the distinctive striker is lacking – Muricas News

They've Leon Hüttl and so they have Leon Gawanke. However, with all due respect for the 2 defenders: The Leon, which all German followers and likewise the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) had secretly hoped for, just isn't on the Ice Hockey World Championships in Tampere. And he received’t come both. Leon Draisaitl, one of the best German ice hockey participant, knowledgeable the DEB after the untimely exit with the Edmonton Oilers within the playoffs of the North American skilled league NHL that he won't be touring to Finland and Latvia for the World Cup. “We had an intensive dialog with Leon,” stated DEB sports activities director Christian Künast on Wednesday. Nevertheless it was “not potential to comprehend his participation within the World Cup within the brief time accessible”.

Draisaitl’s cancellation comes as no shock. After 92 NHL video games and two intense playoff sequence, the striker “simply wants time to get better from the exertion and to regenerate bodily,” Künast is quoted as saying in a DEB message. As well as, there are nonetheless “exit conferences and media appointments with the Oilers on website”: “We've got proven full understanding given his position with the Oilers and need him a very good restoration after the season.”

On the Oilers’ end-of-season press convention on Tuesday, Draisaitl had raised hopes of his participation within the World Cup, saying: “There are nonetheless a couple of issues to be clarified. We’ll see.”

The 27-year-old ahead has a private better of 128 factors within the NHL common season, the third time he has scored 50 targets or extra. Within the playoffs, he was on the verge of breaking age-old NHL data with 13 targets and a complete of 18 factors in 12 video games earlier than a double misfortune overtook him within the quarterfinals in opposition to the Vegas Golden Knights. Within the fourth recreation, which the Oilers received 4-1 and tied the best-of-seven sequence 2-2, Draisaitl obtained a brutal stick hit from Alex Pietrangelo simply earlier than the top; many consultants noticed it as a focused try to make use of brute pressure to remove the excellent Draisaitl. Surprisingly, Draisaitl remained externally unhurt. Within the two video games that adopted, nevertheless, the person from Cologne failed to attain any extra factors. Edmonton, one of many Stanley Cup favorites, was out and Draisaitl was near tears.

The DEB crew wants 4 wins from the final 4 group video games

The German crew, which misplaced the primary three World Cup video games in opposition to Sweden (0:1), Finland (3:4) and USA (2:3) regardless of excellent performances, has to play the remaining group video games in opposition to Denmark (Thursday, 7:20 p.m , Sport 1 and Magentasport), Austria (Friday), Hungary (Sunday) and France (Tuesday) with out the distinctive striker, all of whom will most likely win with a purpose to make it into the quarter-finals and get the possibility of direct qualification for the 2026 Olympic Video games. Above all, Draisaitl might have helped to extend effectivity in entrance of the opposing aim. However even with out him, nationwide coach Harold Kreis is satisfied that the crew will be capable to treatment their weak point in the long run. “The crew is so secure and strong that we’re not speaking about strain, however a few problem,” stated Kreis. “We’re wanting ahead to Denmark.”

The sport in opposition to the Danes, who began the event nearly completely with three victories in opposition to the supposedly weaker group opponents Hungary (3:1), France (4:3 aet) and Austria (6:2), is the important thing recreation in Group A for a spot within the quarter-finals, a win in opposition to the crew of former DEL professional Heinz Ehlers is a should. The duel has occurred a number of occasions lately. In 2022, the DEB crew underneath Toni Söderholm received 1-0 in Helsinki, in 2019 in Košice 2-1 on the way in which to the quarter-finals. In 2018 in Herning, the Germans underneath Marco Sturm and Draisaitl misplaced to the hosts 3-2 after a penalty shootout.