For the biggest tournament ever: A fierce battle is brewing in German ice hockey

There were times when a national ice hockey coach faced a barrage of rejections for the national team. But at the Deutschland Cup in Landshut, everyone who's fit wants to come. They're competing for one of the fiercely contested spots on the Olympic team.

Even long-time national team captain Moritz Müller has to fight for his Olympic participation in Landshut. Former NHL pro Dominik Kahun, undoubtedly one of the best ice hockey players in Germany, also prefers to showcase his skills at the Deutschland Cup.

When even the 2018 Olympic silver medalist and the 2023 World Championship runner-up have to worry about participating in the Winter Games in Milan in February, it's clear what's at stake in Landshut from Wednesday to Sunday: For almost all of the 25 nominated national players, it's the highlight of their careers.

Very few of the current squad are likely to actually have a chance at the Olympics. "That remains to be seen," said national coach Harold Kreis cautiously when asked who from the squad for the traditional four-nation tournament could hope for an Olympic ticket.

"I'm very pleased that Kahun has agreed to participate," said Kreis about the 30-year-old striker, who plays in Lausanne in one of the strongest European leagues in Switzerland. Even the exceptional striker received a clear, albeit indirect, hint from Kreis: "He sees this as an opportunity to recommend himself for the Olympics."

Only a few spots left due to NHL players

In February in Milan, the world's best players from the North American NHL will compete at the Olympics for the first time since Sochi in 2014. Given the sporting upswing in recent years, more than a dozen German professionals are now also playing in North America. The majority of them have already secured their Olympic berths. "The only players who are guaranteed a spot are our NHL players," confirmed the national coach.

Star defenseman Moritz Seider of the Detroit Red Wings expects "the best team that will probably ever represent Germany on the ice." Despite superstar Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton) and other NHL stars like Tim Stützle (Ottawa), JJ Peterka (Utah), Lukas Reichel (Vancouver), and Philipp Grubauer (Seattle), the German national team is unlikely to be in contention for medals. Nations like Canada, the USA, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Finland are fielding teams comprised entirely of NHL players.

Reliable scorers could end up empty-handed.

But the national team practically picks itself for Milan. Of the 25 players the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) is allowed to nominate, eleven spots are likely already filled by players from North America.

Especially in attack, there are hardly any open spots left, and reliable scorers like Leo Pföderl or Marcel Noebels from the reigning champions Eisbären Berlin, who are being rested for this year's Deutschland Cup due to their club's workload, aren't automatically included because Kreis also needs team-oriented players like the currently injured Alex Ehl (Mannheim). And point scorers are already coming from the NHL. "We're always talking about roles. That's very important for us," Kreis said.

Regarding motivation, the national coach likely has no concerns for this year's home tournament. Every single player will be giving their all at the prospect of competing against NHL stars on the Olympic ice in three months.

There will certainly be hardship cases.

Even for DEB captain Müller, it's something of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The 38-year-old veteran defenseman of the Cologne Sharks has two Olympic appearances under his belt, and facing forwards like Connor McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon on the ice one last time in what is likely his final professional season would be something truly special for him as well.

"He has shaped German ice hockey like very, very few others," Kreis said appreciatively. But Müller doesn't have a free pass. "That remains to be seen," Kreis said regarding Müller's Olympic prospects, who also has to prove himself against Latvia, Austria, and Slovakia in Landshut starting Thursday. "There are no guarantees," Kreis confirmed. However, there will certainly be some difficult cases.

The situation is different for the women, who start their tournament on Wednesday. There are far fewer players in contention. For national coach Jeff MacLeod's team, it's about something else. "They're getting a platform in Landshut. For us, it's a fantastic opportunity to showcase our skills and compete at a high level," said MacLeod.