Ralph Krueger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ralph Krueger
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Krueger in 2013
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| Chairman of Southampton F.C. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 12 March 2014 – 12 April 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Katharina Liebherr | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Martin Semmens | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 31 August 1959 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
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| Nationality | Canadian, German & Swiss | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | Justin Krueger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Sportsman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ralph Krueger (born August 31, 1959) is a famous Canadian-German sports figure. He has been a professional ice hockey coach and a player. He used to be the head coach for two big teams in the National Hockey League (NHL): the Edmonton Oilers and the Buffalo Sabres. He also served as the chairman of a soccer team, Southampton Football Club. Since 2019, he has also held a Swiss passport.
Krueger coached the Swiss men's national ice hockey team from 1997 to 2010. He also led the Edmonton Oilers during the 2012–13 NHL season. In 2014, he switched from hockey to association football (soccer). He became a director and then the chairman of the English Premier League team Southampton. He left the club in 2019 to return to hockey.
He is also known for his work with the World Economic Forum. Since 2011, he has been part of a special group there. This group looks at new ways for leaders to guide people.
Contents
Ralph Krueger's Journey in Sports
Playing Days
Ralph Krueger first came to Germany in the late 1970s. He joined a second-division hockey team called Duisburger SC. After a year, he went back to Canada. But he returned to Germany in 1980 and stayed there for the rest of his playing career.
He played in 350 games in the top German hockey league, the German Bundesliga. He scored 187 goals and made 186 assists. In the 1980–81 season, playing for Düsseldorfer EG, he was the top scorer in the playoffs. He also played 45 games for the West German national ice hockey team.
Becoming a Coach
Krueger started his coaching journey as an assistant coach. He worked with EV Duisburg in the German second league. From 1994 to 1998, he led VEU Feldkirch to win five Austrian championships in a row. In 1998, his team also won the European Hockey League. This league brought together champions from different European countries. His success inspired him to write a book about motivation.
After his great achievements with the Austrian team, he became the full-time head coach of the Swiss national ice hockey team. He had already been splitting his time between Feldkirch and Switzerland. During his time with the Swiss team, they played in the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Olympic Games. They also appeared in several World Championships. Krueger also worked as a scouting consultant for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Krueger spoke at the World Hockey Summit in 2010. He talked about the need to coordinate events between the International Ice Hockey Federation and the National Hockey League. He suggested that the World Cup of Hockey should happen every four years. He also thought the Ice Hockey World Championships could become a tournament for players under 23 during Olympic years. He believed this would help national teams find new young talent.
Coaching in the NHL
Krueger joined the Edmonton Oilers as an associate coach in 2010. Even though he was known for defensive strategies with the Swiss team, he also showed he could coach an offensive style. This was clear from his success with VEU Feldkirch in Austria. People described him as a great communicator and a positive motivator. His book, Teamlife - Beyond Setbacks to Success, became a bestseller. It was about handling life's challenges.
The Oilers made Krueger their head coach for the 2012–13 NHL season. However, he left after just one season. Later, Hockey Canada asked Krueger to be a special advisor. He helped the Canadian coaching staff for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Krueger was also chosen to coach Team Europe in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
On May 15, 2019, Krueger returned to the NHL. He became the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres. However, the Sabres fired him on March 17, 2021. At that time, the team was struggling and had the worst record in the league.
A Shift to Soccer
In 2014, Ralph Krueger made a big change. He moved from ice hockey to soccer. In February 2014, he became a director at Southampton. Soon after, he was named the chairman of the club. He left the club on April 12, 2019, when his contract ended.
His Life Off the Ice
Ralph Krueger was born in Winnipeg, Canada. He grew up in Steinbach, Manitoba. His parents had moved there from Germany. He went to St. John's-Ravenscourt School, where he played hockey as a center. His son, Justin, is also a hockey player. Justin played for the Charlotte Checkers and now plays for SC Bern. Justin also played for the German national team in the 2017 IIHF World Championship. In April 2019, Ralph Krueger, his wife, and daughter received Swiss citizenship.
