Ice Hockey World Cup 2026: DEB team with Seider and five debutants

Seider, who was carrying an injury from the long NHL season, gave the thumbs up after the dress rehearsal against the USA in Mannheim on Sunday. “I think nothing should stand in the way of the whole thing,” said the 25-year-old from the Detroit Red Wings after his personal endurance test. Good news for Kreis. “Moritz is an incredibly ambitious player. Whenever it is possible, he makes it possible,” said the national coach.

Seider will lead the final DEB contingent, which gathered in Zurich on Monday. As the German Ice Hockey Association (DEB) announced this morning, a sextet from the German champions Eisbären Berlin is joining the national team: goalkeeper Jonas Stettmer, defenders Kai Wissmann and Eric Mik as well as strikers Andreas Eder, Frederick Tiffels and Manuel Wiederer. In Dominik Bokk (Cologne), Samuel Dove-McFalls (Nuremberg), Philipp Sinn (Munich), Stettmer and Marcus Weber, five players made it to the World Cup for the first time. Defender Weber, captain of the Nuremberg Ice Tigers, is at 33 years and six months the third oldest debutant in German A World Cup history after Benedikt Schopper (2019/34) and Leonard Soccio (2001/33 years, 11 months).

After the 2:5 against the USA – world champions, Olympic champions and group opponents of the German team at the World Cup – “we spoke in detail again about the last places to be awarded and are convinced that we have now optimally filled the roles in the team for the World Cup,” said Kreis. Sports director Christian Künast spoke of “not an easy decision”.

At the start, the DEB selection will meet Finland on Friday

The district and Künast had to fill many positions. After the cancellations of Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stützle and John-Jason Peterka due to injuries, Lukas Reichel and Nico Sturm will probably be missing from the tournament in Switzerland. Reichel is currently without a contract, so taking part in the World Cup would be risky; Sturm is playing with the Minnesota Wild against the Colorado Avalanche for a place in the playoff semifinals. In goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer (Seattle), Seider and striker Joshua Samanski (Edmonton), only three professionals from the best ice hockey league in the world are available for the World Cup opener on Friday (4:20 p.m./ProSieben and Magentasport) against Olympic third-placed Finland.

In addition to long-time captain Moritz Müller from the Kölner Haien, Berlin’s World Cup and Olympic silver medalist Jonas Müller, who has not missed a World Cup tournament since his debut in 2018, also canceled. Justin Schütz (Mannheim) and Tobias Rieder (Munich), among others, are also missing.

In Group A in Zurich, Germany will face hosts Switzerland, Latvia, Austria, Hungary and newly promoted Great Britain alongside Finland and the USA. The goal, said Kreis, is to reach the quarterfinals despite the many renovations.