Powerplay is a solid documentary for ice hockey newbies who want to know more about the national team, especially ahead of the first game, which kicks off against Denmark at 9 p.m. on February 12 at the Winter Olympics.
The documentary offers deeper insights into the team dynamics, the training process, and the personalities that characterize German ice hockey.
The central figure is national coach Harold Kreis. One of the film’s stylistic devices is the squad selection countdown. The former national player knows from his own experience how painful it can be not to be nominated. Kreis was not nominated for the Olympics in 1992, even though he played in the Deutschland Cup.
It reminds me a little of Herb Brooks. He famously coached the team to victory against the Soviets in Lake Placid in 1980, using only college players, and ultimately won the gold medal against Finland. As a player, Brooks was not selected at the last minute and watched on television as the US won gold in Squaw Valley.
Brooks gave a moving speech in the locker room before the semifinal game against the Soviets in Lake Placid. The film “Miracle on Ice” shows the journey of the college boys in 1980. The film was released in 2004, a year after Brooks tragically died in a car accident.
“Powerplay” shows how far German ice hockey has come. From losing 1-19 to the USSR in 1983 to reaching the Olympic final in South Korea in 2018. With just a few minutes to go, the Ice Eagles were leading against Russia. The confidence with which the team played against Russia represents a milestone in terms of mindset change.
I can immediately agree with Leon Draisaitl on this: ice hockey is probably one of the most difficult sports to learn and master. First of all, you have to be able to skate properly. Then there’s the combination of speed, coordination, strength, and endurance, which is unique in its mix. You can usually recognize an ice hockey player by their bow legs, strong thighs, and larger rear end.
Basically, German ice hockey is developing in the right direction. Since the Ice Eagles won silver twice, at the 2018 Olympics and the 2023 World Championships, there was a slight setback last year. The World Championships in Denmark were disappointing. Unfortunately, we were eliminated in the preliminary round. Denmark was also disappointing as a venue; many seats were empty, and the enthusiasm of the spectators was limited.
It was nice to see insights into the lives of individual players, such as the friendship between Tiffels and Draisaitl. Freddy attended Leon’s wedding last summer. To play at this level, the sacrifices are great. That makes friends who understand what that means all the more important.
Leon doesn’t beat around the bush. I was aware that his one timer is unmatched in the NHL. The best German ice hockey player of all time can score goals from every conceivable angle with his direct shot. I heard from him for the first time that he was explicitly looking for a component in his game to make him more dangerous, and that’s how he found the one timer.
The 60-minute film was produced by the beetz brothers and directed by Jens Pfeiffer and Mario Kottkamp.