NHL star Christian Ehrhoff leads the World Cup squad

Following Holzer’s commitment, national coach Marco Sturm is relying on seven debutants in addition to four NHL professionals

NHL star Christian Ehrhoff leads the 25-man squad of the German national team at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship (May 6th - 22nd) in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Chicago Blackhawks defender is one of a total of four professionals from the North American professional league NHL who have been selected by the German Ice Hockey Federation (Deutscher Eishockey Bund eV (DEB). In addition, seven players are set to make their World Cup debut.

“After the long preparation period, we are now looking forward to the World Cup. You can feel that the team is looking forward to the start. We have a powerful team together,” said national coach Marco Sturm.

In addition to defender Ehrhoff and strikers Tobias Rieder (Arizona Coyotes) and Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), defender Korbinian Holzer (Anaheim Ducks) also gave his World Cup confirmation on the night from Saturday to Sunday. Holzer was last in the German squad at the 2011 World Cup. However, the defender will not yet be there at the World Cup dress rehearsal next Tuesday in Switzerland (May 3rd, 19.45:1 p.m., live on SPORTXNUMX), but will only join the team a day later in St. Petersburg. Otherwise, Sturm has all hands on board when it comes to the comparison with the Swiss in Basel.

Of the three goalkeepers, eight defenders and 14 strikers, seven players can also look forward to their first World Cup. For the goalkeeper Felix Brückmann (Grizzlys Wolfsburg) and Mathias Niederberger (Düsseldorfer EG) is also making its World Cup debut, as is defender Daryl Boyle (EHC Red Bull München).

Also appearing for Germany at a World Cup for the first time are strikers Jerome Flaake (Hamburg Freezers), Brooks Macek (Iserlohn Roosters) and Gerrit Fauser (Grizzlys Wolfsburg). Dominik Kahun (EHC Red Bull München) was already in the German World Cup squad in 2014, but was not licensed in Belarus.

“I didn't make the final nomination decisions easy for myself. It was clear that there would be hardship cases. All of the players who were there in preparation and couldn't be taken into account have worked brilliantly over the past few weeks. They therefore deserve great praise,” said Sturm.

The question of the captaincy and the deputies should be decided promptly. “I will sit down with the relevant candidates next week,” explained the national coach. The national team meets in Switzerland on Monday evening.

Managerial staff