Next setback for German ice hockey before home worlds

Germany failed to reach the quarter-finals of the ice hockey world championships for the second year in a row which makes it difficult to generate euphoria for the 2027 home worlds.

Latvia's 8-1 demolition of Hungary means that Germany miss the top four in their group needed to go through in Switzerland.

Germany beat Austria, Hungary and Britain while losing in regulation against Switzerland, Finland, Latvia and on penalties against the United States.

The team was an Olympic silver medallist in 2018 and world championship runner-up in 2023. Since then there were quarter-final exits at the 2024 worlds and this year's Olympics plus successive group stage exits at the worlds.

"We had big ambitions and unfortunately didn't meet our standard," captain Moritz Seider said.

"It is very, very bitter because I though that there was a really good core group in the dressing room. But you can't hope to advance with so many gifts for the opposition."

German federation board member for sport Cheristian Künest did not want to back coach Harold Kreis who started so well in 2023, stating a thorough analysis before any decisions.

Künast did not want to see a negative trend and said Germany are somewhere between seventh and 12th in the rankings.

But that attitude was disputed by former captain Moritz Müller, a member of the 2018 and 2023 teams. "Why can't we say we want to be a team that reaches the semi-finals."

Müller called for structural changes and said: "I believe it is time, and I have been saying that for a while, that all parties should sit down together."

Seider said that all this is needed to avoid another disappointment at the home event.

"Next year we have the very, very big privilege to get back on the right track with a big opportunity at home," he said.