The Men's team of the German Ice Hockey Federation eV (DEB) is arrived in Bolzano yesterday afternoon, Saturday, to prepare for the Winter Olympics to prepare. On board are both the players of the Olympic squad and the training athletes who will be part of the team until the arrival of the national players from North America.
The group of athletes training includes striker Tim Brunnhuber, who has replaced the injured Danjo Leonhardt in the squad for the Olympic camp. The coaching staff is also almost complete: in addition to national coach Harold Kreis and DEBAssistant coach Alexander Sulzer was accompanied to Bolzano by Serge Aubin (assistant coach), Ilpo Kauhanen (goaltending coach), Adam Mitchell (video coach), and Hendrik Kolbert (strength and conditioning coach). In Milan, Jamie Kompon from the NHL's Florida Panthers will join the coaching staff for the 2026 Olympics as an additional assistant coach.
As part of the Olympic camp, the DEBThe German national team will play a friendly match against Italy in preparation for the national team. The match will take place on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, in Bolzano. The game will be broadcast live on MagentaSport.
Online tickets are available via the following website:
https://www.midaticket.it/eventi/hockey-club-bolzano/
The first team training session took place this Sunday morning at the Sparkassen Arena in Bolzano. Further sessions are planned for the coming days.
Reactions to the start of training in Bolzano:
National coach Harold Kreis: "The focus here in Bolzano during our Olympic preparations is on our playing system and further solidifying our DNA. The players come from different clubs with different systems. That's why it's important that we quickly develop a common understanding again. Other topics will include our offense, forechecking, and special teams. The team is making a very good impression, the atmosphere is positive. You can feel the excitement and everyone is happy that it's finally starting together."
Striker Dominik Kahun"The atmosphere here at the Olympic camp during these first few hours is fantastic, just like you'd expect from the national team. We're having a lot of fun, but at the same time, the training is very intense. The first session on the ice was really challenging, but that's exactly what makes it so special. You can immediately tell that everyone is fully committed. And of course, it's something special when you realize you're heading towards the Olympics – especially when you see the backpack with the Olympic rings that you're carrying with you. Even though these are my third Olympic Games, it always feels like the first time. This is my childhood dream, and this anticipation is simply incredible."
Striker Alexander Ehl"The atmosphere was really good today and the intensity was very high. You can just tell that everyone is excited that it's finally starting. Everyone is giving 100 percent in training, everyone is going full throttle, and that creates a very high pace. Of course, it's exhausting, but at the same time, it's a lot of fun. The anticipation for the Olympics is definitely palpable – it already started on the journey here. Now we're here together as a team and can really get going, we're incredibly excited about that."