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Interview with Lasse Kopitz
Written by: Chapin Landvogt on 01/30/2002 
One of the young German players making a name for himself in the DEL this season is Lasse Kopitz of the Revier Lions of Oberhausen. Born in Berlin on May 21st, 1980, this 6'3" 190-pound defenseman has been developing along the same lines as recently drafted German defensemen such as Christian Ehrhoff (SJ), Dennis Seidenberg (PHI) and Christoph Schubert (OTT). After a recent game between Lasse's Lions and the Hannover Scorpions, I had the opportunity to speak with this outgoing and well-spoken quadralingual defenseman/left winger (speaks not only German and English, but Swedish and Danish as well):
Hockey's Future: Is it still your goal to make it to the NHL?
Lasse Kopitz: Yes, absolutely!
HF: You've taken an interesting route to the pro ranks in Germany's top league. At the age of 16 you visited a friend in Sweden and you ended up staying there and playing two years for the Färjestad juniors, winning the Swedish junior championship in both of those seasons. How did you like living there in Sweden? Do you possibly regret having taken this step?
LK: It was terrific. I had a wonderful time there and I don't regret a thing about it. I had the opportunity to play at a very high level and my game improved by leaps and bounds. A lot of emphasis was placed on training, practicing and skating. In comparison to hockey in Germany, the Swedes definitely have a training system that really emphasizes and solidifies the basics and fundamentals.
HF: There are a lot of NHL scouts in Sweden. Anybody speak with you?
LK: Yes, in fact I was spoken to by a few scouts during my stay there.
HF: I suppose you made some good friends there. It wouldn't be a bad place to meet some nice ladies either, ehh?
LK: (Smiling) Oh yeah, you bet. I have some good friends there and was actually involved in a pretty serious relationship at one point.
HF: Would you ever think of perhaps returning to Sweden someday to play professionally in the Swedish Elite League, hopefully after a long and prosperous NHL tour of duty?
LK: Well, obviously that depends on my development and the direction my career takes me in, but I have thought that I would eventually like to play one season in Sweden sometime down the road. So yes, that certainly remains an option.
HF: This has been an up and down season for your current team, the Oberhausen Lions. You all started out quite well, then coach Peter Draisaitl was released, and now the team is in a bit of a slump, dropping out of a safe playoff spot in the last 10 games or so. Now you're trying to scratch and claw your way back into the playoff picture. Are you still satisfied with this season, especially in regard to your personal development, seeing as how you are a DEL rookie?
LK: It's tough at the moment. The team is doing everything it can to get out of this rut. Everybody on the team is aware of the situation, of the slump we're going through, and we're trying to work our way out of it. For me personally, I'm trying to handle all situations and help the team in any way I can. Although my natural position is that of a defenseman, I played a lot of left wing at the beginning of the season. I'm a young player doing my best to help the team and am trying to find the spot where I can be most effective. Especially the mental aspect of it all - of being a professional and churning through the long season - is something a young player has to work on and learn to handle throughout the year. The psychological aspect of being a pro is very important.
HF: A very mature answer. What does an average day look like for you off the ice?
LK: Well, we do some working out, have meetings and review & analyze our games on video. A lot of time is spent on preparing for the next opponent. Personally, I like to relax whenever I can, hang out with friends and play NHL2002 on Playstation 2.
HF: A popular off-ice activity among hockey players indeed! Now Lasse, the Olympics are right around the corner. Any thoughts on the team Germany is sending to Salt Lake City?
LK: I think coach Hans Zach is doing a good job and is taking a very formidable team to the Olympics. He had some tough decisions to make, but the team has definitely been put together with a defined purpose. Lets hope they can make it to the medal round.
HF: Are you hoping to get nominated to the national team for upcoming international tournaments, such as the WC in Sweden this Spring?
LK: Absolutely. Making the national team is a definite goal and priority of mine. I played 3 games for the national team last year and I definitely want to work on getting back on it. There's a lot of competition, but I know what's expected of me in order to make the team again. I definitely need to prove myself at the DEL level. I am concentrating on establishing myself here with this club first and working on going from being a role player to someone who is put on the ice in all important situations. That's the best way of getting yourself established and earning consideration for the national team.
HF: Well, your 2 goals and 7 points in 46 games is certainly a very respectable DEL balance for a rookie. As a last question: your teammate Carsten Gosdeck played one year, prospects Adrian Grygiel and Benjamin Voigt are apparently going to play this year, and your friend and San Jose draft pick Christian Ehrhoff played last season..... will you be playing in Germany's ISHD Inline hockey league this summer?
LK: (smiling) Well, I'll be spending the summer working out in Denmark and will be concentrating on preparing for the upcoming season. So unfortunately, I'll have to say no to this question.
Lasse signed on with the Krefeld Penguins organization after his tenure in Sweden. Much like the relationship between the NHL and the minor leagues in North America, the Krefeld Penguins assigned Lasse to play parts of the last two seasons with Duisburg of Germany's third league. Last season, Lasse racked up 9 goals, 21 points and a style-indicative 94 penalty minutes in just 46 games as a defenseman. This current season is his first in the DEL. The jump from the German 3rd league to the DEL is quite a large one, which shows just how far he has come in such a short period of time.
Copyright 2002 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.
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