AS I SEE IT: Godspeed Ralph Krueger

One of Steinbach’s most famous and most accomplished citizens – hockey player, Hall of Fame inductee, two-time NHL coach, soccer boss, author, Olympian, importer/exporter, motivational speaker and shaper of global policy – has revealed he has Parkinson’s.

Ralph Krueger recently told Swiss media outlet Watson that he was diagnosed in 2024 and as a result of the Parkinson’s, Krueger had significantly reduced the number of his public appearances.

This immediately tells you something of Ralph’s love of Steinbach: even though he drastically reduced his public engagements, it was a priority for him to be the keynote speaker in his hometown for the grand opening of the SEC, part of which resides on the soil of Krueger’s childhood home.

Krueger is tackling his terminal diagnosis with Stoic clarity.

“At first, everything revolves around this problem. You think about it 24 hours a day. Gradually, with excellent support and from my family, I learned to accept that this illness is now a part of me—but not everything. I don’t waste time asking, ‘Why?’ Since the diagnosis, I’ve never become depressed. Yes, I have no control. But I’m learning to live with my illness. I can control how I react to it.”

For all of Ralph’s impressive feats in the sporting realm, a strong argument can be made that his biggest impact in this world has been his involvement in helping shape global policy.

He regularly attends the World Economic Forum (WEF), the annual international think tank where world leaders, government officials, academia and business leaders gather to tackle complex global issues. Since 2011 Ralph has been a member of the Global Agenda Council on New Models of Leadership.

One of my favourite memories of Ralph was when he was on CBC’s “After Hours” when he was coaching in the NHL. It didn’t take long for host Scott Oake to realize that there was much more to Krueger than just the sport of hockey.

After learning about Krueger’s involvement with the WEF, Oake said something to the effect of “I’m getting the sense that hockey is the least impressive part of your resumé.”

Another favourite Ralph Krueger story comes via Ralph Krentz. In the mid 80’s when I was backpacking around Europe, I stayed with Ralph Krentz for a few days. (Thanks Ralph!). He was playing in Herne in Germany’s second division.

I will never forget watching Krentz play. He was like Bobby Orr. He would gather the puck behind his own net, take a deep breath and then go through everyone on the opposing team. It was a thrill to see him play. The larger European ice surface gave Krentz the room to showcase his skating and stick-handling skills.

During a day off, Krentz suggested we drive up the Autobahn to watch Ralph Krueger, who was playing in Germany’s first division.

Krueger was the toast of German hockey. Like Krentz, the larger ice surface allowed Krueger to showcase his formidable offensive skills. Krueger averaged more than a point a game in the 350 games he played in Germany’s elite first division, scoring 186 goals and 187 assists.

It was his success as a player in Germany that led to him coaching in Switzerland. And it was his accomplishments in hockey that led him to become the Chairman of English Premier League soccer team Southampton F.C.

Fast forward to 2026 and Krueger was formally recognized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) for his contribution to Swiss hockey. That Switzerland is now an elite, top-tier hockey nation is a direct result of Ralph’s visionary leadership, which is why he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in the Builder category earlier this year.

Krueger wrote a best-selling motivational book titled “Teamlife – Beyond Setbacks to Success,” which focused on handling problems in life. No doubt he will draw on his incredible life experiences to help him successfully navigate this setback with Parkinson’s.

Ralph, your many fans in Steinbach, Edmonton, Buffalo, Germany, Manitoba, Switzerland, Austria, Canada and England are once again cheering for you. We all collectively wish you strength and Godspeed as you take on this medical challenge.