Löwen Frankfurt players are integrating unconventional cross-training, including boxing sessions at a local gym in Offenbach, as part of their preparation for the 2025/26 Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) season. Under the guidance of new athletic trainer Matthias Ott, the team is focusing on physical conditioning and mental resilience to improve upon last season’s performance.
Why are the Löwen Frankfurt training in a boxing gym?
The decision to move training sessions from the weight room to a boxing environment aims to build physical stability and mental toughness. According to athletic trainer Matthias Ott, who previously worked with the handball club HSG Wetzlar, boxing challenges players to maintain intensity even when fatigued. This approach is intended to help skaters "march" through the final minutes of a game, a critical requirement for success in the high-intensity DEL environment. The team is currently incorporating these sessions to provide sensory variety, helping players adapt their bodies to different types of physical stress.
What is the status of the Löwen Frankfurt roster?
As of late June 2025, the club’s core roster is largely set, though Sportdirektor Jan Barta confirmed that three key foreign forward positions remain vacant. Barta stated that the club is exercising patience regarding these signings to avoid compromising on quality. The team building strategy has focused on strengthening the defensive unit, with the additions of experienced defenders Konrad Abeltshauser and Björn Krupp. The goaltending situation features a new primary starter in American Adam Scheel, supported by Cody Brenner and prospect Nico Pertuch. The club is waiting for the North American free agency period, which begins July 1, to finalize its remaining offensive lineup.
How is the team preparing for the 2025/26 DEL season?
The coaching staff, led by head coach Tom Pokel, has adjusted the pre-season schedule to prioritize structured training over a high volume of exhibition games. The team has scheduled five preparation matches, a reduction from previous years, to allow more time for tactical implementation. This strategy follows a 2024/25 campaign that saw a difficult start followed by a late-season improvement after Pokel replaced Tom Rowe. Players began their conditioning in early May at the Kalbacher Leichtathletikhalle. The current training phase involves a core group of approximately ten players, including new arrivals Robin van Calster and Matej Leden, who are utilizing these diverse athletic stimuli to build a foundation for the season’s start in mid-September.
Key Performance Objectives
- Tactical Focus: Limiting exhibition games to focus on team systems and training intensity.
- Roster Stability: Finalizing the top-six forward group after the North American market opens in July.
- Physical Conditioning: Using interdisciplinary training to increase player resistance to injury and fatigue.
The Löwen Frankfurt organization remains committed to this measured approach, balancing the physical demands of summer training with a strategic, patient recruitment process aimed at correcting the inconsistencies of the previous season.