The German sports public and the participating athletes have voted: Leon draisaitl Team Germany will participate in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games as flag bearer Leon Draisaitl will lead the German team. Alongside Edmonton Oilers NHL forward Leon Draisaitl, Katharina Schmid has been selected as a flag bearer. The opening ceremony will take place on Friday, February 6, 2026, starting at 19:30 p.m. at all Olympic venues. Leon Draisaitl will walk into the illustrious San Siro Stadium in Milan with the German team, while Katharina Schmid will carry the flag in Predazzo.
Christian Kunast, Sports Board of the DEB“We are absolutely delighted for Leon. This election is a fantastic confirmation of his achievements and the milestones of his successful professional career so far. It is an extraordinary honor for any athlete to lead the German team as flag bearer at the opening ceremony. Of course, this election is also a great showcase for our ice hockey and increases the anticipation for our entire team in Milan for the start of the Winter Olympics.”
About Leon Draisaitl
Leon Draisaitl has already received the NHL's Most Valuable Player (MVP, Hart Memorial Trophy) and Best Player (Ted Lindsay Award) awards, as well as the trophies for the league's top scorer (Art Ross Trophy) and top goal scorer (Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy). He was also named Germany's Sportsman of the Year in 2020. Last December, he became the first German to reach 1.000 points in the NHL.