Will Pföderl be back for WC after his injury?
Dominik Bokk is doing great in AHL! Would be interesting to see him in WC.
I have no inside information on this, but it seems like the DEB might be set on only taking players who are and have been active in Germany due to quarantine and Covid-related reasons.
A shame, considering players like Bokk, Michaelis, and Sturm are currently in North America and would likely be available by the time the WC is in swing.
I don't think Sturm would be available. I believe the playoffs will start around the same time or shortly before the World Championship and the Wild will be in the playoffs, and who knows how far they'll go. But even with a first round exit, considering that he would probably have to quarantine, I don't believe Sturm could even be an option. Which is too bad, because he just continues to improve his game every year and I would love to see him on the national team.
It really is a very exciting time in German ice hockey and like you, I can't remember a time I was more excited than over the past few years.
I've never seen this many legitimate options for the national team.
Alas, as you mention, Covid is hitting at the wrong time and could really put a little dent in this "Aufschwung". Sure, not really at the top pro level just now, but an entire wave of players just missed a winter of hockey. What effect will that have?
Germany is still behind Canada, USA, Russia, Finland and Czech thought and will probaly be it for a while. But Germany have surpassed Switzerland, Sweden and Slovakia for sure.
Grubauer, Niederberger, Strahlmeier in net.Right now:
Stutzle - Draisaitl - Bokk
Peterka - Sturm - Reichel
Michaelis - Macek - Kahun
Kuhnhackl - Hager - Rieder
M.Muller - Seider
Holzer - Gawanke
J.Muller - Wissman
Nor sure about the goalies.
Grubauer, Niederberger, Strahlmeier in net.
I like the right side of that D group but not the left. Holzer was awful the last time I saw him for Germany. Not sure who I’d pick there instead though. I like Jonas Müller but over the next couple years we should see Münzenberger and someone like Mik there.
Would go for some different line combinations and just a few different names compared to Ra (if everybody would be available):
Michaelis - Draisaitl - Kahun
Probably the most "complete" line which could hold their own against top teams. Michaelis playing a great season in CH, which probably would earn him an NA contract if he would be 2 years younger. Kahun has great stats on a mediocre Bern team. Lets hope he returns from is injury soon. But you could put two anchors next to Draisaitl and it would be the best german line...
Reichel - Stützle - Peterka
The Line with the most potential, could become our marquee line in the next 3 years. They should have good chemistry from the U tournaments they played together. I think Stützle might even be a better 5on5 playmaker than Draisaitl but defenitly lacks experience and strenght. But Reichel and Peterka have the speed to match Stützles centering style
Bokk - Noebels - Ehliz
The DEL Line: I think they are the three best german forwards in Germany. Bokk needs to be in the team after this season, feels like he (and Brendan Ranford) are the only reason for Frankfurt being a playoff team right now. Noebels is still the best player on an underperforming Berlin Team. Could be Bokks national team equivalent to Ranford. Ehliz is a good enogh power forward to bring some physicality to the team and is also defensively reliable.
Rieder - Sturm - Kühnhackl
I would say that Sturm deserves more than the fourth line but this line would surely get a lot more ice-time because they can dominate weaker nations and play shut down minutes agains stronger teams. Would be the first PK-Unit for sure. All three players have NHL experience in this regard. Im not sure how much Rieder and Kühnhackl have left in the tank, but i love their effort for the national team.
Extras: Kammerer, Plachta, Schmölz
Best of the rest, can slot in on every line. Plachta is definitly an "Edeljoker", could for sure take the Ehliz position on the third line.
Notable Exceptions: Tiffels, Wolf, Hager, Fischbuch, Wohlgemuth, Stachowiak, Schinko, (Macek)
I don't believe that Macek is still considered for the national team, and not sure if he is that interested either. Don't think that he will play for Germany again. The rest play positions that are already filled. But would't be very happy with them on a normal WC roster.
That got a little longer than expected, would do the defense on a seperate post if my forward selections makes sense and if you would like to read them
If he wanted to play, i assume he would be a lock to make this team. He is a top KHL player.Macek:
Yep, he's no longer in the picture. Ironically though, I think he's in the midst of his best ever KHL season. Interesting.
TBH I'm not super confident in defensive evaluations. I don't catch to many games apart from Cologne in the DEL so my choices on D are mostly from EP stats, but to complete my Line-Up:
Hüttl - Seider
Seider is a no-brainer of course, but you already get into difficulties if you look for a fitting LHD for the first line. I choose Hüttl cause he has good stats, is defensively sound and still has potential to grow. But Seider would probably still need to fill about 75% of the responsibilitys.
Brandt - Wissmann
From what i can tell Wissmann plays a good season in the AHL, maybe just not good enough to get a shot on avery strong Bruins team. And he played great in the last WC so i would put him as the second best defender for Germany. Brandt would play the offensive part in this tandem, which he can do like no other german in the DEL right now.
