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