Best German NHL Players of All Time

The Top 10 German NHL Players

Leon Draisaitl: The Dominant Number One

Leon Draisaitl has completely separated himself from all other German players in NHL history.

Career Highlights:

• 1,017+ career points (420 goals, 597 assists)
• Hart Trophy (2020)
• Art Ross Trophy (2020)
• Ted Lindsay Award (2020)
• Multiple 100+ point seasons
• Three 50-goal seasons

Dominance: Draisaitl's 127-point season (2018-19) shattered all German single-season records. His combination of size, skill, and hockey IQ makes him one of the NHL's most complete centers.

Legacy: At age 29, Draisaitl is already far ahead of any German player in NHL history and could finish with 1,300+ points if he maintains his current pace.

If you know which NHL stars are Swedish, Finnish, Russian, or Czech, you'll love Gridzy Hockey — birthplace categories show up constantly in the daily grid.

2. Uwe Krupp

The bridge between German hockey's past and present.

Career Overview:

• 281 career points (71 goals, 210 assists)
• Two Stanley Cups (1996, 2002)
• Scored Cup-clinching goal (1996)
• First German-trained All-Star

Significance: Krupp brought size (6-foot-6) and stability on defense, proving Germans could succeed in NHL's physical environment.

3. Marco Sturm

Germany's first consistent NHL goal-scorer.

Production:

• 487 career points (242 goals, 245 assists)
• Multiple 20-goal seasons
• 938 career games
• San Jose Sharks star

Impact: Sturm's speed and finishing ability gave Germany credible NHL representation through the 2000s.

4. Jochen Hecht

Reliable two-way forward across 13 NHL seasons.

Career Stats:

• 463 career points (193 goals, 270 assists)
• Buffalo Sabres mainstay
• Consistent 40-50 point producer
• Elite penalty-killer

5. Christian Ehrhoff

Germany's best defenseman before modern era.

Accomplishments:

• 347 career points (79 goals, 268 assists)
• 789 career games
• Key playoff runs with Vancouver and San Jose
• Power-play quarterback

Think you can name elite players born outside North America? Try Gridzy and see how fast you can solve the "born outside NA" squares.

6. Dennis Seidenberg

Stanley Cup-winning defenseman.

Career:

• 196 career points (26 goals, 170 assists)
• Stanley Cup champion (2011)
• Boston Bruins shutdown defender
• Over 1,000 games played

7. Philipp Grubauer

Elite modern goaltender.

Stats:

• 200+ career wins
• Vezina Trophy finalist (2021)
• Stanley Cup champion (2018)
• Elite save percentage (.914)

8. Thomas Greiss

Reliable NHL starter.

Career:

• 170+ career wins
• Multiple seasons as starter
• Consistent .910+ save percentage
• German goaltending pioneer

9. Tim Stützle

Rising young star.

Early Career:

• Third overall pick (2020)
• Ottawa Senators franchise player
• 200+ points in first four seasons
• Elite two-way center

10. Moritz Seider

Elite young defenseman.

Accomplishments:

• Calder Trophy (2022)
• Detroit Red Wings top defenseman
• Already 200+ games played
• Future Norris contender

Draisaitl: How Far Ahead Is He?

Statistical Dominance:

Leon Draisaitl's numbers dwarf all other German players:

Points:

• Draisaitl: 1,017+
• Sturm: 487
• Hecht: 463
• Gap of 500+ points to second place

Goals:

• Draisaitl: 420+
• Sturm: 242
• Hecht: 193
• Nearly double second place

Peak Seasons:

• Draisaitl: 127 points (2018-19)
• Next closest German: ~55 points

This is exactly the kind of knowledge that wins grid games. Play Gridzy Hockey and turn your country-by-country NHL knowledge into a daily challenge.

The Bridge Generation

Krupp, Sturm, Hecht, and Ehrhoff: Paving the Way

These players made Draisaitl's rise possible by proving Germans could succeed in NHL.

Uwe Krupp's Impact:

• First German All-Star
• Cup-clinching goal (1996)
• Showed Germans could play physical NHL game

Sturm and Hecht:

• Consistent NHL presence in 2000s
• Gave young German players role models
• Proved Germans could be top-six forwards

Christian Ehrhoff:

• Elite offensive defenseman
• Nearly 350 career points
• German development credibility

Read more: NHL Draft Trivia: First Overall Picks, Steals, Busts

German Goaltending

Philipp Grubauer: The Standard

Grubauer represents Germany's best goaltending export:

Accomplishments:

• Stanley Cup champion (2018, Washington)
• Vezina finalist (2021)
• Elite starter for Colorado and Seattle
• .914 career save percentage

Thomas Greiss:

• 170+ wins across multiple teams
• Reliable NHL starter
• Proved German goalies could succeed

Future: Young German goalies in pipeline suggest continued strength in net.

Modern German Stars

Tim Stützle: Future Top 5

Third overall pick in 2020 already showing elite potential:

Early Production:

• 200+ points in first four seasons
• Elite two-way center
• Ottawa Senators building block

Projection: Could eventually challenge for second-best German player ever with sustained excellence.

Moritz Seider: Elite Defenseman

Calder Trophy winner showing Norris potential:

Accomplishments:

• Calder Trophy (2022)
• Detroit's top defenseman by age 21
• Already 200+ games
• Two-way excellence

Future: Projects as potential top-three German player if maintains trajectory.

Read more: NHL Rookies Trivia: Calder Winners & Notable Rookie Seasons

International Success

Germany's Rising Hockey Profile

NHL success mirrors international achievements:

Olympic Silver (2018): Germany's shocking run to Olympic finals, with Draisaitl, Grubauer, and others leading the way.

World Championship Results: Regular appearances in medal rounds with NHL talent.

Growing Development: DEL (German league) producing more NHL-caliber talent.

German Production Leaders

Goals:

1. Leon Draisaitl: 420+
2. Marco Sturm: 242
3. Jochen Hecht: 193

Points:

1. Leon Draisaitl: 1,017+
2. Marco Sturm: 487
3. Jochen Hecht: 463

Wins (Goalies):

1. Philipp Grubauer: 200+
2. Thomas Greiss: 170+

Draisaitl's dominance across all categories is complete.

Legacy: Germany's NHL Evolution

Germany has evolved from NHL afterthought to producing one of the league's elite centers. Leon Draisaitl's Hart Trophy and multiple 100-point seasons have completely changed perceptions of German hockey talent.

The bridge generation of Krupp, Sturm, and Hecht proved Germans could succeed, while modern stars like Stützle and Seider suggest Germany's NHL presence will only grow stronger.

Read more: NHL Betting: The Ultimate Guide for the 2025/2026 Hockey Season

Play Gridzy Hockey Free Every Day

Gridzy Hockey is Shurzy's daily NHL grid game where you pretend you're "just messing around" and then suddenly you're 15 minutes deep arguing with yourself about whether some 2009 fourth-liner qualifies as a 40-goal guy.

You get nine guesses to fill a 3×3 grid, you can't reuse players, and every pick is either a genius flex or instant regret, so yeah, it's basically hockey trivia with stakes.

New grid drops every day at 6:00am ET, which is perfect because nothing says "healthy morning routine" like panicking over who won the Lady Byng in 1998. If you think you know puck, prove it.

Go play Gridzy right now!

‍