WJC: WJC: 2025 Team Germany Roster Talk

[Eye of Ra]

Nico Pertuch
Leon Willerscheid
Lennart Neiße

Norwin Panocha - Edwin Tropmann
Paul Mayer - Carlos Händel
Lua Niehus - Max Bleicher
Rio Kaiser - Maximilian Merkl

Kevin Bicker - Julius Sumpf - Timo Ruckdäschel
Marco Münzenberger - Vadim Schreiner - Noah Samanski
Tobias Schwarz - Paul Vinzens - Elias Pul
Dustin Willhöft - Linus Brandl - Lenny Boos
David Lewandowski

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[StevenEllisNHL]

 

[Namejs]

I'm not impressed by their D corps and I'm not particularly impressed by the rest of the team either. No clear standouts, other than Stumpf.

This German team also seems to be on the younger side with many underagers. Germany and Latvia look extremely similar in their talent level this year.

It looks like it's going to be a very close battle for that QF spot. It's worth mentioning Germany has to face Latvia in that likely deciding match only 18 hours after the game vs. Canada.

 

[SantosHalper]

Where is Bicker?

 

[Maverick41]

Where is Bicker?

Injured. He is expected to be out until mid January, last I heard.
Which is a shame since he was having a pretty good season so far.

 

[Maverick41]

I'm not impressed by their D corps and I'm not particularly impressed by the rest of the team either. No clear standouts, other than Stumpf.

This German team also seems to be on the younger side with many underagers. Germany and Latvia look extremely similar in their talent level this year.

It looks like it's going to be a very close battle for that QF spot. It's worth mentioning Germany has to face Latvia in that likely deciding match only 18 hours after the game vs. Canada.

This is pretty much the way I see it as well.
The forward group is alright. Nothing special, but we've seen worse. Without Bicker Sumpf and Pul are probably the only ones that can really be counted on as potential game breakers against the teams that are not completely out of our league.
Lewandowski is talented but I don't expect him to shine this year. Next year, if they avoid relegation, I would expect much more from him. This year he is good enough to be there, but probably not good enough to be a difference maker. (Hope I'm wrong and he has a great tournament)

The defense is a mystery bag for me, and I have very low expectations for them. Our only chance seems to be that our goalies show up for the games where it really matters, which usually doesn't happen. I'd say we're the slight "favourites" to end up in the relegation round.

 

[GermanRocket7]

Watch out for Lewandowski and Boos both scoring 6 points in the tournament, proving you all wrong.

Oh and, nice to see my former student making the preliminary roster. Congrats, Leon.

 

[Maverick41]

Watch out for Lewandowski and Boos both scoring 6 points in the tournament, proving you all wrong.

Oh and, nice to see my former student making the preliminary roster. Congrats, Leon.

I hope you're right. And I promise if Leon gets a start in this tournament I won't watch.
Because the last time I watched him play was in the first game of the DEL season against Straubing. It did not go well for him or the team. And I was so rooting for him to have a strong game.

 

[EH7]

Hoping Carlos Händel makes the team and shows well as a double underager. He's been a fun player to watch in the first half here in Halifax.

 

[Maverick41]

Hoping Carlos Händel makes the team and shows well as a double underager. He's been a fun player to watch in the first half here in Halifax.

Unless he gets hurt, I see no scenario where he doesn't make the team. And he will probably have to play a significant role, because that D group does not look like they're in great shape. I hope he is up for it.

 

[Jason80]

Unless he gets hurt, I see no scenario where he doesn't make the team. And he will probably have to play a significant role, because that D group does not look like they're in great shape. I hope he is up for it.

Niehues - Panocha
Tropmann - Händel

Looks like a decent top 4 to me. What makes you think they're not good enough? I was a bit suprised that Abstreiter chose Kaiser, Kühnhauser and Hense instead of Kukuk or Bleicher, but he will know why.

The injuries of Bicker and Vadim Schreiner are more concerning for me. Now I fear that Sumpf won't have the linemates he needs for his game.

 

[Maverick41]

Niehues - Panocha
Tropmann - Händel

Looks like a decent top 4 to me. What makes you think they're not good enough? I was a bit suprised that Abstreiter chose Kaiser, Kühnhauser and Hense instead of Kukuk or Bleicher, but he will know why.

The injuries of Bicker and Vadim Schreiner are more concerning for me. Now I fear that Sumpf won't have the linemates he needs for his game.

I haven't seen Panocha in a while, but last I did, he had regressed instead of improved, and considering his struggles to stick with a team I am not very optimistic. I hope he proves me wrong. Tropman, while not bad, has also not developed nearly as well as I had hoped a couple of years ago. Injuries played their part, but that doesn't change that he is just not that good. Paul Mayer is very similar in that regard probably even a little bit worse at the moment.
All of them, Panocha, Mayer and Tropmann are too slow at processing the game, something Bleicher also struggled with (at least last season). Panocha used to be better at it. Tropmann, I think, has a chance to catch up a bit, but for Mayer, I fear it will always be something that holds him back.

Niehus is the one guy outside of Händel that gives me a little hope. After some struggles last season, he looks much better this year. I just hope he shows the maturity here as he has shown in the DEL this season, and doesn't take stupid penalties that may get him ejected/suspended.

I was not really surprised by any of the choices, because to me anyone after Niehus, Panocha, Händel, Tropmann and maybe Mayer, doesn't move the needle for me. It could have been anyone Kaiser, Hense, Kühnauser, Kukuk, Bosecker, Peukert, Müller, Pape or maybe even Schams or Merkl.
Personally, I would have gone with Fabio Kose over any of them.

It will be interesting to see who Abstreiter will play next to Sumpf. Maybe he will go with Pul and Vinzens. Brandl could also be an option.
I guess he will keep Schwarz and Seidl together, I wonder who will be the third, maybe Brandl, Sager or Samanski.
Maybe he'll have a 2007 line of Lewandowski, Schäfer and Timo Kose, if they all make the cut. Though, I think it is more likely Lewandowski will play with Boos and maybe Münzenberger.

Ok, after so much speculation I decided to give it a shot and put the lines together I would like to see (in this scenario I would cut Maxim Schäfer):

Elias Pul - Julius Sumpf - Paul Vinzens
Simon Seidl - Linus Brandl - Tobias Schwarz
Dawid Lewandowski - Lenny Boos - Marco Münzenberger
Noah Samanski - Clemens Sager - Timo Ruckdäschel
Nick Maul - Timo Kose

Lua Niehus - Carlos Händel
Paul Mayer/Norwin Panocha - Edwin Tropmann
Paul Mayer/Norwin Panocha - Rio Kaiser
Kilian Kühnhauser - Max Hense

Nico Pertuch
Leon Hümer/Linus Vieillard

 

[Jason80]

Interesting! I didn't really look at Panocha and his developement over the last year but I always had the impression that he has qualities as a defensive defenceman and everyone expected him to grow into a more offensive role that doesn't really fit him.
I totally agree with you on Niehues: He is a puckmoving player who can do very good things as long as he stays calm and focused. Personally I'd guess that Abstreiter will put the two D's with playmaking potential together with more defensive counterparts.Timo Kose has recently played 2nd line in Regensburg with plenty of ice time so maybe he can be the replacement for Schreiner at this tournament.

Pul - Sumpf - Vinzenz
Lewandowski/Münzenberger - Kose - Ruckdäschel
Schwarz - Brandl - Seidl
Lewandowski/Münzenberger - Boos - Samanski
Maul / Sager

Panocha - Niehues
Tropmann - Händel
Hense - Kaiser
Mayer - Kühnhauser

Pertuch
Hümer
Vieillard