Let's Crack the 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship: Denmark and Sweden Edition 🏒🔥
- ⏱️ 2 Min Read
Ice Hockey World Championship: Stars, Strategies, and Germany's Prospects - World Cup: Stars Shining, Models Cheering, and Germany's Prospects Assessed
Gear up, hockey enthusiasts! The German ice hockey national team is all set to kick off their World Championship journey, beginning May 13 in Sweden and Denmark. Our boys hit the ice for the first time against Hungary (4:20 PM/ProSieben and MagentaSport).
Where's the Party At?
The World Championship festivities will go down in Stockholm and the lively Danish city of Herning. Germany will swarm Group B in Herning, while Group A, with host Sweden, will take over Stockholm. Both cities will host two quarter-finals. The semi-finals, the bronze medal game, and the grand finals will rock the Avicii Arena in Stockholm. 🎶💥
The Format: Knockout Style 🥤
The preliminaries will see a total of 16 teams slugging it out in two groups of eight. The top four teams from each group will storm into the quarterfinals and keep it knockout-style until the final whistle blows. The bottom two teams from each group will get bumped down to the B group. 🏃♂️🏃♀️
Germany's Verdict: The Final Countdown 🕰️
After securing the vice-world champion title in 2023 and a quarter-final elimination at the hands of Switzerland (the eventual finalist), Germany aims to reach the top eight as a minimum goal. Coach Harold Kreis has fielded a mighty squad, including NHL professionals Moritz Seider (Detroit Red Wings), Lukas Reichel (Chicago Blackhawks), and goaltender Philipp Grubauer (Seattle Kraken). However, key players like JJ Peterka (Buffalo Sabres), Nico Sturm (Florida Panthers), and world-class forward Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers) are taking a backseat due to the NHL playoffs and Peterka's expiring contract in Buffalo. 💔
Germany's Preliminary Rivals: Heating Things Up 🔥
Unlike the past two years, it's smooth sailing for the DEB team, starting with an opener against Hungary. Post-Hungary, the squad will face off against Kasachstan and Norway, followed by tougher opposition such as last year's finalist Switzerland, the USA, and defending champions, the Czech Republic. The preliminaries close against the hosts – Denmark. 🤜🤛
Picking Winners: Anyone's Game 🏆
With the 2026 Olympics setting the stage for well-represented teams, there's no frontrunner this year. Expect to see contenders like reigning champion Canada, host Sweden, Finland, the USA, and defending champion Czech Republic fighting it out for the top spots. That said, surprises like last year's finalist Switzerland or Germany in 2023 are always just a puck away! 💥
Top Performers to Watch 🏒💼
Keep those eyes peeled for superstar Sidney Crosby, who's chasing his second personal WM title with Canada. The 37-year-old from the Pittsburgh Penguins last participated in a WM tournament in 2015 when Canada triumphed. Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche is also joining the offensive force of the record world champion. The forward was the second-best scorer in the recently completed NHL regular season with 32 goals and 84 assists. Reigning champion Czech Republic will burst into Denmark with David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins. The golden goal scorer of last year notched 106 points in the NHL, similar to Draisaitl. However, Germany also has a player on a world-class level in Seider. 🌟
Catch the Matches Live 📺
All German games and almost all knockout games will air on free TV on ProSieben. ProSieben Maxx and the streaming platform Joyn will show additional WM games. MagentaSport will broadcast a total of 18 games, including the German games, on a paid stream. All WM games can also be watched on a paid basis on Sportdeutschland.tv. 📺🙌
Extra Time: 2026 Olympics on the Horizon 🏔️
The Olympics in 2026 is already a hot topic among the top teams. For the first time since 2014, NHL stars will compete for Olympic gold in February. Germany is already qualified for the Olympics. Owing to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus remain excluded from the title fights. 🇷🇺🇧🇾
- The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive for the 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship, providing their insights based on sports regulations.
- Lukas Reichel, a Chicago Blackhawks player, will be part of Germany's squad in the 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship, adding his skills to the team on a basis similar to Moritz Seider and Philipp Grubauer.
- The 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship, while not featuring key players like JJ Peterka, Nico Sturm, and Leon Draisaitl due to the NHL playoffs and contract issues, still retains a strong squad under the leadership of Coach Harold Kreis, aiming for a top eight finish, following their vice-world champion title in the same year.
