Ice Hockey World Cup
DEB squad with NHL professionals, five polar bears and master coach
NHL professional Nico Sturm, among others, is strengthening the German national ice hockey team. photo
© Pavel Golovkin/AP/dpa
Most of the squad is in the fourth phase of preparation for the Ice Hockey World Cup. National coach Harold Kreis will receive prominent reinforcements on the board.
Vice world champion Germany starts the final preparation phase with prominent reinforcements Ice Hockey World Championships from May 10th to 26th in the Czech Republic. With goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer from Seattle and strikers JJ Peterka (Buffalo) and Nico Sturm (San José), three top performers from the North American professional league NHL are already in Wolfsburg from Wednesday.
“It’s now a matter of forming the final squad for the World Cup,” said national coach Harold Kreis in a statement. The DEB is also hoping for defender Maksymilian Szuber, who is currently active in the second-tier North American AHL.
On Friday, defender Lukas Kälble from DEL finalist Fischtown Pinguins will join the team. Kai Wissmann, Jonas Müller, Tobias Eder, Leonhard Pföderl and Frederik Tiffels from the new champions Eisbären Berlin are expected on Sunday. Matthias Plachta (Adler Mannheim) and goalkeeper Florian Bugl (Straubing Tigers) are no longer there.
Expertise from Berlin’s coach Aubin is required
As usual, Kreis is supported on the boards by Alexander Sulzer (assistant coach of the Fischtown Pinguins). Master coach Serge Aubin will also strengthen the team. “We are adding two more coaches whose experience and expertise we greatly value. Their qualities will further enrich our work in the coaching team,” explained Kreis.
The DEB selection will play its last two test games on Saturday (2 p.m./MagentaSport) in Wolfsburg and two days later (7:30 p.m./MagentaSport) in Weißwasser against France. At the start of the World Cup on May 10th in Ostrava, Czech Republic, the district team will face Slovakia.