Years ago, Don Jackson took Toni Söderholm under his wing and taught her a lot about coaching. Now Söderholm steps into Jackson’s shoes.
Ice hockey coach Toni Söderholm is full of enthusiasm again. His contract with EHC Munich was announced on May Day, so he returns to where his coaching career really began.
As a graduate of HIFK, Söderholm represented the club for several seasons, but ended his extensive playing career in Germany. Söderholm played in EHC München for a season and was his team’s most effective defender. At the same time, he also learned how to become an NHL pilot Don Jackson’s from the coaching group he led and got a spark in his coaching career.
Söderholm first became a development coach and assistant coach of the Munich farm club SC Riessersee and assistant coach of the German under-20 national team. Very soon he was chosen as the head coach of the German national team, where he enjoyed himself until last fall.
– Already when I moved to the national team, we had discussions with the (Munich) club management. That when the day comes that I move to coach the club team again, then the phone lines will be kept open, said Söderholm, reached by phone.
When Don Jackson, who coached the team from the 2014-15 season, had announced a couple of months ago that he was quitting and going into retirement, the conversation link was opened again. Söderholm was coaching at SC Bern at the time, but the contract was terminated for the season that ended. Both parties were satisfied with this.
– We agreed on both sides that we will see after the end of the season what is best for everyone. In Bern, I had free hands to do what I felt was best and what Bern as a club felt was best. I decided to make such a move.
In Toni Söderholm’s finished season, there were enough events and quick moves. He admits that he has learned and seen a lot, but he already knew last fall that he wanted to return to coaching the club team.
– I got the feeling that I want to be more involved in the daily pulse, it takes me further as a coach. However, the move to Bern came out of the blue.
Coaching Bern was a good opportunity for him and an intense six months. Now, however, Söderholm is excited to get back to Munich, where he can continue in the footsteps of the coach he respects a lot.
– It feels great, very great. I have learned a lot from Don as a coach. He showed me a lot of great things about coaching. It was the kind of quick education that money can’t buy.
Söderholm praises the organization of EHC Munich, which has achieved great results in the DEL league in recent years. The team has won the championship four times (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2023) and won silver twice (2019 and 2022) and in the quarterfinals twice (2015 and 2020).
Even under Jackson, Munich played an aggressive and attacking winning game, and Söderholm does not want to change this drastically.
– Of course, each coach always brings his own things. I have said that of course we will question many things, but not everything. We always try to be as difficult opponents as possible for others.
Söderholm knows that when he gets his hands on a champion team, it will not be difficult to set future goals. In addition to the domestic league, the team aims for success in the Champions League CHL. In 2019, Munich made it to the finals in the CHL, the next year to the quarterfinals, and the following year to the semifinals.
With the CHL, Söderholm expects quick rhythm changes both with opponents and playing styles. You have to be alert from the beginning, because the jump from the German and Swiss leagues to the Scandinavian teams can be big.
– Yes, there are enough goals here and they are held high. Everyday life is the best when you have hard and clear expectations and goals.
– We want to win games. That’s quite clear. We want to win with a good game and in such a way that that game develops all the time. The team is good, the organization is good. Everyone takes care of their own box, so this is a really good place to train.