Germany Dominates Denmark in Winter Olympics Hockey

Leon Draisaitl and NHL-laden German squad cruise past Denmark in preliminary round matchup.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The German men's hockey team, led by NHL superstar Leon Draisaitl, cruised to a decisive victory over Denmark in their preliminary round matchup at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics. Germany's depth of NHL talent, including players like Tim Stutzle, JJ Peterka, Lukas Reichel and Nico Sturm, proved too much for the Danish squad, which lacked a single NHL defenseman on its roster.

Why it matters

This win solidifies Germany as a top contender for the gold medal in men's hockey at the Milan Games. The German team's ability to overwhelm opponents with its NHL-caliber depth and high-end talent like Draisaitl makes them a formidable force that will be difficult for other medal hopefuls to match.

The details

Germany jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, taking down Denmark by a final score of 5-2. Draisaitl led the way with a goal and two assists, while Stutzle, Peterka, Reichel and Sturm each added a goal of their own. On the Danish side, Nikolaj Ehlers, Lars Eller, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Oscar Fisker-Molgaard scored, but it wasn't enough to overcome the German onslaught. Veteran goaltender Philipp Grubauer made 31 saves to earn the victory for Germany.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
  • Germany and Denmark met in a preliminary round matchup at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.

The players

Leon Draisaitl

A German professional ice hockey center who plays for the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL. He is considered one of the best players in the world and led the German national team in this dominant win over Denmark.

Philipp Grubauer

The starting goaltender for the German national team, Grubauer plays professionally for the Seattle Kraken in the NHL. He had a strong bounce-back season and carried that form into the Olympics, making 31 saves in the win over Denmark.

Nikolaj Ehlers

A Danish professional ice hockey winger who plays for the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL. He scored one of Denmark's two goals in the loss to Germany.

Frederik Andersen

The veteran Danish goaltender who has struggled mightily this NHL season, posting career-highs in goals-against average and save percentage. His poor form was a significant disadvantage for Denmark against the powerful German offense.

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What they’re saying

“We knew coming in that Germany would be a tough opponent, but we just couldn't match their depth and skill level today. They have so many NHL players who can take over a game.”

— Lars Eller, Danish forward (Instagram)

“This was a great team effort from us. We came out strong and really set the tone early. Now we need to keep this momentum going as we look ahead to the medal rounds.”

— Leon Draisaitl (Twitter)

What’s next

Germany will look to continue its dominant run in the preliminary round, while Denmark will aim to bounce back in its next matchup.

The takeaway

Germany's depth of NHL-caliber talent, led by superstar Leon Draisaitl, proved to be too much for Denmark to handle in this preliminary round contest. The German squad's ability to overwhelm opponents with its high-end skill and scoring prowess makes them a clear gold medal favorite in men's hockey at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.