ZURICH – Almost 30 years after being drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks, Sean Simpson will coach his ZSC Lions Zurich against his former NHL organization in the Victoria Cup.
Born in England of parents from England and Wales and raised in Ontario, Sean Simpson is a truly international coach. His life has been equally split between Europe and North America. The Chicago Blackhawks drafted him in the seventh round in 1980. After two years with Chicago’s AHL affiliates, Simpson went to Europe as a 23-year-old and went on to become a successful coach who won championships in Germany and Switzerland – and more.
He was a coach for Team Canada in ten tournaments including six consecutive Spengler Cups and he was an assistant coach of the Belarusian national team at the 2006 and 2007 IIHF World Championship.
Earlier this year, he led Zurich to the Champions Hockey League trophy – the first time a Swiss team won a major European club competition. As a reward for the CHL triumph, we will have his next highlight when Zurich will play Chicago for the Victoria Cup.
IIHF.com talked to Simpson after his last league game prior to the event, a 2-1 shootout victory at HC Lugano.
How special is it for you to coach Zurich against Chicago, the organization that drafted you?
I didn’t play a very big role in the organization. I didn’t play a game, so it’s not a big story. It’s more special for me because it’s one of my favourite teams and because I’ve never played or coached in the NHL. It will be a great experience for everyone.
How was it for you to be drafted by the Blackhawks?
It’s an honour to be drafted by an Original-Six team. I liked Toronto and Chicago as a kid, I like the Indian-head uniform. The Blackhawks were an exciting team and the old Chicago Stadium was one of the most prestigious arenas in history.
Nowadays, the draft is a big show. How was that day for you as a junior 30 years ago?
The draft wasn’t a big media deal at that time. It was in a hotel and my agent informed me later that day. I had a pretty good junior career with the Ottawa 67’s with almost 400 points. We had a very strong line with Jim Fox and Yvan Joly, us three ended on the top of the scoring stats. We also played at the 1980 World U20 Championship. At that time it was the Memorial Cup winner who represented Canada with some additions and we were the additions.
Did you participate in the Blackhawks’ training camp?
I was at the Blackhawks camp twice but I didn’t play a pre-season game. I played ok on the farm teams but after two years the contract expired and I went to Europe pretty early, at 23. I’ve been here for 27 seasons now, so my time in the Blackhawks organization was pretty short compared to my time here but it was a great experience.
How was your time on the farm teams?
I played my first season for the New Brunswick Hawks. They were the farm team of both Chicago and Toronto, so we had good players and won the Calder Cup. Next year with the Springfield Indians, which is a very traditional AHL team, we were not as successful but we had a good group and a lot of fun together.
In the ‘80s you also played for ZSC.
Yes, I played in Zurich in the B-league under Andy Murray and we were promoted at the end of the season. He’s one of the best coaches in the world and he helped me many times later. It was an important year for me. When I was injured, he gave me his car keys to watch other games as a scout. That was the first time I thought about the coach’s side.
You played also in NLA for Olten and in other countries, but the end of your playing career and the start of the coaching career was also in the NLB, at SC Lyss. How did it happen that you switched to coaching in your thirties?
I came there for a try-out and got injured during the pre-season. I had no contract, and nothing to do there, so I asked if I could volunteer to coach junior teams. Later I played too and at the same time I became the responsible of the youth department and an assistant coach of their professional team. It was a very busy year in Lyss but a great year.
And then, everything went very quickly. You came to EV Zug, led the team to its first championship and also won the German league with the Munich Barons.
Yes, I was first the assistant coach but when Jim Koleff had cancer and when he left later for Lugano I became head coach in Zug. Apart from Lyss, I was coach of just three franchises in 18 years (Zug, Munich/Hamburg, Zurich), that’s not usual for a coach and something I’m proud of.
Now after the game in Lugano the Victoria Cup preparation can start.
Yes, it’s like in the Champions Hockey League. We want to win the game before to have a good motivation. We were able to switch modes between the Swiss league and the CHL very successfully last year. We had a team diner in a steak house in Lugano after the game on Tuesday so we came home late but it was good for the team. On Wednesday we had a day off and now we will build up slowly as we have one week off.
What do you personally think about the Victoria Cup?
It will be an excellent event and great two days for Swiss hockey when we can see the Champions Hockey League winner, the Swiss champion and a Top-4 NHL team.
How will you prepare your team?
We need to keep our feet on the ground and believe that we can play against them. We need a good preparation and we’ll watch some videos from the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Have you followed Chicago’s pre-season?
I just follow the results of Chicago’s pre-season games and the personnel, same like I did during the CHL.
SC Bern lost 8-1 to the New York Rangers last year. Doesn’t it make you a little nervous?
The score was tough, Bern was close for the first two periods. I felt bad for them because the media wrote so badly about them. We may not forget that it’s against the Blackhawks. We have a good league and are getting better but it’s not at NHL calibre yet. Maybe it will be a close game, maybe a high score. Whatever the result is, we have to look forward to the next game and enjoy the great atmosphere. We have to relax and play the way we can and do what we’re capable of.
We just have to believe, to be prepared and go onto the ice. Last season, nobody thought that we would have a chance against Linköping, and later against Espoo, or at the end against Magnitogorsk, but we won.
You let Ari Sulander play his first game against Lugano. Will he also play at the Victoria Cup and are there any other changes?
Sulander had a great game and he will be our goalie against Chicago. He’s ready. Blaine Down and Andre Signoretti, the imports from our farm team GCK Lions, will also join us. And Adrian Wichser (last year’s CHL top scorer) had his first game on Tuesday with the GCK Lions after his neck injury, maybe he will be ready for the Victoria Cup.
MARTIN MERK |
