Hockey Today Magazine
Ehrenliga’s Finest
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em In the Alley: Seelowe Marlesee’s ‘Mean Marlesee Machine’
Hockey Today’s ‘Ehrenliga’s Finest’ section looks back on the long history of hockey in Siovanija & Teusland, focusing on the players, teams, moments and games that have contributed to the culture of the game in our country. Today, we take a look at a team that changed the game forever - the Seelowe Marlesee teams in the immediate post-expansion years, most commonly known in hockey culture today as the ‘Mean Marlesee Machine.’
In season 30, after the Wolf Bleich led Stelburg Kaisers captured their third straight Strauss Cup title, there was a great focus on the team’s play. Bleich had been a new breed, a very tough, physical forward, and the Kaisers were loaded with players who could play the body. They had marked a bit of a shift in the game at that point. And when legendary Kaisers owner Curt Schwaiger was asked about why the team played such a physical style, he answered: “Well, if you can’t beat ‘em in the alley, you can’t beat ‘em on ice.”
A few hundred kilometres north of Stelburg, in the coastal town of Marlesee, Johan Greiss was watching. He was still a kid when the Kaisers won their three Cups in a row - one raised on the tough, cold winters of the Nordsee coast. He had idolized the Kaisers, and players like Wolf Bleich, and grew up playing that same style in the local junior leagues.
Many years later, Greiss was now a successful lawyer in the Marlesee area, and still a massive hockey fan. And now, he saw teams like Kapitala Borograd, made up of tough players, still competing in the league - still winning Strauss Cups, even. The old adage of needing to be tougher than your opponent seemed to still be true, even in a changing era. Greiss became part of the local consortium involved with the expansion team in Marlesee, and as he had had the brightest hockey career amongst them - a cup of coffee in the minor leagues after a decent junior career - he was placed in charge of hockey operations.
Greiss was thus tasked with building the first-ever Seelowe Marlesee team, both through the expansion draft and scouting. He decided to take young players in the expansion draft - those who could be taught to play a certain way, and would develop together. He asked his scouts to focus their efforts on minor league players who played a certain way - big and tough, but also smart. Greiss was beginning a great experiment - just how far could you take the physicality, and still have the opportunity to win.
The expansion draft was quite unfair to the new Ehrenliga clubs. Each of the Original 6 clubs had to make 5 skaters and 1 goalie from their total roster available for the draft, however, most of these players were not exactly Ehrenliga veterans, particularly the goaltenders, who were often the third string at best. There was only one real marquee name on the list - Wolf Bleich, winding down his career with the Stelburg Kaisers. Greiss, who had idolized Bleich, thought he would be perfect to add to the team - however, the Felsenkirchen Jets grabbed him with the first pick in the draft.
Instead, Greiss continued his focus on the young players. Tom Schiff was the team’s first choice, a feisty right winger from the Stelburg Kaisers who hadn’t been able to crack their deep lineup. He was fast, and he also was well-known in junior hockey as a heavy hitter. The second pick was defenceman Elmo Stieler. Stieler hadn’t played a single minute in the Ehrenliga, property of the St. Jakob Saints, but in the minors, he was almost legendary as a fighter. Despite his young age, Stieler had become a strong physical stay-at-home defenceman, and he was perfect for the club. Other choices in the expansion draft included C Arnold Geiser, a skilled forward. Out of the minors, Marlesee signed veteran LW Hans Klugmann to captain the club, while G Benno Kruger was in between the pipes for that first year.
Seelowe Marlesee played their first Ehrenliga game on October 17, 1967, at home against the Stelburg Kaisers. In the ‘good’ column, the team recorded a sellout, Geiser scored his first professional goal, and Elmo Stieler got the crowd into it immediately with a huge hit on Kaisers star Konrad Hersching. In the ‘bad’ column, the team lost 6-1, the beginning of a pattern that each of the expansion teams would, for the most part, feel that season: losing, and losing badly in many cases. Seelowe would record a 9-15-52 record to come last place in the entire league, a brutal year for fans of the expansion team.
Johan Greiss wasn’t too worried, however - in fact, he was almost happy. Prior to the year, Hockey Siovanija & Teusland announced that the previous system of signing young players to A, B and C form contracts was over - an entry draft would now be held for players 18 years old to enter the league. The top prospect that year was Lothar Weinwurm, the star centre for the Felsenkirchen Red Wings that had led them to a Teus Major Junior Hockey League championship that season. Weinwurm could score goals, and was the star of the league. He could also hit, fight, and was famous for his stickwork. That made him perfect for what Seelowe Marlesee were trying to build, and despite being offered several packages to trade that #1 overall pick, Marlesee drafted Lothar Weinwurm #1 overall.
