Ice hockey World Cup: tricky World Cup start: Waiting for support and victory obligation

Does he come or does he not come? Before the German World Cup start against outsiders Hungary, all about the German ice hockey team is apparently all about a player who is not there (yet) in Herning, Danish. The question of whether NHL starstrifter Tim Stützle is still still late for the World Cup is currently overlapping the tricky start into the tournament.

Because on Saturday and only 24 hours later against Kazakhstan (both 4.20 p.m./ProSieben and Magentasport), victories for the vice world champion of 2023 are mandatory. “If we don’t win such games, it will be difficult with the quarter -finals,” said captain Moritz Seider clearly.

In addition to the defender of the Detroit Red Wings, the selection of the German Ice Hockey Association would also also be visible in the attack world class in the person of Stützle. In addition to superstar Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), the best German attacker was eliminated in the NHL playoffs last week with the Ottawa Senators, but national coach Harold Kreis is still waiting for a release from Canada.

“There is nothing new” – this sentence from a circle is now almost becoming a mantra. You can’t get rid of the feeling that the topic is considerable and as if the Deb was held up by the Senators. The 23 -year -old support was last.

Ottawa will only issue a World Cup approval if supports are one hundred percent fit, especially since the top striker had injured himself in his only World Cup participation in 2022.

Important service providers are missing

With his class, Stützle would bring the DEB selection to a new level. Due to the failure of JJ Peterka, who canceled due to upcoming contract negotiations with the Buffalo Sabres, the attack may lack quality for the top opponents.

Since Nico Sturm is still active in the NHL playoffs, the DEB selection must initially do without two vice world champions from 2023. There are still slight hopes for a World Cup mission at Sturm, which was 0-2 with the Florida Panthers in the best-of-Seven series.

The injured Moritz Müller (Cologne Haie) and Berlin’s Kai Wissmann are also painfully missed by their routine and manager in defense and also in the cabin. “We still have a strong team,” replied national coach Kreis, who stands as a coach of the national team before his third World Cup.

Three mandatory tasks at the start

After the start against Hungary, Kazakhstan is waiting for the German team a day later and Norway on Tuesday. Even without further NHL reinforcement, the district team is a clear favorite in these games. “That doesn’t bother me at all,” said Seider and demands healthy self -confidence on Saturday: “We don’t need to hide from anyone and have to play with a broad chest. We also respect every opponent. He is not a matter of course.”

Last year the German team demonstrated that in the Czech Ostrava against Latvia (8: 1), Kazakhstan (8: 2), Poland (4: 2) and France (6: 3) in perfection. However, if the three compulsory wins in Herning do not sore, the pressure before the encounters against the top nations increases significantly. Against Vice World Champion Switzerland, co -favorite USA and defending champion Czech Republic, Germany is not without a chance, but three victories should not be planned.

“The pressure is always there,” emphasized Seider, who also wants to have noticed a development at the DEB team after the 2: 5 at the World Cup general rehearsal against the USA last Sunday. “We have made progress,” said the NHL defender.

First collect points

Routine Patrick Hager from Munich demanded: “We must not analyze the game plan now. We have seen in the past: If we put a perfect game, we can exist against any opponent. This is the challenge for the entire tournament. First of all, we have to use points.”

With host Denmark, there could be a small final at the last quarter-final place four. At the last World Cup in Herning seven years ago, the Danes Germany surprised despite a Leon Draisaitl at the start with a 3: 2. The quarter -finals were clearly missed in 2018, after which the jump in the round of the best eight managed five times in series.