The fans of the ERC Ingolstadt liked the scenes that were shown on the video cube of the Ingolstadt ice arena. They showed defender Alex Breton’s entire repertoire – a repertoire that goes far beyond the defensive aspect. But it only became really loud in the hall when the message was displayed. Breton, the video cube read, had extended his contract with the ERC until 2027. The result: a collective scream of joy, as if the Ingolstadt team had scored a goal.
The reaction to the news last Thursday was more than justified, because the 27-year-old Canadian, who moved to Ingolstadt from Slovakia in the summer, is already one of the outstanding players in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) a few months later. Breton is an accomplished skater, has a strong first pass and a good eye. And there is also an outstanding quality for a defender: he scores like a striker. He has already scored twelve goals halfway through the main round, making him one of the best goalscorers in the league. “And how surprising that is,” he says with a grin. “Nobody expected me to come here and have scored 12 times at this point in the season.”
For comparison: the second most successful DEL defenders scored five goals. What goes through his mind when he sees his statistics, which show him as the league leader’s best scorer with 25 points? Breton laughs at first and then says he doesn’t know, “maybe a bit of luck.” Being on the ice with good players helps.
Coach French praises Breton’s shot and highlights a “special quality” of his compatriot: his timing.
His coach knows that it’s more than just luck. Mark French praises Breton’s shot and highlights a “special quality” of his compatriot: his timing. He knows exactly when to join the attack, not just in transition situations. “Our other guys feel very comfortable with him coming along. They are looking for him.” And they find him regularly. This is also why the ERC is at the top of the DEL table. French not only highlights Breton’s qualities, but also those of Ingolstadt’s sporting director Tim Regan, who did a very good job in identifying Breton as the ideal reinforcement for the ERC.
It was also Regan who rejoiced during the contract extension that with Breton they had been able to “fill a key position for the coming years in a top-class manner”. The Canadian, Regan concluded, embodies the “prototype of a modern offensive defender”. And, of course, such things are in great demand. The competition in the contract negotiations was great, said Regan, and geographically it was “not that far away from us”. According to SZ information, the EHC Red Bull Munich had improved its offer for Breton shortly before the agreement with Ingolstadt, but by then Breton had already decided on the ERC. “If I like it somewhere, there is no reason to change anything,” said the courted man about his contract extension. “And when you’re in a successful team and a club with a stable environment, it’s even more fun.”
With one of the best plus-minus statistics in the entire league (+16), Breton proves that he is also reliable defensively. His defense partner Morgan Ellis plays an important role. “I can focus on the offensive because I play with Morgan,” explains Breton – and praises his experienced and robust partner as the “perfect partner for me”. Ellis is “pretty much exactly what” he needs next to him on the ice.
The change of bat that Breton made last season also paid off. Not only is he now playing with a different brand, but also with a slightly stiffer and heavier work tool. It will be used again on Wednesday when the ERC visits the Grizzlys Wolfsburg (7.30 p.m.). The Lower Saxony team will then keep a particular eye on him, because in mid-October Breton made his first gala appearance in the DEL against the Grizzlys: In addition to two goals, he also contributed two assists to the 7:5 win.
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