Nov 4, 2021
In episode #154 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Toni Söderholm, head coach of German National Team.
The Kauniainen, Finland, native has had a unique, yet quick rise to his current role. After retiring from his playing career in 2016, he joined his former team EHC München in the DEL as a player development coach. Within two seasons, Söderholm became an assistant with the German U20 team and head coach of their entry into the World Championships. Now just six seasons into his coaching career, he's preparing Germany for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.
Under Söderholm's leadership, Germany qualified for these Olympics by finishing in fourth at the 2020 World Championships. With the recent string of international success and a roster that will no doubt feature the most talent they’ve ever had, Söderholm and the Germans have high hopes for the upcoming tournament.
Find out how he overcame a lack of coaching experience, how his well-travelled playing career helped shape him as a leader, and what goes into preparing a team for the biggest international tournament in hockey.