Team Germany projected roster for 2026 Olympics by NHL.com

With the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 less than a year away, NHL.com is predicting the Olympic rosters. Today, NHL.com/de senior independent correspondent Bernd Rosch makes his picks for Team Germany.

The 12 countries that will play at the 2026 Olympics announced the first six players to their respective rosters June 16.

The men's tournament will start with preliminary games Feb. 11, with the gold-medal game scheduled for Feb. 22. The remainder of the rosters will be announced later this year.

This is the first time NHL players will participate in the Winter Olympics since Sochi in 2014.

In the Olympics, each team carries 25 players and traditionally has 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies.

Here is the Team Germany projected roster (listed alphabetically by position, with an asterisk after the players who were named to the roster June 16):

Forwards (14)

Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers*
Yasin Ehliz, EHC Red Bull Munchen
Dominik Kahun, Lausanne HC
Maximilian Kammerer, Kolner Haie
Marc Michaelis, Adler Mannheim
JJ Peterka, Utah Mammoth
Leonhard Pfoderl, Eisbaren Berlin
Lukas Reichel, Chicago Blackhawks*
Joshua Samanski, Straubing Tigers
Justin Schutz, Adler Mannheim
Wojciech Stachowiak, ERC Ingolstadt
Nico Sturm, Minnesota Wild
Tim Stutzle, Ottawa Senators*
Frederik Tiffels, Eisbaren Berlin

Led by one of the best hockey players in the world in Draisaitl, Germany could surprise with a competitive offensive group in Milan. In addition to the already selected NHL players in Reichel, Sturm and Stutzle, Peterka could be a compelling addition to the lineup after he had 68 points in 77 games this season. Kahun (186 NHL games played from 2018-21) and Michaelis (15 games for the Vancouver Canucks 2020-21) also have NHL experience. Kahun as well as Ehliz and Pfoderl were already involved in the greatest success in the history of German hockey, winning the silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. Kahun, Peterka, Schutz, Stachowiak, Sturm and Tiffels were part of the team that won silver at the 2023 World Championship.

The mix of young, nimble, fast players and experienced veterans should also be a good fit. Peterka, Reichel, Samanski, Schütz and Stützle are each 25 years old or younger. Ehliz, Pföderl, Sturm and Tiffels are each older than 30.

Defense (8)

Leon Gawanke, Adler Mannheim
Leon Huttl, ERC Ingolstadt
Lukas Kalble, Adler Mannheim
Jonas Muller, Eisbaren Berlin
Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings*
Maksymilian Szuber, Utah Mammoth
Fabio Wagner, EHC Red Bull Munchen
Kai Wissmann, Eisbaren Berlin

The likely best defender is Seider from the Red Wings, who was one of the first six players named to the preliminary roster on June 16. Seider has 180 points (29 goals, 151 assists) in 328 games in the NHL and has become a stalwart shutdown defenseman. Also active in North America is Szuber, who played 65 games in the American Hockey League last season and has played one NHL game with Utah.

The defense also features players who already know each other from their DEL teams; Olympic silver medalist Muller (2018 Pyeongchang) and Wissmann from German champion Eisbaren Berlin; Gawanke and Kälble from Adler Mannheim; and Huttl and Fabio Wagner from ERC Ingolstadt. Wagner, who was Ingolstadt's captain, will play with EHC Red Bull Munich next season.

Goalies (3)

Philipp Grubauer, Seattle Kraken*
Leon Hungerecker, Fischtown Pinguins
Arno Tiefensee, Adler Mannheim

Grubauer is likely to be the team's No. 1 goalie after he was named to the preliminary roster. The 33-year-old from Rosenheim has the necessary experience and stability having appeared in 370 NHL games in his career. Hungerecker, 27, proved to be a reliable support for the Nuremberg last season, going 16-18-0 in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the top professional league in Germany. Next season, he will play for Fischtown. Among goalies who played at least 30 games in the 2024-25 DEL season, Hungerecker had the best save percentage (.913) and the fourth-best goals-against average (2.65). Tiefensee is the goalie of the future. The 23-year-old impressed going 19-10-0 with a 2.27 GAA, and .912 save percentage in 29 games with Adler Mannheim last season. He was selected by the Dallas Stars in the fifth round (No. 157) of the 2023 NHL Draft.