German NHL professional Tim Stützle has canceled his participation in the Ice Hockey World Championships in the Czech Republic in May. “I thought about it for a while, but it doesn’t make sense this year,” the 22-year-old told reporters in Canada.
The striker cited problems with his shoulder and wrist, which is why he had already sat out the last games of the season with the Ottawa Senators. The team missed the playoffs again. Stützle had 18 goals and 52 assists in 75 appearances this season.
The Viersen native is one of the stars of the Senators. In 2022 he signed the largest contract in the history of the capital club – over eight years and $66.8 million. But so far in his four years in the NHL it hasn’t been enough to make the play-offs.
Things don’t really work out in the national team either. In his World Cup debut in 2022, he left injured after just three games. Last year he completely canceled his participation in the tournament and the German team won the silver medal without him. Now it has to make do without one of its best strikers this year too.
JJ Peterka agrees
But the German team can rely on JJ Peterka. “Yes, I will play,” said the 22-year-old on Thursday in Buffalo, USA. Peterka was already there in 2023 and was one of the reasons why the Germans won their first World Cup medal in 70 years. In ten games he scored six goals and prepared another six, after which he was named the best striker of the tournament.
Things also went well for the Munich native this season in the NHL. 28 goals and 50 scorer points each represented personal records. However, it wasn’t enough for his team to make the play-offs. For the 13th time in a row, the Buffalo Sabers missed the finals – a negative record in the more than 100-year history of the NHL. Coach Don Granato was fired this week.