5 greatest German NHL players of all time ft. Leon Draisaitl

Despite Germany not reaching the dominance of the Canadian national team, the rise of NHL star players from the country highlights hockey's global expansion.

This evolution beyond traditional borders is evident in the noteworthy German players who have made significant contributions to NHL teams like the Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers, San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks.

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Greatest German NHL players of all time

Here are the top five:

#5 Owe Krupp (1982-83 to 2002-03)

Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 255 pounds, Krupp dominated opposing players. He netted 69 goals and 212 assists during his 729-game tenure with the Sabres, Islanders, Nordiques, Avalanche, Red Wings and Thrashers.

Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the 11th round, 214 overall pick in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, Krupp was selected by the Nashville Predators in the 1998 Expansion Draft, going in the first round as the tenth overall selection.

In 1991, he made history as the first German trained player to participate in the NHL All-Star game. Krupp is most fondly remembered for his Cup-clinching goal in the third overtime of Game 4 during the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals between his Colorado Avalanche and the Florida Panthers.

#4 Christian Ehrhoff (1990-00 to 2017-18)

Drafted 106th overall in the fouth round by the San Jose Sharks in 2001 while playing for the Krefield Penguins in the DEL, Christian Enhroff has become a prominent German defenseman.

In 789 career games with the Sharks, Sabres, Penguins, Kings, Blackhawks and Canucks, Christian Ehrhoff notched up an impressive 74 goals and 265 assists.

Hailing from Moers, West Germany, he's celebrated for his offensive contributions from the blue line, but questions have arisen about his defensive abilities. Ehrhoff and Dennis Seidenberg formed a formidable partnership in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics.

#3 Jochen Hecht (1994-95 to 2015-16)

Adler Mannheim served as the early professional platform for Jochen Hecht, who later became the 49th overall, second-round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 1995.

In 833 games, the Mannheim, West Germany, native scored 186 goals and 277 assists while playing for Blues, Oilers and Sabres. Hecht represented Germany in the 2002 Winter Olympics but sat out in 2006 due to injury.

#2 Marco Sturm (1995-96 to 2012-13)

Marco Sturm, born in Dingolfing, West Germany, fine-tuned his hockey skills in the DEL with EV Landshut in Bavaria before joining the San Jose Sharks.

Drafted in the first round of the 1996 Draft, Sturm joined the San Jose Sharks as the 21st overall pick. Over 938 games, he showcased his skills, scoring 242 goals and providing 245 assists across stints with the Sharks, Bruins, Canucks, Kings, Capitals and Panthers.

The NHL All-Star, who played in 1999, also represented Germany in the 1998 and 2006 Winter Olympics, serving as their captain in 2006.

#1 Leon Tim Draisaitl (2014-15 to present)

Born on Oct. 27, 1995, he serves as the alternate captain for the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL and was chosen as the third overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

In a historic 2020 season, Draisaitl achieved the distinction of being the first German player to win the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award.

Draisaitl netted 320 goals and 459 assists during his 669-game tenure with the Edmonton Oilers.

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Leon Tim Draisaitl recent NHL career stats

Draisaitl has achieved an impressive record of 14 goals, 21 assists in 31 games. With a shooting rate of 15.7%, Leon Draisaitl has directed 89 shots at opposing goalies, and his time in the penalty box totals 30 minutes.

Scoring 14 goals, he maintains a plus/minus rating of -6. Taking the ice 31 times, Draisaitl has accumulated 35 points over the season.

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Note: All stats as per Dec. 25, 2023