Seven German ice hockey stars are currently under contract in the NHL. For some of them, the season ends in two weeks, for others it really starts.
We give an overview of the opportunities of the Germans to make it into the playoffs with their teams. There are already players who are almost clear that they can go into the final rounds in the fight for the Stanley Cup. For some German professionals, however, it is only about a reasonable conclusion before the regular season ends on April 18.
Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers)
With his 52nd goal of the season, the 29-year-old had repeatedly played a significant share in his team at the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday (02.04.2025). Despite his previous almost two -week injury break, Draisaitl is still by far the best scorer of the league (William Nylander is second with 42 goals) and becomes a decisive factor in the playoffs.
The Oilers are not yet quite sure, but the possibility that it does not work is only theoretical. This also speaks for the probability of moving into the playoffs of 99.5 percent. With eight outstanding games, the dream of the first Stanley Cup for Draisaitl lives after the final defeat last year.
John-Jason Peterka (Buffalo Sabres)
The national player celebrated a 5-2 victory in German duel against Tim Stützle, but in all likelihood only the balance sheet. Because as the penultimate in the Eastern Conference, the Sabres have hardly any playoff chances, they need a lot of victories in their last eight games and a lot with the help of the competition. This is not due to Peterka, but the 23-year-old plays his most successful NHL season with 60 scorer points in 69 missions.
Tim Stützle (Ottawa Senators)
Despite the defeat against Buffalo, the starting point for supporters Senators is very good. As a seventh in the east, Ottawa is currently seven points ahead of the places that would mean the end after the regular season. There is probably nothing left because the first three teams in the division (are set in the playoffs) have a big lead. However, the shape with five bankruptcies in the past eight games is not on the side of Stützle (already 71 goal participations) and Co ..
Moritz Seider (Detroit Red Wings)
One of the teams that the Senator still want to intercept are the Red Wings for Seider. With 75 points, the gap to Ottawa is currently nine points, on the eighth in the east, the Montreal Canadiens, but are only a manageable four points. Nevertheless, Detroit can hardly make any setbacks as in the 1-2 after extra time against the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.
Philipp Grubauer (Seattle Kraken)
The fourth season of the octopus will end for the third time after 82 games – that sealed the 1: 3 defeat on Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars. For goalie Grubauer, however, the season ends gratifying. After the 33-year-old has meanwhile been deported to the Farm Team Coachella Valley Firebirds (seven missions), he is now back in the octopus. Against Dallas, Grubauer defended 28 out of 30 shots (93.3 percent), underpinned his strong shape.
Lukas Reichel (Chicago Blackhawks)
The fate of the Blackhawks, who are in the middle of change with many talents, has been sealed for weeks. With 51 points, the team led by Reichel is the second weakest of the NHL, only the San Jose Sharks still have one counter less on the account. After all, Chicago waves such an early pick in the draft, in the first round the Blackhawks can even choose another talent through a previous trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Nico Sturm (Florida Panthers)
A few weeks ago, the 29-year-old was lucky enough to be able to switch from NHL conclusion San Jose to the defending champion. That was also his ticket for the playoffs at the same time, because they are almost safe for the Panthers (according to the ESPN 99.9 percent probability). Florida made it to the final around the Stanley Cup twice in a row, with a storm (with his eleven missions on an average of ten minutes of ice age) as a Bully specialist, it should work a third time.