The German national ice hockey team experienced another disappointing exit in the preliminary round at the World Cup. Latvia’s 8-1 win against Hungary destroyed their last chance of progressing.
The selection of the German Ice Hockey Association (DEB) was dependent on a possible slip-up by the Latvians on the final match day of the preliminary round. In order to make it to fourth place and make it to the quarter-finals, Latvia would have had to lose against Hungary.
The team of national coach Harold Kreis, runner-up in the world championships three years ago, started the World Cup tournament with four defeats: against Finland (1:3), Latvia (0:2), hosts Switzerland (1:6) and the weakly represented Olympic champions and defending champions USA (3:4 after a penalty shootout). The three subsequent wins against the outsiders Austria (6:2), Hungary (6:2) and Great Britain were not enough in the end.
Captain Seider takes stock: “No real identity at the moment”
Moritz Seider had already drawn a critical conclusion about the World Cup after the 6-3 win against the British in the final preliminary round game, which had at least preserved the minimal chance of reaching the quarter-finals. “We are in a difficult phase. I think we don’t have a real identity at the moment that sets us apart”said the captain. “The aim should be that we are represented in the top eight, that is absolutely feasible. A lot more would have been possible.”said Seider, referring to the less prominent squads of the top nations.
“We made far too many individual mistakes in every game. You can’t survive like that at international level and, above all, you can’t win.”said the NHL professional from Detroit at Magentasport, his words sometimes sounded like a general reckoning: “We played well against a very beatable Finnish team and still lost a point, and lost two points against a very beatable American team because we got the equalizer shortly before the end. Then you win against the supposedly weaker opponents, and then the world should look good again. But that’s just not the reality.”
DEB sports director Christian Künast tried to defuse the captain’s criticism: “He was a bit too critical.” Nevertheless, the association will find it difficult to get back to business as usual. The pressure on the national coach will also increase; at the final group game in Zurich, Kreis heard his name booed by the German fans when the German team was introduced. To everyone’s surprise, the national coach spoke of one after the last game “stable, solid group phase” of the DEB team.
Third Tournament disappointment in a row under national coach Harold Kreis
A year before the home World Cup, the 67-year-old has to answer for the third tournament disappointment in a row, after the second preliminary round exit at a World Cup in a row and the sobering appearance at the Olympic Games with the first guard of NHL stars. It is extremely questionable whether the 67-year-old will still be allowed to stand on the boards at next year’s home World Cup in Düsseldorf, Mannheim and Schalke.
DEB board member Künast left Kreis’s future as national ice hockey coach open in Zurich, but announced an analysis – after the tournament. “We need a few days”said Künast, who himself has come under criticism given the downward trend of the past twelve months.
Kreis, who only extended his contract in December, did not want to comment on his future on Monday. You could ask him the question, “when it’s over”said Kreis. After the final end, he was no longer available to answer.
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