Viktor Szélig wears many hats for Diables Rouges Briançon. The veteran defenceman is also the team's marketing manager and, starting in 2014/15, an assistant coach. The 2014/15 season is a new beginning for the whole club as they enter the Champions Hockey League.

by Pavel Kuba

The start of the first Champions Hockey League season is getting closer and les Diables Rouges de Briançon are a part of it. What do you think of that?
Firstly, I would like to say that this competition will be a new experience for us just like for the other teams. We want to represent well our little town and all of French ice hockey in general.

The draw has set you in one group with Frölunda, Villach and Geneva. Who do you think will be the team to beat?
The teams in it will be all good. Frölunda could be the strongest one in our group. Villach and Geneva won’t be weak, however. We played Geneva in a friendly game last season and we lost. We’ll see how it ends this time. One thing is sure though, it will be no competition for weak teams.

What do want to accomplish against these teams?
We want to represent our town and our country with honour. We want to compete and show that we belong here. That is our primary goal. We don’t see it as just a pre-season tournament; we want to make a good impression.

So nothing specific?
Well, I'm not going to say that we want to finish in some certain place. We would love to get through our group, but it’s too soon to talk about that. We’ll see how it goes. Our goal is to play some great games and be a great competitor to our opponents.

Ice hockey isn't one of the most popular sports in France, but how is it in Briançon?
You’re right. Ice hockey has a tough time competiting with other sports. However, it’s becoming more popular in recent years and in our town, it is something special. It’s simply the number one sport in Briançon. The people are crazy about it, they live with the team, they share the joy of winning as well as the agony of defeat. I believe that they're excited about the CHL and they'll show whole Europe their passion for this sport. It’s a huge opportunity for all of us.

Why do you think the sport is so much more popular in Briançon than in the rest of France?
Firstly, we need to say that Briançon is a pretty small town with about 11 or 12 thousand citizens. It’s also the highest town in France (1 167 – 2 540 m above sea level). Secondly, the popularity of ice hockey comes from the historical tradition supported by the local climate conditions. The winters are freezing and lots of the people enjoy playing hockey outside. Thanks to that, they also come to support the local team. Finally, it is an Alpine town, so all winter sports are popular and hockey is no exception.

Last season, you won the French top tier league for the very first time. What were the celebrations like in town?
They were long and immense and there’s no wonder. We also celebrated our 80th anniversary, so we’ve been waiting long enough for our first league title. And from that, we can now play in the CHL, which is all very positive for us.

There were three players from Briançon playing at the Worlds in Minsk. Did you see them play?
For sure, I was there when France played against the Czech Republic. The whole team played well, just like they did the whole tournament. It makes me proud when I realize that our players were part of the team that managed to get into the quarter-finals.

Did the French people even notice how successful their national team was in Minsk?
You bet they did. It all began with the first game, when we defeated Canada and last year we also won over Russia. These wins help the sport in our country very much, because it’s difficult to impress people among so many other sports. Every win over a big team simply makes ice hockey more popular. Now the fact Briançon will play in the CHL could help as well.

How does the team look for the upcoming season? There have been big changes to the coaching staff, and you're a part of it now.
Yes, that’s right. One cycle has ended, another one begins. Luciano Basile did a wonderful job in Briançon and thanks to him, we won our first league title. However, we’re about to start a new cycle now. Edo Terglav is a young and ambitious coach for whom it will be his first opportunity to lead a team as a head coach. He’s courageous, hockey is his passion, and I believe he’s able to handle his new role. If we strengthen the squad with some new players, we can create a successful team again. It’s clear it won’t be easy since defending any trophy is never easy.