Panther get defender Pilu from Mannheim.
The 68 is awarded, at least the jersey number of the Augsburg Panther in the coming season. Fabrizio Pilu will wear it in the future. The Augsburg Panther announced the commitment of the 22 -year -old defense lawyer from the eagles Mannheim. In which Del-High-finalists from coach and sports director Dallas Eakins Pilu occupied a U-23 position in the current season. Since it will be too old for this in the future, Ekins refrained from serving the defender. The panther grabbed. Sports director Larry Mitchell Says the second new commitment in the Augsburg defense to Ryan Button from Wolfsburg: « The German defender market is competitive. It is all the more pleased that we were able to win a courted player for the Augsburg Panther with Fabrizio Pilu. We get a well -trained, very physically playing right -wing shooter with development potential. »
Pilu was trained in the youngsters in Mannheim and with the U20 the young eagle twice German champions in the German youth league (DNL). The 1.83 meter tall and 86 kilograms weighing right shooters also went through all young national teams of the German Ice Hockey Association. Pilu played his first games in the DEL in the 2021/22 season in the Nuremberg Ice Tigers jersey. In the past three years, the defender has been running again for his home club Mannheim. Despite his young age, Pilu can already look back on 210 DEL inserts, with six goals and 15 assists in statistics for him.
A defender with potential for the Panther
The sufficient game practice also spoke for the commitment of Pilu, as Mitchell says: « Fabrizio already has a lot of experience in the DEL and would now like to take the next step in his still young professional career. » National coach Harold Kreis also has the future AEV defender on the radar. Pilu was used six times for the German national team. Most recently, in February this year he was invited to a measure by the DEB Perspective team in Slovakia.
AEV sports director Mitchell on the road in North America
The AEV sports director Returned from his scouting tour in North America a few days ago. 13 games exclusively in the American Hockey League (AHL) were in the extensive travel program. From the east of North America we went to the west and then back to the east in stages. « I have observed three to four candidates in every game who are basically an option for us. Basically, the selection of players who want to come to Europe has become smaller. Also because the older players in the AHL are paid almost as well as the top players of the DEL, » says Mitchell.
On the 20-day scouting tour, Mitchell was not just about seeing possible candidates for the Panther Live, but also refreshing his contacts with coaches and general managers. He had conducted some interviews with coaching candidates, even in Europe. This important position is still vacant among the panthers as that of the goalkeeper.
Strauss husband at the AEV in conversation
Last year Keeper Strauss manwhose recent statements on social media have already been interpreted as a farewell from Augsburg, Mitchell still sees a possible candidate. « Strauss and I had a very open and honest dialogue during the end of the season. It has not yet been decided whether he will come back or not, » says the 58-year-old German-Canadian. Mitchell met with Thomas Schemitsch in Burlington. The Augsburgers would like to keep the number one defender and made an improved offer. Schemitsch has not yet made a decision about his personal future, reports Mitchell and adds: « The chance is that he will return to the AEV. » The panthers are not yet out of the race. Ultimately, however, it will also be a question of how well endowed the offers of the competition.
Foreign defense lawyers are high on Mitchell’s list of priorities. While the Panther have already extended four import strikers of the pre-season in attack with Cody Kunyk, Riley Damiani, Anthony Louis and Donaldd Busdeker, foreign defense lawyers have so far been missing. With the German-Canadian Ryan Button and Pilu, only two new additions with a German passport have been determined.
