Leo Stefan

Leo Stefan
Date of birth	February 22, 1970
place of birth	Chelyabinsk , Russian SFSR
size	182 cm
Weight	82 kg
position	Right wing
Shot hand	Left
Career stations
until 1996	Cologne Sharks
1996-2003	Düsseldorfer EG
2003	EHC Freiburg
2003-2004	Cologne Sharks
2004-2005	EV Duisburg

Leo Stefan (born February 22, 1970 in Chelyabinsk , Russian SFSR ) is a former German ice hockey player .

Career

Leo Stefan grew up in Russia, where he started his career. In 1992 he switched to EV Füssen , followed by engagements with the Kölner Haien (with which he became champions in 1995) and the Düsseldorfer EG , as well as being appointed to the German national team . After the voluntary relegation of the Düsseldorfer EG in 1998, he played for two years in the second division . He formed a very successful striker pair with Wiktor Gordijuk and was therefore jointly responsible for the Düsseldorf's return to the DEL. After three more years in the service of the Düsseldorf team, Stefan played for EHC Freiburg and again for Cologne before moving to the second division club EV Duisburg , with whom he was promoted to the DEL in 2005. In Freiburg and temporarily in Dusseldorf, Stefan took over the position of team captain.

Stefan was seen as a disciplined, running and technically strong player, characterized by the "Russian school". Critics accused him of weaknesses in body play and a playful style.

Due to severe cartilage damage in his knee, Stefan did not play a league game in the 2005/06 season and ended his playing career after this season. He then worked as a scout at EV Duisburg. He is also responsible for ice hockey at the German Sports Academy.

Web links

• Leo Stefan at hockeydb.com (English)
• Leo Stefan at eurohockey.com
• Leo Stefan in the Munzinger archive ( beginning of article freely accessible)