The next season, season 50, was a much more positive one for the club. Weinwurm had a great season, earning Rookie of the Year honours, and quickly became renowned as a skilled player at both ends of the ice. Elmo Stieler was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the league, and there was a great deal of excitement around the team - there was something to build on in the future. The club finished 25-8-42 that year, 5th in the Teus Division. Still out of the playoffs, but very much looking up.
In the backroom, however, there were some clashes. Johan Greiss, the general manager of the club, had hired Fritz Kissling as the first coach of the club. Kissling had once played for the St. Jakob Saints, winning 2 Strauss Cup titles, and had been an experienced coach at the minor league level. It was becoming clear, however, that the two men had very different visions for the team. Greiss brought up young D Aaron Treich from the minors for a seasoning stint in the Ehrenliga towards the end of the season; another physical stay-at-home defender. Kissling, however, didn’t like Treich, and kept him nailed to the bench for most of those games. Furthermore, Kissling encouraged Weinwurm and other players to be more aggressive on attack - that their high-flying style would work best with more goals. Greiss fundamentally disagreed, feeling that a tight defence was the key to the physical style - you had to beat them off the puck to get it, and once you did, you could score.
Kissling and Greiss didn’t really get along well after that second season, but Kissling did start behind the bench for season 51, the club’s third in the league. With Weinwurm getting off to a strong start in his sophomore season, and the other players also developing quite well, there was a hope that Seelowe would be able to reach the playoffs for the first time. It looked as if things would go that way - the club in a fierce battle for that #4 position in the Teus Division with the Felsenkirchen Jets most of the year. They fell off towards the end of the year, however, and after a 6-4 loss to the Jets in the penultimate game of the year that eliminated Seelowe, Greiss’s mind was made up. Fritz Kissling was fired.
Greiss decided it was time to put his plan into overdrive. The team, when playing the way Greiss expected them to, was very, very good. They had a 35-13-28 record, the best in club history. Greiss felt that if they went all the way with his style, they could be even better - perhaps even the best team in the league. He needed a coach that was willing to play that tight style, give the players freedom to be as physical as they could be - he didn’t want to see Kissling holding back Elmo Stieler ever again. He also needed a new goalie, one that was a big-game performer capable of helping them in the playoffs.
Marlesee’s goaltender that season was Andreas Haussler. A solid netminder, he seemed to shrink up in big games, however, and with how loose Marlesee had been defensively, that just wasn’t good enough. Luckily for Johan Greiss, there was a ready-made replacement for him. Eisbaren Stelburg’s starting goaltender was Bastian Sternhell. Sternhell was one of the top young goaltenders in the league, but was on a poor Eisbaren team. Furthermore, his contract was up after the end of the season - and there had been rumours of him going to the newly established Republic Hockey League, which had proven they were willing to sign players to big salaries given the Stahlberg Steelers’ big offer to bring Wolf Bleich out of retirement.
Johan Greiss went to the Eisbaren front office, and offered them a ‘quick fix’ package in exchange for Sternhall. He knew that Eisbaren, as one of the traditional big clubs of the league, needed to be in the playoffs yearly to avoid upsetting their fanbase. They were trending quite clearly downward, however. Greiss thus offered several depth players - particularly those who fit a system Kissling may have preferred, that a new coach may not have utilized. He also threw in a bit of draft capital - the second round pick in the upcoming year’s draft. The deal was made, Eisbaren figuring it would be better to get something for Sternhall rather than lose him for nothing.
That offseason, Greiss negotiated a new contract with Sternhall. Knowing that many of his players would not put up the big individual points numbers to earn bigger contracts, he was able to offer Sternhall a very good contract, making him the second-highest paid goaltender in the Ehrenliga. A new coach was hired: Joseph Kuttner, who had coached in the minor leagues for many years and shared a similar vision of the game as Greiss. The two worked together to fill out the rest of their squad: big, hard players who could also find the back of the net when needed. It was finally time for Seelowe Marlesee to take the next steps.
In season 52, the team began to show the potential Greiss had believed in those first few years. Lothar Weinwurm had developed into one of the league’s best two-way players, and was one of the most feared centres to play against in the league due to his strength. Elmo Stieler continued to be a fan favourite, Tom Schiff was great - and most importantly, perhaps, Bastian Sternhall played some of the best hockey of his career. Seelowe led the league in hits as well as being one of the best defensive teams in the league, and they earned their 46-8-22 record to finish second place in the Teus Division, and qualify for the playoffs for the first time.
