Red Wings' Moritz Seider laments Germany's early Olympic exit

Seider says team "threw away lottery ticket" after quarterfinal loss to Slovakia

Feb. 21, 2026 at 7:23pm

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Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider was frustrated and disappointed after Germany's hockey team was eliminated from the 2026 Winter Olympics in the quarterfinals. Seider said the team had a good opportunity to medal but "tossed it away" by not playing a full 60 minutes in any of their games.

Why it matters

Seider's comments provide insight into the emotions and mindset of an NHL player representing their home country at the Olympics, especially when the team falls short of expectations. The early exit is a disappointment for Seider and the German team after they had high hopes of medaling.

The details

Germany had to play a qualification match on Tuesday after finishing as the sixth seed following preliminary play. They beat the 11-seed French team 5-1, but Seider, Leon Draisaitl and Tim Stützle played heavy minutes in that game and then had to turn around and play Slovakia the next day in the quarterfinals. Seider said the quick turnaround "can't be an excuse" for the loss.

  • Germany beat France 5-1 in a qualification match on Tuesday, February 18.
  • Germany lost to Slovakia in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, February 19.

The players

Moritz Seider

A defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings who was representing Germany at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Leon Draisaitl

A German professional ice hockey player who also represented Germany at the 2026 Olympics.

Tim Stützle

A German professional ice hockey player who also represented Germany at the 2026 Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“You're sad, you're frustrated, you're disappointed. I think we got every right to be that way. It was a very, very manageable challenge today, but we weren't up for the task, and then you're going out like that, and it's very, very disappointing.”

— Moritz Seider

“That you had a real good opportunity of playing for medals, and you kind of tossed it away, and that's very sad. There are bright moments in the game, but I think if you look during the whole thing of the tournament, I think we never played full 60 minutes, and that's kind of disappointing because there was more in the tank, I feel like.”

— Moritz Seider

What’s next

Seider was unsure of his immediate plans after the Olympics, but in past Games the NHL has had charters to take its players back home starting with the quarterfinals. The Red Wings have begun practicing again this week, though they don't play again until February 26, so Seider may have some time to decompress from the disappointment of the early Olympic exit.

The takeaway

Seider's comments highlight the emotional toll of falling short of Olympic medal aspirations, even for an NHL player representing their home country. The early exit was a missed opportunity that Seider and the German team will have to wait four more years to try and redeem.