Daubner - Gawanke
Gawanke is a great offensive talent, but i always wonder why he didn't get a call up in the last 2 years. Might be to forget his own side of the ice a little to often. Daubner is really only there because his stats look fine and he is still on of the younger guys.
HM: Münzenberger, Szuber, Kälble, Fohrler
Can't really say anything about Münzenberger an Kälble cause i never watched them in the NCAA. I like Szuber a lot and he gets suprisingly much ice time in Munich. Fohrler played alwys well for us i thought.
Out: Holzer (to old), M.Müller (to old and to slow), J.Müller (bad season)
Goalies:
Grubauer
Niederberger
Brückmann, Franzreb, Tiefensee, Bugl
TBH I'm not super confident in defensive evaluations. I don't catch to many games apart from Cologne in the DEL so my choices on D are mostly from EP stats, but to complete my Line-Up:
Hüttl - Seider
Seider is a no-brainer of course, but you already get into difficulties if you look for a fitting LHD for the first line. I choose Hüttl cause he has good stats, is defensively sound and still has potential to grow. But Seider would probably still need to fill about 75% of the responsibilitys.
Brandt - Wissmann
From what i can tell Wissmann plays a good season in the AHL, maybe just not good enough to get a shot on avery strong Bruins team. And he played great in the last WC so i would put him as the second best defender for Germany. Brandt would play the offensive part in this tandem, which he can do like no other german in the DEL right now.
Daubner - Gawanke
Gawanke is a great offensive talent, but i always wonder why he didn't get a call up in the last 2 years. Might be to forget his own side of the ice a little to often. Daubner is really only there because his stats look fine and he is still on of the younger guys.
HM: Münzenberger, Szuber, Kälble, Fohrler
Can't really say anything about Münzenberger an Kälble cause i never watched them in the NCAA. I like Szuber a lot and he gets suprisingly much ice time in Munich. Fohrler played alwys well for us i thought.
Out: Holzer (to old), M.Müller (to old and to slow), J.Müller (bad season)
Goalies:
Grubauer
Niederberger
Brückmann, Franzreb, Tiefensee, Bugl
Good ideas, like with your post on the forwards above.
Your right side is basically etched in stone.
What the left side will be is interesting in light of whoever the new coach will be.
As of right now, the DEB certainly isn't leaving M. Müller out of the equation. He's their leader and as long as he's still a decent yeoman on the ice (he's actually coming off his best ever offensive season too), his locker room and media presence is of too much importance. That the country doesn't have 8 Dmen who are just plain better than him in all ways, shapes and forms is a pretty big statement about how hard this country has had things when it comes to developing Dmen.
Also, not only is Jonas Müller still at a great age with lots of hockey in him, I don't think any coach coming in is going to leave out his recent years of successful play just because his worn out club (they've played a ton of hockey in recent years) has gone by the wayside for much of the season. Clearly, if we'd be talking about the men's WC next spring, yes, a guy like J. Müller could be given a "break" from DEB action, but if we're doing a best-on-best tournament, he's part of the equation.
Brandt has been an offensive Dman with some fascinating numbers in recent years, but is actually having his best season now. Not sure how a coaching staff would see his all-round game in a best-of-the-best scenario? Toni had left him at times in the past. Weber is a guy they really like and I think they'd have him there ahead of Hüttl, but Hüttl is certainly arriving just now and will be watched closely as a WC candidate.
Other names of players who are usual locks/candidates are Hördler, Nowak, Bittner, Reul, Wagner, and Krupp while younger players like Ugbekile, Karrer, Zimmermann, and Szuber will be getting longer looks over the next two years. Don't think any of these guys are a top 6 in a best-of-the-best tournament.
I honestly don't know enough about Fohrler to comment.
Münzenberger and maybe Kälble will be coming into question in the coming years. Not sure they're there yet.
The goaltenders look about right.
Agree, Jentzsch, Krämmer and Fleischer should defenitly be on there. The others should be mentioned by my own standards, too. Probably got a little bit lazy going through the rosters of every team and compared them more to their teammates then all other players.@Draiseistu99 :
I like almost everything about that post, except maybe the contrast (choice of colors).
Nice piece of work, really appreciate it.
Personally, I would have added these guys to the list, especially if it is not strictly about this season, because some of these guys may have had a down season, but many of them have been in the mix in the past and may get more chances:
Rest NA:
F: Timo Bakos
D: Tommy Pasanen
DEL:
Berlin:
F: Bennet Roßmy, Manuel Wiederer
Mannheim:
F: Taro Jentzsch, Nico Krämmer
Wolfsburg:
F: Lucas Dumont, Fabio Pfohl
D: Björn Krupp
Iserlohn:
F: Yannick Proske, Sebastian Streu
D: Erik Buschmann
Frankfurt:
D: Daniel Wirt
Nürnberg:
F: Tim Fleischer
Schwenningen:
F: Phil Hungerecker, Daniel Neumann, Sebastian Uvira
Many of these guys are certainly arguable and not a big omission, but the bolded ones I would have on my list without any doubt.