Seidenberg Proud of Brother Competing at Olympics

While Yannic Seidenberg was on the ice celebrating Germany's quarterfinal win over Sweden in the Olympic quarterfinals on Wednesday, his brother Dennis Seidenberg was leading a celebration in the Islanders locker room.
The 36-year-old Isles defenseman doesn't often take selfies, but Germany upsetting the top-seeded Swedes and advancing to the Olympic semifinals warrants a Kodak moment. He and goalie coach Fred Brathwaite - who played three seasons in Germany with Seidenberg's brother - lined up in front of the TV and fired off the picture Yannic in Pyeongchang.

"It's big for Germany hockey to reach the semifinals at an Olympic tournament," Seidenberg said. "Me and Freddie took a picture right after when they were celebrating in the background on TV and sent it to him."
Seidenberg is cheering for more than country at the 2018 PeyongChang Olympics. His brother Yannic, a 34-year-old forward-turned defenseman, is competing at his first Winter Games, so Dennis is watching closely, even FaceTiming with his brother in the German locker room.

It's going well so far for Yannic, who already left his mark on the games by scoring the OT winner against Switzerland to send Germany through to the quarterfinals. While getting through to the semis is big deal for Germany, who hadn't been through the round-robin since 2002 and has their first chance at a medal since winning bronze in 1976, it's a bigger deal for the older brother to see his younger brother doing well.
"I'm very proud," Seidenberg said. "It was great for him to get that overtime winner against Switzerland, who is a big rival ever since growing up playing those guys."
Dennis Seidenberg played in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Olympics, but the brothers never played at an Olympics together. They suited up together for Germany at two IIHF World Championships (2008, 2017) and for Adler Mannheim in the German league, most recently as 2012-13. They don't have Sedin-level telepathy and treat each other like regular teammates on the ice, but Seidenberg said it's always a treat to be on the same team.
"It's off the ice where it's nice to have him around to hang out with him which we don't get to do a lot," Seidenberg said. "It's always a great experience, we played at the Worlds together and a couple times in the German league together and a lot of fun."

Seidenberg remembers the thrill of playing in his first Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in 2002. Back then he was a young defenseman with Adler Mannheim going up against NHL stars, helping Germany get to the quarterfinals where they lost to Doug Weight and Team USA.
"Salt Lake we did well, we went to quarters and lost to the US, which was a great experience," Seidenberg said. "Me being a German kid playing in the German league still playing against all these NHL stars was awesome."
He played two more Olympics, going to Torino in 2006 and Vancouver in 2010. While he can't be there in Korea because NHL players aren't participating this year, he knows the thrill his brother is experiencing and is enjoying living vicariously through his brother.
"He loves experiencing the Olympic flair," Seidenberg said. "We're happy for him and hopefully they keep going."