Since NHL participation is looking more and more likely; I decided to take a crack at the olympic roster.
We’re in a brutal division with both Canada and USA so the odds are stacked against us but with we definitely have some upset potential.
Stützle - Draisaitl - Kahun
Peterka - Reichel - Tiffels
Michaelis - Sturm - Rieder
Kühnhackl - Müller - Noebels
Wolf, Pföderl
Abeltshauser - Seider
J. Müller - Gawanke
Seidenberg - Holzer
Nowak
Grubauer
Greiss
Niederberger
You did a solid job with that roster. Just a few objections: Greiss officially retired from the national team a while ago. And I really don't see Konrad Abeltshauser as top-pairing defenseman at this level. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't get an invitation from Söderholm at all. Oh, and I suppose that Müller on your fourth line is Marcel Müller? Yeah, uh-uh. No chance, not in a million years. This guy hasn't been a serious contender for a roster spot in a long time. There is probably a full line-up of young German forwards ahead of him right now. Plus a few Pyeongchang veterans like Mauer and Hager.
I'd take a look at Stefan Loibl playing in Sweden this year. Germany desperately needs players who compete at the highest European level on day-to-day basis to fill the gap between (future) world-class players like Draisaitl or Stützle and the traditional core unit of DEL players.
I agree with most of the objections. If they leave out veterans like Hager, Mauer and Ehliz, which could happen, Müller still would not be on the team, in my opinion.
I made two rosters, or at least two different forward groups, one more vet oriented and one with a bit more emphasis, on some younger options. Obviously injuries will occur, so the actual roster will surely look different.
Veterans:
Kahun - Draisaitl - Tiffels -> The 95 line
Stützle - Reichel - Peterka -> The 02 line
Kühnhackl - Sturm - Rieder
Ehliz - Hager - Noebels
Mauer, Michaelis
"Slightly" younger players:
Kahun - Draisaitl - Tiffels
Stützle - Reichel - Peterka
Kühnhackl - Sturm - Rieder
Michaelis - Pföderl - Noebels
Wohlgemuth, Bergmann/Loibl
Brandt/Seidenberg - Seider
J. Müller - Gawanke
Wagner - Holzer
Akdag/Brandt
Grubauer
Niederberger
Aus den Birken/Brückmann
But no matter which way you go, the final 3-4 forward spots and the final 3 dman spots as well as 3rd string goalie are really up for grabs with many options that are pretty much interchangeable, without a significant drop in quality.
Especially on defense (I am not sure if Y.Seidenberg still plays for the national team or not), there could be major changes depending on the DEL season up to the Olympics.
About Abeltshauser: I think he is certainly one of the best defensemen we have in the DEL, but he just does not seem to fit into this team with his playstyle.