It's not just the upcoming draft of Stützle, Reichel and Peterka that gives cause for hope
by Stefan Herget @NHLde / NHL.com/de
He himself was selected early in the 2019 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings in sixth place overall, which was a surprise at last year's event in the Rogers Arena in Vancouver. defender Moritz Seider from the AHL farm team Grand Rapids Griffins knows the feeling of what it's like when your name is called in front of a huge audience by an NHL team, the cameras are trained on you and commissioner Gary Bettman on the podium with “Welcome to the NHL” – followed by countless press appointments.
Seider also wishes his friend this very special moment Tim Stützle, who is ranked number one among international outfield players by NHL Central Scouting on the final list for the 2020 NHL Draft.
"Timmy and I actually write to each other every day," says Seider. "It's just unbelievable and would be a huge disappointment if the NHL Draft were to go differently this year and not as we know it, with a huge event. That would be a real shame, because such an opportunity only comes once in a lifetime. But nonetheless, Timmy has had an incredibly great journey to get here. I think that's undisputed."
The 26 NHL Draft, originally scheduled for June 27th and 2020th, 2020 in Montreal, has been postponed indefinitely due to the break in play in the NHL due to the coronavirus pandemic. First, a decision must be made about how the game will continue. The Canadian Alex Lafreniere is considered number one on the list of North American fielders as the top candidate for the first move overall. But Seider sees the best chances for Stützle to possibly cause a surprise like he did last year.
"Let's see what happens," he says excitedly. "I think he'll definitely get the second place, unless he can annoy Lafrenière a little. That would be a surprise, of course, but Timmy has worked hard for it and we wish him all the best."
The best German drafted so far was at the 2014 NHL Draft Leon draisaitl, whom the Edmonton Oilers selected third overall. In the 2017 NHL Draft, the Swiss Nico Hischier was chosen by the New Jersey Devils as the first German-speaking player to be drafted number one.
Stützle could not only appear in the top three, but also end up in Detroit like Seider. After the Red Wings are in last place this NHL season with just 3 points, they have the best chance of getting one of the first three moves in the draft in the lottery.
"We have philosophized about it from time to time," admits Seider. "We still see it as fun at the moment, but it is within the realm of possibility. But in the end it doesn't matter where he ends up. It would of course be a great joy for me. A player like that in our organization would be a great asset. It would be a dream come true if we could both play together in Detroit."
Next to Stützle are the strikers John Jason Peterka from EHC Red Bull München in seventh place and Luke Reichel by Eisbären Berlin in eleventh place among international outfield prospects for the first round of the draft. Good prospects for German ice hockey, because two, let alone three German players among the best 31 young talent players in a year have never happened before.
"I think you can see that German ice hockey has taken the right steps in recent years," stresses Seider. "It takes time before it can really bear fruit. We see that more and more players are gaining a foothold in the AHL or in the Canadian juniors. Others are getting playing time in the DEL. This year's draft is very interesting, with three players who have played in the DEL and show that it is possible to prepare for the best league in the world in Germany. So I'm excited to see what else will come. There are still a lot of guys in the starting blocks, just waiting for their turn."
This development should also be positive for the German national team. The Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (DEB) With its Powerplay 2026 project, the aim is to regularly compete for medals in international competitions from this point onwards. What was somewhat laughed at when imagined years ago now seems to be becoming more and more a reality.
"I think we saw at the U20 World Cup that things might have turned out very differently with a bit more luck," says Seider, remembering that after a win over hosts Czech Republic, they narrowly missed out on reaching the quarter-finals. "The boys all play professional ice hockey and also in more extensive roles. That is obviously important. I am really looking forward to seeing all the boys again in the national team at some point and, above all, to attacking with them. We will make it really difficult for some of the big nations and get back to top quality for Germany."
But isn't it just golden years and will the boost in talent remain sustainable? Seider is optimistic that German ice hockey will continue to grow.
"I think if you just look at everything, you'll notice how strong our young talent can become or already is," he explains. "We've moved back up into the top ranks with the U18s, and managed to stay in the league with the U20s. These are huge steps that show the quality of the talent for the next few years. Some have already established themselves in the DEL, although Tim, JJ and Lukie are the best-known examples. But others have also played in almost all of the season's games. So the appropriate players will grow up and we'll be able to position ourselves broadly in the international arena again."
One who also belongs to the ranks of hopefuls is a defender Leon Gawanke, who is under contract with the Winnipeg Jets and completed his first year in the AHL farm team of the Manitoba Moose with flying colors. In an interview with NHL.com/de in February, Gawanke made a clear challenge that also shows the self-confidence of the new German ice hockey generation. "It's great that more and more young people are coming over here," he said. "I really hope that we can then go for the gold, silver or bronze medals together at the World Championships or the Olympics. That is of course the goal."