In the first round best-of-5, Seelowe would play the St. Jakob Saints, who had finished third. The Saints were a veteran squad, coming to the end of their run after having won the Strauss Cup 3 years prior. There wasn’t much left in the tank, and the younger Marlesee side was able to exploit that. 3-1, 2-0 and 2-1 were the final scores as Marlesee took the series in 3 games. Awaiting them in the Division Final were the ever-dangerous Stelburg Kaisers. The Kaisers had retooled their squad in the preceding years, with a mixture of tough play but also generally being the quickest team in the league. While both teams were young and on the up, the Kaisers had the edge this time - taking the series in 6 games, and going on to beat Energija Chernovets in the Strauss Cup Final.
It was clear for everyone to see, however, just how close Seelowe Marlesee were to the ultimate prize. They were committed to coming back for the next season stronger than ever to pull off the Strauss Cup win. It was a tricky season, with the biggest contenders being considered to be the Stelburg Kaisers, hoping to repeat. In the Siovanijan Division, however, Energija Chernovets were still a very tough team, as were Olympia Borograd. Marlesee would finish second place again in the Teus Division, setting up a first-round battle with the Felsenkirchen Jets.
The two expansion teams each had a feeling of destiny around them, but in the end, the Jets would have to wait a few more years for their time. Marlesee took the series easily, sweeping the series, and teaching the Jets just what exactly was the difference between regular season and playoff hockey. They brutalized the Jets in the corners, seemingly winning every single puck battle. It was war on ice.
In the Division Final, Marlesee once again matched up against the Stelburg Kaisers. While last year, Marlesee had looked tough, this year they looked tough and hungry. The Kaisers perhaps felt an aura of invincibility around them, being the defending champions, and perhaps didn’t want it just as badly as their opponents. Marlesee opened the series with a 2-0 victory on the road to shock the Kaisers, and they would win in 5 games to advance to the Final.
Olympia Borograd and Stanislav Slezak were waiting for them in the finals, however, and it was certain to be a tricky series for both teams. Olympia captain Stanislav Slezak said before the series that “It’s just about playing our game, and not getting bogged down into the style they are going to try and force. If we play our game, we can win.” Slezak and Olympia would take game 1 in a tight-checking game in Borograd, but Marlesee shocked the Greens by taking game 2, 3-2 the final score in that one. Elmo Stieler fought Slezak as well, earning a key morale victory for his side.
Back home in Marlesee, Seelowe would win games 3 and 4 to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Olympia Borograd would stave off elimination in game 5 at home, winning in overtime, but Marlesee would not be denied on home ice in game 6 - with a 4-1 win, they became the first of the ‘New 6’ expansion clubs to win the Strauss Cup. There were great celebrations long into the night, and even more when Lothar Weinwurm was named league MVP a few weeks later. For Weinwurm, Sternhall, Stieler and the brains behind the team, Greiss and Kuttner, however, the work was just beginning.
Marlesee came back the next season, season 54, even better than they’d started the last. Marlesee went on a 16 game unbeaten run to start the season, and were widely considered the best team in the league by quite some distance. It wasn’t just the skill of their team: you were afraid to play against Marlesee, afraid to go up against Stieler in the corners, afraid to backcheck against Weinwurm, afraid of the four strong lines Marlesee could roll. Seelowe finished first place in the Teus Division that year, and looked set for another march through the playoffs.
In the first round, they faced Eisbaren Stelburg, and former Eisbaren goaltender Bastian Sternhall was the star of the series. Eisbaren were rebuilding around a core of young offensive talent, but they were stymied all series long, only managing 2 goals in the three game series - Marlesee sweeping the first round yet again. In the second round, it was only natural for Marlesee to have a date with the Kaisers. Their opponents, however, had just completed a hard-fought 5-game series with the St. Jakob Saints, and were worn out. Perfect material for Marlesee to beat further into the ground; not perfect for viewers: Marlesee won this series in 5 games, including winning game 3 in Stelburg 5-0. That set up a Strauss Cup Final against Energija Chernovets.
Chernovets were an interesting team at this point in their history. Usually at the bottom of the barrel during the Original 6 era, they had managed to put together a very strong core right as the era was changing. Radim Michalek was a 50-goal scorer and considered by many to be the best offensive player in the league, while D Eduard Masek was one of the finest of his day. Masek’s legacy often gets overlooked as he played at the same time as Stanislav Slezak, but there is no question that he was a key player. Chernovets would win the Strauss Cup back-to-back in seasons 50 and 51, lost in the final in season 52, and were back in the final in season 54 eager to take down the Marlesee team.
