Romain Loeffel didn't know anything about trade possibility

In a stunning move yesterday evening, HC Fribourg-Gottéron traded the 22-year-old defenseman to HC Genève-Servette in exchange for forward John Fritsche (22) and defenseman Jérémie Kamerzin (25). This in itself is pretty unusal for the National League A. It is a form of player acquirement, we are more used to see in the National Hockey League. As Romain Loeffel tells Radio Fribourg, he was very surprised by it and also disappointed:

"I was told at 10 pm tonight that I have been traded to Geneva with immediate effect.[...]. My license now belongs to Geneva and apparently I have no other choice than to accept that. [...] I could refuse to play with Genève-Servette HC, but that would not help me at all. My license belongs to them and the biggest joy in my life is playing hockey, so I will play for them."

Asked about what he would have chosen to do, if he had been asked about a trade to Geneva, he replies: "If I had had a choice, I would have refused to change teams. But it's buisness, it's hockey. There is nothing I can do about it now."

He makes clear though, that he feels very betrayed by his now former team and that the move was disrespectful to him: "It is going to be diffcult to turn the page on this, but it's hockey. I knew that at some point of my hockey career, I would probably play for another team, but I certainly didn't expect to change teams like that."

Romain Loeffel has spent his entire hockey career with HC Fribourg-Gottéron. Genève-Servette HC has the rights to his license until the end of next season, when his contract expires.

{flike}

Echange #HCFG/#GSHC -> réaction de Hans Kossmann http://t.co/NA9NuDqOZF et interview de Loeffel qui ne savait rien: http://t.co/dsebtt1Loe

— A. Schnarrenberger (@Bergi02) February 1, 2014

Loeffel: "On me l'a dit à 22h. Je pensais avoir le choix, je voulais refuser. C'est un manque de respect, on est des numéros. Je suis trahi"

— A. Schnarrenberger (@Bergi02) February 1, 2014