Germany

Germany has quietly become one of international hockey's most improved programs, built on disciplined defense and a knack for upsetting bigger nations. The Germans surprised the hockey world with a run to the Olympic gold medal game, cementing their arrival as a legitimate top-tier threat. Playing in front of passionate home crowds, the national team has translated a strong domestic league (DEL) into steadily rising international results. Germany's identity is built on overachieving relative to its hockey history.

The German Ice Hockey Federation (Deutscher Eishockey-Bund) was established on June 16, 1963, in Krefeld. Germany has never won an IIHF World Championship, though the program reached a historic high with a silver medal at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, falling just short of gold to the Olympic Athletes from Russia. NHL forward Leon Draisaitl has become the face of the program's modern rise. Germany continues to build on that momentum as one of Europe's most competitive non-champion hockey nations.