The team still needs to find its feet was the sound surrounding the 2026 Olympic tournament. Whether it was the paths on the ice, the role of each player, or the porous defense when opponents had counterattacking opportunities.
There was premature praise. The best team of all time. A documentary on public television. Two silver medals at the 2023 World Cup and the 2018 Olympics. Expectations were set on course for medals.
The mindset change from 2018 does not last forever. It has to be regained with every game. Last year, at the World Championships in Denmark, there were already the first signs of this, with elimination in the preliminary round. At the Deutschland Cup, we lost to Austria.
The game against Latvia offered a chance to return to the mindset of 2018. Draisaitl had eight shots on goal alone, but none went in. Two penalties were enough for Latvia to score two power play goals. Goals from Kälble and Reichel restored hope. In the end, however, it wasn’t compelling enough, too fussy, too much focus on the NHL players.
The difference was clear in the preliminary round game against the USA, physically, mentally, and in terms of play. The Americans’ tactics worked. Draisaitl was physically challenged and was unable to get into the flow of the game.
The defensive gaps became apparent early on against Denmark. Too many shots were allowed and chances were missed. In the end, it was a somewhat fortunate victory. Thanks to Denmark’s victory over Latvia, the DEB team had the chance to advance to the quarterfinals in the qualifying game against France.
In the quarterfinal match against Slovakia, Tom Scheunemann impressed me the most. As a reporter, he believed in victory until five minutes before the end, with three goals to score. Perhaps Tom believed in it more than the players did.
In my opinion, former captain Moritz Müller was brought into the tournament too late. He also found the honest words that were needed. On paper, the individual players are strong, but as a team they still have to prove themselves.
What also surprises me is the coaching power behind the bench, even with four-time Stanley Cup winner Jamie Kompon as assistant coach. Perhaps the pep talk was missing here. Tactically, I don’t think we were ideally prepared against Latvia, the USA, and Slovakia.
Loss as an opportunity. This year, the World Cup is just around the corner in May. This could be an opportunity to put the Olympic tournament behind, draw the right conclusions, and implement them. Perhaps the NHL and DEL players need to play together more often to get to know each other better, both on and off the ice.
Overall, we should play with more confidence, bring more physicality to the ice, and play more directly and aggressively. Even if it sounds simple, we need to finish our checks and backcheck consistently. We need to close gaps faster and move toward the goal quicker and easier.
Sweden, Switzerland, and Czechia were also eliminated in the quarterfinals. It’s no consolation, but it does illustrate the level at which the top teams are playing; they have moved closer together.
I hope we see Leon back in the Ice Eagle jersey soon. What he has already achieved in Edmonton and the level at which he plays as a once-in-a-century talent is unique. At 30 years of age, he still has a few years left in which he can celebrate great successes with his teams.