PowerPlay Magazyn

Slovenia is not known as a great hockey nation. Yet, at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, the players from this small country have made the hockey fans around the world sit up and take notice. How is it even possible that a country with less than 150 senior hockey players players and only 7 rinks is able to play close games against the world's best? The answer is great teamwork and heart.

Slovenia started the tournament against the hosts from Russia. They lost the game 2-5, but they didn't make it easy for Ovechkin and co. But they made a big splash in their next game against Slovakia. They won 3-1 in a game where they outplayed their favored opponents. It was not the usual upset where a hot goalie steals the game. In final game of the preliminary round they lost to USA 1-5, but their win against Slovakia matched them up against Austria in the qualification for the quarterfinals.

This was a great opportunity for the Slovenian team. Austria was an opponent that they have beaten multiple times in the past. They were able to shut down their stars Vanek and Grabner and advanced into the quarterfinal after a 4-0 victory. On the next day, they were able to play a close game against Sweden for 2 periods until the Swedes were finally able to crack them and come away with a 5-0 win.

In the end Slovenia finished in 7th place ahead of countries like Slovakia or Switzerland. That's easily the best result that this country with population of just 2 million has ever achieved in hockey.

Our godfathers Marcel and David Rodman were there living this great story. We are proud to present an interview with them given exclusively for our PP Magazine readers. Enjoy.

Slovenia has stunned the hockey world by advancing into the quarterfinals of the Olympic hockey tournament. Is this the biggest highlight of your hockey career so far?

David: Yes, on international level, this is for sure my highlight. Just making it to the Olympics was a highlight.

Marcel: I dont think I feel it yet, but in a few years when I won't be playing anymore, I think it will really get to me what we achieved. And then I think I will say that was the highlight of my hockey career. It really was something special.

Qualifying for the Olympics was quite an achievement in itself. Did you even imagine before the tournament that you could make the quarterfinals or what were your expectations?

David: Before the tournament we believed that we can suprise somebody if all the pieces come together. At the same time we would have been happy if we got away with a point. It turned out in my opinion that we were the better team vs Slovakia for most of the game.

Marcel: Winning the qualifying tournament was another highlight. When I was a kid and even just maybe three years ago I really didn't think that our national team had a chance of making it to the Olympics. But we have a great group of guys and making it was just not good enough for us, we wanted more. And we got more. I think we are all very proud.

You have beaten Slovakia filled with NHL and KHL players in the preliminary round. This win gave you a much easier opponent in the first playoff round where you defeated Austria. Which victory is the most precious to you?

David: I think both of the wins were big for us in a diferent way. Beating Slovakia was huge because of the fact that they are an ex-world champion and have guys from NHL and KHL on their team. And of course it was our first win at the Olympics ever. Austria game was big because of the fact that it put us in the quarterfinals.

Marcel: It's hard to say. The first win is always something special and I think that against Slovakia we played our best game of the tournament. Beating Austria is also very special, because we have been playing a lot of important games against each other the last few years. So beating them to make the historic quaterfinals was, like I said, something special as well.

I think it was probably the first time that the coach didn't put you on the same line. Were you ok with this decision?

David: Yes, I was pretty excited to be playing on the line with Kopitar.

Marcel: Yes, of course. We like playing with each other for sure, but we are two different people and if the coach decides that it's better for the team that we don't play together, it is of course just fine.

David, you played with Anže Kopitar and Jan Muršak on the top line. What was it like to play with an NHL star and another former NHLer? Did you feel that the other teams were focusing on shutting down your line?

David: I didn't really feel that other teams were focusing on just our line. I think we played well as a team. I was just trying to keep it simple and make it comfortable for Kopi and Jan. In my opinion I haven't seen a better player than Kopi so far, so I feel fortunate that I had an oportunity to play with him on the same line.

Do you think that your success will increase the popularity of hockey in Slovenia?

David: I really hope so, but i think the biggest problem isn't the popularity.

Marcel: I hope it does. I know that people were watching all the games at home. Some schools even stoped classes so that students and teachers could watch the games together. People really got into it. But for what I know in the past, after a successfull tournament, things kind of slowly fade away. So I hope that in this case it's different. Hockey deserves to have a stronger role in Slovenian sports than it does right now.

I think your green and blue jerseys were one of the prettiest from all teams. Is there a chance that these jerseys will be used in other events outside the Olympics or will you go back to your traditional ones?

David: That is a question for our bosses. But I think we will stick with the new ones.

Marcel: The reason why we got the new colours is that every sport in Slovenia had until this point different colours. Soccer was green, hockey blue, handball baby blue, basketball green, so our Olympic comitee wanted to have all the sports competing under the same colours. So they decided for green, blue and white. I have to say I agree with the fact that we have to be the same and I like the colours. It makes us different and recognizable. I think the colours are staying.

Did you have time to attend other events during the games? What were you most interested in besides hockey?

David: We went to see ski jumping. Peter Prevc won the first medal for Slovenia, so it was pretty exciting. But when our games started we didn't have time to see anything else.

Marcel: As a team we went to see the ski jumping competition. Our fellow country man Peter Prevc got a silver medal in that competition. It was great. I didn't see anything else, because when we weren't practising or playing I rested. The problem was that all outdoor sports were almost two hours away and for the indoor sports we couldn't get any tickets. It's too bad we couldn't see more. We all followed the sports where we had other Slovenians competing.

How would you sum up your whole Olympic experience? Was it what you expected? Have you enjoyed the atmosphere?

David: One word... awesome!

Marcel: The whole thing was awesome. I didn't know what to expect. There was a special atmosphere at the Olympic village and the Park. You never know, I hope I get to enjoy it one more time. It really is special, it's hard to describe.

There is still some hockey to be played this season. But what about the next one? Do you have a contract for next season? Do you think that your stock as hockey players will rise on the market?

David: I don't have a contract for next year yet. I hope it will be easier to get a job than last year.

Marcel: I don't have a contract for next year yet. We will see what the next weeks and months bring. I hope my value on the market rises a little, but honestly I don't expect it. From experiences in the past it is not so easy to be much more wanted after one tournament.

I can see that even during the Olympics you were able to check your teams here on PPM. Are you satisfied with how your teams here at PPM are performing?

David: My team is progressing really slowly. Hopefully next season will be THE season.

Marcel: I had a chance of making it to the playoffs in the second league for the first time, but it didn't work out. Overall I am satisfied, I wish I can make it to the first league, but it will be hard.

Thank you very much for your time and good luck for the final part of your hockey season!