The future of the most successful coach in the history of the German Ice Hockey League should be decided this week. The probability that Don Jackson will retire after his ninth championship title in Germany and possibly work in a higher role in the ice hockey cosmos of the Austrian shower company Red Bull is quite high.
Even if no one really wanted to talk about it after EHC Red Bull Munich’s fourth triumph, it could still be heard. “I’m in the final third,” said the 66-year-old American after his team’s decisive 3-1 win over ERC Ingolstadt.
Of course, he meant his work as an ice hockey coach. There has been speculation about the timing of his retirement over the past few years. Especially after the playoff disappointments since 2018. Since then, the financially strongest club in Germany had failed earlier than it would have liked. But Jackson left no doubt immediately after painful defeats that he wanted to attack again in the coming year – as coach of the EHC. This was different now that the title finally worked out again.
Will Soderholm take over?
Although manager Christian Winkler has probably been clear for a long time, the 51-year-old presented it as if he was just waiting for Jackson’s decision. “In the end, the Don decides it himself. You probably won’t have a more successful coach,” said Winkler, referring meaningfully to the coming days: “We won’t discuss that now, but we’ll definitely sit down again this week, then we’ll see.”
According to reports, Winkler has long had an alternative up his sleeve. For weeks there have been rumors that former national coach Toni Söderholm should inherit Jackson in the coming season. The 44-year-old Finn has already ended his engagement at SC Bern, for which he left the German Ice Hockey Federation head over heels last November, after a few disappointing months. As a player, Söderholm was involved in the first Munich championship in 2016 under Jackson. He was then supported on his way to an ambitious coaching career by the Red Bull Group. Jackson’s handover to Söderholm seems only logical at the moment.
Jackson: “Every title is emotional”
Of course, Jackson didn’t want to know anything about all of this on Sunday in the hustle and bustle of the champions. A few tears after the triumph showed that his personal ninth title in Germany still touched him. “Every title is emotional,” said Jackson, who made a name for himself almost 20 years ago as a coach in Germany with the Düsseldorfer EG. He hoarded championship titles from 2008 with Eisbären Berlin and almost a decade later with Munich.
Jackson enjoys an impeccable reputation among his charges, having won two Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers playing alongside the great Wayne Gretzky. “Don has insane experience and insane ice hockey know-how,” said Munich goalkeeper Mathias Niederberger. But Jackson’s personality is much more important, emphasized Niederberger. “He’s just flawless and an amazing person. I have a lot of respect for him.”
