Leon Draisaitl was named captain of Team Germany for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 on Monday.
Draisaitl, an alternate captain for the Edmonton Oilers, is the highest-scoring Germany-born player in NHL history, with 1,036 points (428 goals, 608 assists) in 845 games. The 30-year-old forward ranks fifth in the League this season with 80 points (29 goals, 51 assists) in 55 games. Draisaitl has 141 points (52 goals, 89 assists) in 96 Stanley Cup Playoff games and has helped the Oilers reach the Cup Final each of the past two seasons.
In 2019-20, he had 110 points (43 goals, 67 assists) in 71 games and won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s scoring leader, the Hart Trophy as most valuable player and the Ted Lindsay Award as most outstanding player, as voted by players.
“Obviously a huge honor for him,” Germany goalie Philipp Grubauer said. “We’re happy to have him as a captain and representing Germany in the opening ceremony with the flag.
“What he does the whole year, the last couple of years with Edmonton, it’s been amazing. A great leader. Great to have him in the room and excited to get going.”
Moritz Seider and Tim Stutzle were named alternate captains for Germany.
Seider has 38 points (seven goals, 31 assists) in 58 games as a defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings. The 24-year-old won the Calder Trophy, awarded to the NHL rookie of the year, in 2021-22. Selected by Detroit with the No. 6 at the 2019 NHL Draft, he was Germany captain at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.
“As he should be (the captain),” Seider said of Draisaitl. “He’s a top-five player in the world right now, and if anyone doesn’t know him then I think you’re doing something wrong in the hockey world. You should Google him and you’ll find plenty of videos of highlights. I think that speaks for itself.
“The way he looks at the game will help a lot of guys. He’s detailed about little things, is always in the right spot, rarely makes mistakes in the offensive zone, holds onto pucks forever and really makes it tough for the defensemen to strip pucks from him. If he gives that to some of our young guys, it’ll be big-time. Obviously we need one or more goals from him, but I think he probably sets high expectations for himself and is probably just on us to make sure he’s comfortable and he knows he has plenty of support because it’s not a one-man show. You can’t win hockey games with just one guy.”
Stutzle entered the Olympic break leading the Ottawa Senators with 61 points (28 goals, 33 assists) in 57 games. The 24-year-old forward was captain for Germany at the 2021 World Juniors, when he was named the tournament’s best forward with 10 points (five goals, five assists) in five games. Stutzle was chosen by Ottawa with the No. 3 pick at the 2020 NHL Draft.
“He’s a huge role model, especially in Germany, but even in Canada and the NHL he’s a huge role model,” Stutzle said of Draisaitl. “Everybody loves him. Obviously, I’m really happy for him; he really deserves it.
“I think there’s a lot of great leaders in the room as well, and everybody is going to help him out, but he’s a great leader himself. It’ll be awesome to see him and see him play his game.”
Germany, which is in Group C, plays its first game of the tournament against Team Denmark on Thursday (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, CBC Gem, TSN).
