Tom Pokel

Tom Pokel (born September 2, 1967) is an American professional ice hockey coach and a former ice hockey defenseman. He is currently the head coach for the Straubing Tigers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).

Tom Pokel
Tom Pokel in 2022
Born (1967-09-02) September 2, 1967
Green Bay, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Defense
Shot Right
Played for SUNY-Fredonia (ECAC-W)
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 1985–1991

Playing career

Pokel attended the State University of New York at Fredonia and was a three-time captain for the men's ice hockey team. He graduated in 1991.[1]

Coaching career

Pokel worked on the Buffalo Sabres' marketing department for six years following his playing career,[2] and in 1995 accepted the head coach position at German second-division side EHC Timmendorfer Strand.[3] After two years in that job, he took over ESC Trier and one year later was named head coach of the Bietigheim Steelers who he guided to promotion from third to second division in 1999.

In 2001, he moved from Bietigheim to Schwenninger ERC of the German top-flight Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), joining the Wild Wings as an assistant coach. On April 30, 2002, he was promoted to head coach.[4] Pokel and the Wild Wings parted ways in October 2002.[5]

Following a short stint as assistant coach at ERC Ingolstadt, he left Germany for Austria, serving as head coach of VEU Feldkirch,[6][7] guiding the team to winning the championship in Austria's second division Nationalliga,[8] EHC Lustenau,[9] Graz 99ers[10] and EK Zell am See.[11]

In 2009, Pokel was appointed as head coach of Italian Serie A club SG Pontebba. He would guide the team to three playoff appearances in his three years at the helm.[12]

He signed with fellow Serie A side Kanguro Alleghe Hockey for the 2012-13 campaign.[13]

Pokel then led HC Bolzano to the EBEL Championship in their inaugural season of the Austrian Hockey League in the 2013–14 season.[14][15] Pokel joined the Vienna Capitals of the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL) on May 26, 2014.[16] He parted company with the Capitals in February 2015.[17] Pokel returned to Bolzano for the 2015-16 campaign and stayed on the job until the conclusion of the 2016–17 season. On October 26, 2017, he was named head coach of the Straubing Tigers of the German DEL.[18]

International

On the back of his successful season with Bolzano, Pokel was named the head coach of the Italy national ice hockey team[19] for competition at the 2014 IIHF World Championship.[20]

References
  1. "Six Alumni Athletes Taking the Pro Sports World by Storm | Big Ideas Blog". blog.suny.edu. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  2. "Class Notes Fall 2013 > Alumni & Friends | Online Community | State University of New York at Fredonia". alumni.fredonia.edu. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  3. "Tom Pokel: Aus der NHL an den Timmendorfer Strand". krone.at. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  4. EISHOCKEY.INFO. "Schwenninger Wild Wings: Tom Pokel wird neuer Headcoach der Wild Wings - 34jähriger US-Amerikaner unterschrieb einen Jahres-Vertrag". EISHOCKEY INFO. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  5. ONLINE, RP. "Schwenningen entlässt Cheftrainer: DEL: Hauskrach in Köln trotz zweitem Sieg in Folge". RP ONLINE. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  6. EISHOCKEY.INFO. "ERC Ingolstadt: Tom Pokel verlässt Ingolstadt in Richtung Feldkirch - Co-Trainer wird Cheftrainer in Österreich". EISHOCKEY INFO. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  7. "Pokel neuer Trainer des EHC Feldkirch - Liechtensteiner Volksblatt, die Tageszeitung für Liechtenstein". Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  8. "VEU Feldkirch ist Eishockey-Meister - oesterreich.ORF.at". vbgv1.orf.at. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  9. marksoft. "Tom Pokel neuer Trainer in Lustenau - hockeyfans.at". www.hockeyfans.at. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  10. GmbH, news networld Internetservice. "- Die Graz 99ers haben einen neuen Coach: Tom Pokel trainierte". news.at. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  11. "Pokel wird ein "Eisbär"". vol.at. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  12. HockeyTime.net. "Tom Pokel alla guida delle Aquile FVG Pontebba". Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  13. "Hockey, Tom Pokel si presenta all'Alleghe - Sport - Corriere delle Alpi". Corriere delle Alpi. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  14. "Tom Pokel to Coach the Vienna Capitals". eishockey.org. May 26, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  15. Miso. "Tom Pokel ist der neue Trainer des HC Bozen - Hockey club Bolzano". www.hcb.net. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  16. "Tom Pokel wird Capitals-Coach". kurier.at. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  17. "UPC Vienna Capitals Webseite". www.vienna-capitals.at. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  18. "Straubing Tigers - Aktuelles im Detail". www.straubing-tigers.de (in German). Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  19. "Tom Pokel appointed as new head coach of Italy". eurohockey.com. March 4, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  20. "Team rosters forming". International Ice Hockey Federation. May 1, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
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