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Ice hockey

Ice hockey is one of the world's biggest winter and arena sports. The NHL is the most globally watched league, though the sport is also popular in Germany, Switzerland, Russia, Sweden, Finland and the Czech Republic.

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All Content on this topic

Leon Draisaitl carrying the puck

Germany's Leon Draisaitl signs record NHL contract

Germany's Leon Draisaitl has signed an eight-year contract extension worth $112 million (€101.5 million).
SportsSeptember 3, 2024
Constantin Braun

Braun's new life on the ice as a recovering alcoholic

Constantin Braun is a veteran defenseman with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers — and a recovering alcoholic.
SportsJanuary 25, 2024
Billie Jean King and PWHL executive Jayna Hefford drop pucks in the ceremonial faceoff

PWHL: What you need to know about the new ice hockey league

The puck has dropped on the latest attempt to establish a truly women's professional hockey league in North America.
SportsJanuary 2, 2024
Harold Kreis at a press conference

Germany ice hockey team appoint Harold Kreis as head coach

Harold Kreis will be looking to further develop a team that has taken a major step forward in recent years.
SportsJanuary 30, 2023
Josef Kompalla

Kompalla: 'I would do exactly the same today'

Revered internationally, reviled in Canada, referee Josef Kompalla speaks to DW about game 8 of the 1972 Summit Series.
SportsSeptember 2, 2022
Moritz Seider in action for the Detroit Red Wings

Moritz Seider: NHL rookie of the year made in Germany

Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings has become the first German to be named the NHL's top rookie.
SportsJune 22, 2022
A view from the stands of Nokia Arena in Tampere

Ice Hockey without Russia 'like soccer without Germany'

The impact of Russia's absence will be undeniable at this year's IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Finland.
SportsMay 12, 2022
Canadian hockey women celebrate their third goal

Gold for Canada in ice hockey and Sweden in skiing

Canada's women defeated Team USA in the ice hockey final, while Sweden's Sandra Naeslund took gold in the ski cross.
SportsFebruary 17, 2022
Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis celebrate their gold medal in the two-man bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics in Beijing

Olympics: Germany enjoys historic clean sweep

Germany swept the medals in the two-man bobsleigh as Francesco Friedrich successfully defended his title.
SportsFebruary 15, 2022
China's goaltender, Jeremy Smith, who competes under the name Shimisi Jieruimi.

Beijing 2022: China's foreign hockey recruits still smiling

With two-thirds of its ice hockey squad born outside the country, China's team has a very international flavor.
SportsFebruary 11, 2022
German players celebrate

Can Germany repeat the 'Wunder von Pyeongchang?'

With no NHL players in Beijing, can Germany equal their silver medal success from four years ago in Pyeongchang?
SportsFebruary 9, 2022
German players at an ice hockey training sesson in Pyeongchang

NHL absence leaves Olympic hockey wide open

The NHL's Olympic withdrawal could throw things wide open for hockey nations like Germany — just like in 2018.
SportsDecember 22, 2021
Paralympics | Eishockey | Bas Disveld

Para ice hockey: Speed and elegance with stick and blade

Para ice hockey is a dynamic sport has been around for over half a century — and now also at the Paralympics.
SportsDecember 3, 2021
Moritz Seider playing for the Detroit Red Wings.

How the pandemic helped prepare Moritz Seider for the NHL

The Swedish Hockey League proved to be the perfect place to prepare Moritz Seider for the next step in his career.
SportsNovember 10, 2021
Luc Tardif

France's Luc Tardif elected IIHF president

Luc Tardif will take over the International Ice Hockey Federation from Rene Fasel, who is stepping down after 27 years.
SportsSeptember 25, 2021
Luke Prokop

Luke Prokop set to become NHL's first openly gay player

Reaction from the National Hockey League, the NHLPA players' union and beyond has been overwhelmingly supportive.
SportsJuly 20, 2021
Sport | Eishockey-WM | Finnland - Deutschland

