Story Summary
Krefeld Pinguine managing director Peer Schopp believes the club have established themselves at the required level in the DEL after the opening quarter of the season, while warning that their points return must improve.
Schopp said Krefeld had made encouraging early impressions following their return to Germany’s top division and had performed broadly at the necessary standard. He nevertheless identified missed points, small details and an unproductive power play as issues the team must address.
The managing director rejected any suggestion that the club should alter its central objective. Survival remains Krefeld’s priority, despite a start that has drawn more positive attention than some observers anticipated. Schopp described the side as being in its first spell of poor results even though he felt they were playing well, and urged patience and humility across the organisation.
He also backed head coach Thomas Popiesch to find the right blend among the import players, while expressing confidence in goaltenders Juha Jatkola and Felix Bick. Schopp declined to single out individual skaters for praise or public criticism, including Tanner Kero, who is still without a point.
Key Facts
- Peer Schopp said Krefeld Pinguine have largely performed at the required DEL standard after the first quarter of the season.
- Schopp said Krefeld have left points behind because the team remain in a learning phase and must improve the small details of their play.
- Krefeld’s managing director said the club expected from the outset to compete at DEL level because the squad was strong enough and many players had already absorbed Thomas Popiesch’s system.
- Schopp said Krefeld need to win more battles, stick battles and remain structurally disciplined to improve their results.
- He identified the power play as a reason Krefeld have lacked some scoring and said he hopes it will click in the coming games.
- Schopp said the import players still need time to establish their roles and that the right mix has not yet been found.
- Danny aus den Birken selected Juha Jatkola because he saw the greatest potential in the goaltender, according to Schopp.
- Schopp said Felix Bick is a dependable goaltender on whom Krefeld can rely fully.
- Tanner Kero remains without a point, but Schopp said the experienced forward needs time to find his role rather than public judgement.
- Krefeld’s stated principal objective remains DEL survival, with Schopp urging humility and patience during a long season.
IHM Discussion
Schopp’s assessment is deliberately measured. He accepts that Krefeld have shown enough to belong at this level, but he is not allowing encouraging performances or compliments from opponents to become a substitute for results.
That distinction runs through his comments. Krefeld’s squad were expected internally to handle the step into the DEL, and the opening weeks have supplied evidence for that belief. Yet Schopp’s concern is that the side have not consistently completed the harder parts of games: the individual battles, stick contests and structural work he believes are required to secure points.
His response to the early results dip is also notable. Rather than shifting the target towards the top 10 and the pre-play-offs, Schopp has kept survival as the club’s defining aim. It leaves little room for the noise that can follow a promising start, but it gives Krefeld a clear reference point while the season remains long.
The same restraint applies to individuals. Schopp sees an ongoing process for the imports and has faith in Popiesch to settle the blend. He would not publicly dissect Kero’s difficult start, instead pointing to the forward’s experience and the time needed to settle into a new role.
Why It Matters
For a team returning to the top German league, competitive displays are important but cannot be the end point. Schopp’s comments place the emphasis on converting those displays into the points needed to achieve Krefeld’s survival target.
His focus on basics is particularly relevant because the margins in the DEL are often decided by the details he named: winning possession battles, competing with sticks and maintaining the team’s structure. Krefeld do not need to reinvent their identity according to Schopp; they need to carry out those demands more consistently.
The power play is a separate area with potential influence on the scoring return. Schopp linked its lack of success to the club’s shortage of offence, making it an obvious area of attention as Krefeld seek to turn close performances into stronger outcomes.
There is reassurance in goal, where Schopp highlighted both Jatkola’s potential and Bick’s reliability. That gives Krefeld two goaltenders he trusts while the skaters work through the remaining issues in their game.
Mini Q&A
What is Krefeld Pinguine’s main target this season?
Peer Schopp said DEL survival remains Krefeld Pinguine’s principal objective.
What does Peer Schopp believe Krefeld must improve?
Schopp said Krefeld must be sharper in the small details, win more battles and stick battles, maintain their structure and improve their power play.
What did Schopp say about Tanner Kero?
Schopp said Kero, who remains without a point, needs time to find his role and should not be judged publicly with impatience.
How did Schopp assess Krefeld’s goaltending?
Schopp said Juha Jatkola has further potential to develop and described Felix Bick as a reliable goaltender.
Coach Mark Comment
Schopp’s refusal to make Tanner Kero the public face of a scoreless start is a sensible part of this interview. A player without a point will always attract attention, particularly when supporters expected more from his experience, but an executive does not improve that situation by adding another verdict from above.
Kero still has to find a way into the game and contribute, just as the other new players must settle into their roles. What Schopp has done is keep the conversation attached to the team’s wider work: the power play, the import mix and the small actions Krefeld say have cost them points. That leaves the forward room to answer on the ice rather than being asked to carry every frustration around the club.
What Comes Next
Krefeld’s next checkpoint is whether the power play begins to produce in the coming games, as Schopp said he hopes it will. Over the following weeks, Popiesch will also continue working to find the right mix and roles among the import players.
IHM Final View
Krefeld’s early DEL record has given Schopp reason to believe the club can compete at this level, but his interview is not a celebration of that start. It is a clear reminder that survival remains the objective and that performance must become points.
The Pinguine’s immediate task is straightforward in description, if demanding in execution: be more precise in the basics, find more scoring through the power play and allow the newer pieces of the squad time to settle. Schopp’s message is that patience must sit alongside higher standards, not replace them.