It wasn’t to be, however, for Chernovets. Marlesee had an answer to seemingly every question asked of them, as Lothar Weinwurm shut down Michalek completely. Masek had no time whatsoever to move the puck, and once again, it was Elmo Stieler giving his team some motivation in the Final. This time, it was a huge hit on Michalek in game 4 that set the tone for the rest of the series. Games 1 and 2 in Marlesee were won with little trouble, 2-0 and 3-1 the finals. Chernovets would win game 3 at home, 4-3, before Marlesee took games 4 (4-2) and 5 (2-1 OT) to win their second straight Strauss Cup. Game 5’s overtime winner was scored by Tom Schiff.
Many had expected Marlesee’s dominance to continue for another year. They were once again strong in the regular season, and charted an easy course through the playoffs. There were some cracks in the armour, however, as after beating the Jets 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs, the Kaisers took them to a full 7 games in the Teus Division final. Waiting for them again in the final were Energija Chernovets.
While Seelowe Marlesee had rested on their laurels a bit after winning two straight Cups, Chernovets had spent an entire year planning on how to take down this new dynasty. They’d realized there was only one way to do so: beat Marlesee at their own game. They added several players who could ‘play tough’ into their lineup, and throughout the season, there were even hints that the usual stars were getting into the mix: Radim Michalek racked up several big hits, while Eduard Masek was involved in the first fight of his career.
In game 1, Marlesee expected to bully Chernovets off the ice, as they had last year. This time, however, Energija stuck up and stuck around. They did something no team had been able to do to Marlesee the past two years: hit back. At the end of 60 minutes, Energija Chernovets had taken game 1 3-2, and Marlesee were shocked. Seelowe would take game 2, 2-1, but back in Chernovets, Energija would win games 3 and 4, each time with a 4-2 final score. Marlesee needed the performance of a lifetime in game 5 to keep the series alive, and they found it - Lothar Weinwurm scoring the winning goal. In game 6, Marlesee won in overtime - they weren’t going to go out quietly. On home ice, in game 7, with a chance to make it 3 straight Cups, however, the pressure just seemed to be too much: it was Marlesee playing afraid of Chernovets, not the other way around. Energija won the game 3-1 and took home the Strauss Cup.
The Mean Marlesee Machine would still be around for a few more years yet - although they lost in the first round the next season, Marlesee would reach the final again in season 58, losing to Kapitala Borograd. The game had changed on them just as quickly as they had changed it, however, and by season 60, the focus was on high-octane offensive and physical hockey, derived from that Chernovets team that had finally taken down the Machine. Johan Greiss had proved his point, and got his two Cups.
Lothar Weinwurm would stay with Marlesee his entire career, winning one more Cup with the club in season 69 as a veteran player on the team. The trophy for the Ehrenliga’s best two-way forward is named for him. Tom Schiff spent four more years with the club before retiring. Elmo Stieler found new life towards the end of his career with the Kaiserhaven Knights as a ‘bodyguard’ player for all-time great Anatol Weisz, winning 3 more Cups with the Knights before retiring. Bastian Sternhall played 6 more seasons in Marlesee before retiring. Greiss would stay as the GM of Marlesee for a few more years, and was the architect of the season 69 championship winning side as well. Each of those mentioned are in the National Hockey Hall of Fame.
The Mean Marlesee Machine represented a new era for the game of hockey in our country, and changing times for the Ehrenliga. In many ways, the strategies developed by Greiss and Kuttner, and put into practice by Weinwurm, Stieler, Schiff and the rest would have great influence on the great teams of the coming decades, and even how hockey is played today in our country. They truly are one of the Ehrenliga’s great historical teams.
World Cup of Hockey Matchday 4
Siovanija & Teusland vs Adyatin
@ Olimpski-Ledarena, Borograd, Siovanija
Scoring Summary
First Period
17:44: Goldhorns goal scored by Gunter Pfenning, assisted by Hasselberger (1-0)
Second Period
5:59: Adyatin goal scored by Mikhail Samov, assisted by Naroshenko (1-1)
13:34: Goldhorns goal scored by Razvigor Tsvetanov, assisted by Heider, Schlager (2-1)
18:02: Goldhorns goal scored by Koloman Schwarzmann, assisted by Gottschall, Bohm (3-1)
Third Period
7:21: Goldhorns goal scored by Edwin Ranger, assisted by Bohm, Mihelic (4-1)
End of Game: Siovanija & Teusland 4-1 Adyatin