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Michael Pruss (right) and Allan Pruss spent four years playing hockey and studying accounting at the University of Jamestown in North Dakota. (Supplied/University of Jamestown)
headed to europe

Red Deer twins sign with same pro hockey team in Germany

Sep 21, 2020 | 11:27 AM

Twin hockey players born and raised in Red Deer are taking their careers to Deutschland.

Allan and Michael Pruss, 24-year-old forwards (Allan is older by five minutes), have both signed to play with Adendorfer EC of the Regionalliga Hockey League.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pruss boys were finishing up their fourth season at the University of Jamestown. Over their time with the Jimmies, which included the team’s inaugural season, the pair shot to the top of the record books. They ended their time there ranking first and third in career points: Allan with 111 points (39-72) in 127 games and Michael notching 96 points (39-57) in 128 games.

“We built that team from the ground up. The first year, we weren’t eligible for nationals, and in the second and third years, we went and lost,” Michael recalled. “This year, we had experience, knew what to expect and thought we had a legit chance to win, so it was pretty deflating when nationals got cancelled due to COVID-19.”

They also had to go without convocation, but did receive their matching degrees in accounting.

Now, with one-year deals to play pro in Germany, the brothers are just excited there will be a season at all, possibly even with fans in attendance.

The Pruss twins playing in a game for the University of Jamestown Jimmies. (Supplied/University of Jamestown)

“Near the end of our third season at Jamestown, we saw other guys in our league would continue playing elsewhere after graduation,” Michael noted. “We had a connection over on the team in Germany, and he said to Jamestown that he thought we could be a fit. They talked to our coaches and to us, and we worked out a contract.”

The twins are no strangers to being together almost all the time. They played midget together in Red Deer and spent two years each with the Beaver Valley Nitehawks of the KIJHL before committing to Jamestown. They will share an apartment in Germany and the team is even giving them a vehicle to get around.

“The plan long-term would be to look into getting a CPA or MBA, and getting an accounting or financial business position somewhere, which we can do after we play,” says Pruss. “If everything works out and we like it in Adendorf, I can see playing for another year. I’ll try and play the game for as long as I can.”

Adendorf has a population of about 11,000 and is about 40 minutes southeast of Hamburg, a city of 1.9 million.

“We have been to Germany before, in 2013, when we did a select hockey team trip to play a tournament in Czech Republic, plus some games in Italy and Germany,” he shares. “So we know a little about what it’s like.”

Does he know how to ask for directions to a washroom?

“Yes, but it’s broken,” Pruss laughs. “We did take a year of German in university.”

Allan and Michael fly to Germany on Oct. 1. Pruss says the team’s informed them that because they are from Canada, they won’t have to quarantine before joining the team, and could see exhibition action as soon as Oct. 4.