Overview
- Leon Draisaitl was named captain for the Milan–Cortina Games, replacing long‑time leader Moritz Müller, whose reassigned role drew mixed reactions but public acceptance from him and assurances from coach Harold Kreis.
- Germany faces Denmark at 21:10 local time, with live coverage on ZDF and Eurosport, before quick turnarounds against Latvia and the United States in a three‑games‑in‑four‑days start.
- Nine North America–based players headline one of Germany’s deepest Olympic squads in recent memory, including Tim Stützle, Moritz Seider, JJ Peterka and goalie Philipp Grubauer.
- NHL and AHL arrivals reached Milan only days before the puck drop, compressing preparation as the team adapted to the smaller international rink dimensions and finalized line combinations.
- Experts highlighted Draisaitl’s star power—Uwe Krupp called him Germany’s “Wayne Gretzky”—while emphasizing a collective approach, and Kreis set the quarterfinals as the minimum target.