Ice hockey World Cup: NHL star Sützle comes: Deb receives upgrade before the World Cup start

The waiting has come to an end: Germany gets the hoped-for NHL reinforcement at the Ice Hockey World Cup with striker Tim Stützle. The releases of the supports of the supports of the support of the supports team Ottawa Senators came late on Friday. The day -long waiting is finally over before the German start against outsiders Hungary on Saturday (4.20 p.m./ProSieben and Magenta Sport).

“Of course we are pleased that Tim is a very high quality player,” said national coach Harold Kreis. “He also demonstrated his strengths in the past NHL season.”

Stützle comes to Denmark at the weekend

The 23-year-old will still be missing the team of Coach Kreis against Hungary and 24 hours later against Kazakhstan. Stützle is expected at the weekend in HERNING. A mission against Norway or two days later against Switzerland can be expected on Tuesday.

For the Vice World Champion of 2023, a victory against Hungary and a day later against Kazakhstan is mandatory. Against Norway, three points are planned for the minimum goal of the quarter. “If we don’t win such games, it will be difficult with the quarter -finals,” said captain Moritz Seider clearly.

Double world class at the World Cup

In addition to the defender of the Detroit Red Wings, the selection of the German Ice Hockey Association in attack is the 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 with the Senators last week, but the release only came before the first World Cup game on Friday evening.

The 23 -year -old support was recently struck, the attacker must be 100 percent fit for a promise. In his only World Cup participation in 2022, he had injured himself.

Important service providers are missing

With his class, Stützle will 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, there was no 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-finals. 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.