Serge Aubin leads his ZSC Lions team to Vienna on Tuesday, knowing that they'll make the CHL playoffs with anything better than a heavy defeat in the Austrian capital. It's not just a big game however because of the Group A standings, but also sees the former Capitals coach return to his former team.
"After spending two years in Vienna and winning a championship with a lot of the guys that are still there, it did feel a bit bizarre to be playing against them. But the minute the puck drops you forget about this," explained the ZSC Lions' man about last week's game in Zurich. "It was weird but in a good way to see them before, but of course it was all about ZSC in the game. But we definitely created some bonds over those two years that came back."
"It's nice to play CHL again straight away and finally get to know our fate about moving on or not. We're going there with the mindset to win the game," said the 43-year-old. "I know Vienna will compete extremely hard, and so will we if we want to have a chance. I'm used to the rink but I'm fully committed to ZSC. It was a great experience there with the fans and I'm looking forward to seeing that again."
"It was a hard decision to leave Vienna, but it felt like the right time to explore a different challenge"Serge Aubin (Head Coach, ZSC Lions)
Aubin was announced as heading to Zurich in late December 2017, and stayed with the Capitals until their season ended. "It was a hard decision to leave Vienna. The organisation, the owners, my GM, the players - I think we created something really positive there. But I did feel like it was time for me to explore a different opportunity," he revealed. "I played a few years in Switzerland so I knew the style of play and what the challenge would mean, and I felt like I was ready for it. As a player you always want to get better and move forward, and this is the same for a coach, too."
Aubin has coached in the DEL, EBEL, and now National League. How do they compare? "The main difference between Switzerland and the EBEL is the speed and skill of some guys, it's a little faster. On the other hand in the EBEL you have more grit and physicality, like in the DEL too," he explained.
The former Hamburg Freezers Head Coach has also been involved with the CHL in each of those leagues over four seasons, and has seen it develop. "I had the chance to experience the CHL now with three teams, and I think over the years I'm seeing the teams are getting really competitive. We see the level between leagues is actually pretty close and there are no easy nights," said Aubin. "For me as a coach it's not only a great hockey game, it's also really good to see other styles and abilities. We know the teams in our league, but when you face an opponent you've not really seen before it makes it very interesting."
Lastly there's a personal milestone on the line for Aubin - he's never taken a team past the Group Stage of the CHL despite some near misses. Unfinished business, perhaps? "For sure! Especially because one year in Vienna, we beat Skellefteå home and away and didn't make it through. It is hard to advance, and it only gets harder the further you go, but I'd like to put that step behind me and move forward, to see what the next challenge will be like."