Ice hockey: Individual errors cost Germany against Finland

Germany's world championship gold medal hopes are over after a 2-1 semifinal defeat to Finland in Riga.
SportsJune 5, 2021
Dany Heatley

Leon Draisaitl & Co.: Germany's 100-NHL-points club

Leon Draisaitl has just passed Marco Sturm to become the German player with the most points in the NHL.
SportsApril 27, 202110 images
Eishockey | Edmonton Oilers - Ottawa Senators | Zweikampf Leon Draisaitl und Tim Stuetzle

Tim Stützle: Already a fan favorite in Canada's capital

The lowly Ottawa Senators are looking to build a highly successful future around the youngest player in the NHL.
SportsMarch 25, 2021
Hansa Rostock fans

Sports News Feed: Hundreds attend Hansa Rostock match

Almost 800 fans attended a third division win in Germany, the first fans to attend a game in the country for months.
SportsMarch 19, 2021
Headquarters of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in Zürich

IIHF: Belarus cooperating with probe into ice hockey boss

The head of the Belarusian federation is accused of being involved in the death of an opposition activist last year.
SportsFebruary 23, 2021
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya at a Belarusian opposition demonstration in Vilnius

Tsikhanouskaya on IIHF decision: 'Justice has been served'

It's not yet clear where the portion of the Ice Hockey World Championship games earmarked for Minsk will be played.
SportsJanuary 20, 2021
Penfold Charles Kommentarbild App

Stripping Belarus of hockey honor right — if a bit late

Chuck Penfold
Belarus' removal as host of the Ice Hockey World Championship was the only right decision, writes DW's Chuck Penfold. 
SportsJanuary 18, 2021
Russland St. Petersburg Eishockey WM Deutschland Weißrussland

Ice Hockey: Belarus must meet 'specific requirements'

IIHF's Fasel says Belarus must meet 'specific requirements' to host Ice Hockey World Championship
SportsJanuary 14, 2021
German ice hockey star Leon Draisaitl

Leon Draisaitl: 'The Stanley Cup is all that matters'

As he embarks on his sixth full season in the league, Leon Draisaitl's focus is on bringing a Cup back to Edmonton.
SportsJanuary 12, 2021
Man in pharaoh hat and Egyptian flag

The sporting year ahead in 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic played havoc with sports in 2020, many events that had to be postponed are now scheduled for 2021.
SportsJanuary 1, 202111 images
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko playing ice hockey

Opposition grows to Belarus as ice hockey co-host

Amid a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters, many believe Belarus shouldn't co-host the ice hockey worlds.
SportsDecember 4, 2020
Mohamed Salah

Coronavirus: The hidden complications for athletes

While many ahtletes return to competition quickly, there can be serious complications.
SportsDecember 2, 2020
Deutschland Eishockey Eisbären Berlin vs EHC Red Bull München

Ice hockey: Hope springs eternal for Eisbären Berlin

Germany's top ice hockey league is the country's only league that hasn't resumed play.
SportsOctober 26, 2020
Deustchland Köln Eishockey Maskottchen Sharky

Sports amid the coronavirus: A roller coaster of emotion

The mood in Germany's top ice hockey, basketball and handball leagues is one of frustration, but also determination.
SportsOctober 20, 2020
Leon Draisaitl

Opinion: Draisaitl the best in the world right now

It's something German fans couldn't have imagined years ago, but the best ice hocker player in the world is a German.
SportsSeptember 22, 2020
Symbolbild Handball Spieler Halle Hallensport Bundesliga Spielball

Corona crisis in indoor sports: The clock is ticking

The decision of the federal governments to do without major events with spectators puts indoor sports in a predicament.
SportsSeptember 1, 2020

'A dream': NHL star Leon Draisaitl on being leading scorer

Leon Draisaitl has become the first German to win a scoring title in a major North American sports league.
SportsMay 29, 2020
USA: Eishockey: NHL - Leon Draisaitl

