At the same time, Levijoki cannot deny his roots. Under his guidance, the defense looks significantly more stable again, with every player fully committed on the backcheck. That was rarely the case under his predecessor.
"In the years we won the championship, we never really beat teams 7:6 or 8:7, but rather 1:0 or 2:1. That should continue to be our philosophy," Nissner states.
The team believes in itself again
Bringing Daniel Petersson back behind the bench as an assistant coach was another shrewd move. The Swede had been promoted to Player Development Coach in the summer, but is now once again part of the coaching staff.
Nissner is thrilled with the decision: "He's doing an insanely good job. He explains the system, gets everyone on the same page again. Everyone has an idea of what they need to do. Ultimately, that's what we need."
The team believes in itself more again, the Austrian national team forward emphasizes. "There is a clear concept. We know that things will be addressed and changed if something isn't working. That's what you need."
Wenn etwas nicht passt, soll er es uns sagen. Jeder ist alt genug, um damit umgehen zu können.
You need to be told what you're doing wrong. "Respectfully, of course, but you have to hear it. Nothing else helps," says the Vienna native.
Hothead Levijoki? A different impression emerges
Following Levijoki's promotion to the senior team, reports emerged in several quarters claiming that the Finn had never hesitated to crack the whip and lay down the law during his time with the Juniors.
Nissner cannot confirm that rumor; his impression is quite different. "He addresses things honestly. We have a team that can handle that," the 28-year-old explains.
The veterans even approached the coach and told him: "If something's not right, tell us. Everyone is old enough to handle it."
Naturally, that has to be done in a "respectful manner," Nissner points out. Still, he looks ahead to the coming weeks with optimism: "The season is still young, we've had a good run lately, and we'll look to keep playing this way."