Leon Draisaitl: From German prodigy to NHL top scorer

DW looks at Leon Draisaitl's career to date and how he became Germany's biggest-ever hockey star.
SportsMay 27, 20209 images
Schweizer Eishockeytorhüterin Florence Schelling

First woman hockey GM at home in men's world

Being the only woman in a men's world is nothing new for SC Bern's new general manager, Florence Schelling.
SportsMay 8, 2020
Leon Draisaitl

German NHL stars upbeat about country's development

With the Stanley Cup playoffs and the World Championship, May should have been the best part of the hockey season.
SportsMay 4, 2020
Belarussian football fans

Coronavirus: Sport in Belarus ignores crisis

Belarus's top football and ice hockey leagues are set to play in front of live audiences this weekend.
SportsMarch 27, 2020
NHL | Colorado Avalanche | Edmonton Oilers

Leon Draisaitl: NHL star made in Germany

At just 24, Draisaitl has established himself as one of the best players in the world's best league.
SportsNovember 15, 2019
Eishockey NHL Leon Draisaitl

NHL: Germans in the world's top ice hockey league

With a new NHL season upon us, we look at the Germans who’ll be skating in the world’s top hockey league in 2019-20.
SportsOctober 2, 20199 images
Eishockey WM-Viertelfinale Deutschland vs Tschechien 1:5

German ice hockey continues upward trajectory

Despite crashing out in the quarterfinals in Slovakia, there are signs that German ice hockey is on the right path.
SportsMay 24, 2019
Eishockey-Bundestrainer Toni Söderholm

'Our team-first mentality will be our biggest strength'

Coach Toni Söderholm spoke to DW about Germany's strengths and weaknesses ahead of the Ice Hockey World Championship.
SportsMay 10, 2019
Eishockey NHL - Anaheim Ducks vs. Edmonton Oilers

Leon Draisaitl still to decide whether to play at worlds

Leon Draisaitl is to decide this week whether to join Germany for the upcoming world ice hockey championship.
SportsApril 8, 2019
USA Eishockey NHL Dominik Kahun

Kahun: 'Winning silver was a huge step forward for Germany'

It's been a year since Germany's ice hockey team won Olympic silver. Dominik Kahun told DW about that and his NHL move.
SportsFebruary 8, 2019

The sporting year 2019: What we can look forward to

With no men's soccer World Cup or Euros in 2019, female athletes and other sports have a chance to grab the headlines.
SportsDecember 31, 201811 images
Deutscher Eishockey Bund (DEB) Bundestrainer Toni SOEDERHOLM Vorstellung Toni SOEDERHOLM (Herren Bundestrainer).

Söderholm takes charge of Germany ice hockey team

Finnish coach Toni Söderholm has signed a contract that will take him through the 2022 Winter Games.
SportsDecember 21, 2018
Penfold Charles Kommentarbild App

Opinion: Big skates to fill

Chuck Penfold
Marco Sturm's decision to pursue his NHL dream has left the DEB facing a crucial decision, writes Chuck Penfold.
SportsNovember 5, 2018
Marco Sturm

German ice hockey coach Marco Sturm quits national team

Marco Sturm led the German ice hockey team in its incredible silver medal finish at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games.
SportsNovember 5, 2018
NHL Eishockey Capitals vs Golden Knights

How Vegas iced the best expansion team in NHL history

The Vegas Golden Knights still have an outside chance of winning the Stanley Cup in their first season in the NHL.
SportsJune 6, 2018
Dänemark Eishockey-WM in Kopenhagen - Schweden vs. Schweiz

Ice Hockey: Sweden win World title after Switzerland win

Switzerland came agonisingly close to a maiden Ice Hockey World Championships win but fell at the final hurdle again.
SportsMay 20, 2018
Eishockey-WM Kanada - Deutschland

Germany end campaign with defeat to Canada

Germany are heading home from the ice hockey worlds in Denmark in eleventh place after a disappointing tournament.
SportsMay 15, 2018