Ottawa Senators center Tim Stützle has been named to the preliminary roster for Team Germany ahead of the 2026 Olympic Winter Games being co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) announced the first six names on its men's preliminary Olympic roster Monday, in coordination with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the National Hockey League (NHL), the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA), and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Stutzle speaks to the media last month about areas he'd still like to improve in for next season (Senators on YouTube). Joining Stützle are fellow NHL stars Leon Draisaitl, Moritz Seider, Philipp Grubauer, Lukas Reichel, and Nico Sturm—a high-end core that reflects Germany’s remarkable rise on the international hockey stage. Stützle, 23, is coming off an excellent year with Ottawa, where he led the Senators in scoring for the second time in three seasons. He put up 24 goals and 79 points, helping the club clinch its first Stanley Cup Playoff appearance since 2017. On top of that, he seems to be finding more of a groove in his two-way play. Barring injury, Stützle is a lock for Germany’s final roster, which will be determined by the German National Olympic Committee (NOC). This tournament will mark the first true best-on-best Olympic men’s hockey competition [https://milanocortina2026.olympics.com/en/ice-hockey] since Sochi 2014, as NHL players return to the Olympics for the first time in over a decade. While Germany's top six, headlined by Draisaitl, Stützle, and Seider, can compete with anyone, the drop-off in depth beyond that group is swift and fierce when compared to powerhouses like Canada and the USA. But Germany can be a dangerous in any given game if their role players and younger talents can rise to the occasion. The Germans won silver at the games in PyeongChang in 2018 in the first of two tournaments that were completely void of active NHL players. The men's tournament will take place from February 11 to 22, 2026, across two venues: the Milano SantaGiulia Ice Hockey Arena (14,000 capacity) and the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena (5,700 capacity). All 12 qualified teams have been divided into three groups of four: * Group A: Canada, Czechia, Switzerland, France * Group B: Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Italy (host) * Group C: United States, Germany, Latvia, Denmark Stutzle and company will face a tough path in Group C, including a monster opponent in the United States. *Update* That's where Stutzle will have to do battle with his teammate and buddy, Brady Tkachuk, who was named to Team USA's preliminary roster of six later in the day on Monday. The Sens captain's stock with USA Hockey took a big jump at the 4 Nations Face-off where he was one of the team's best players – if not the best. By Steve Warne The Hockey News Ottawa [http://thn.com/ottawa] More Sens Headlines: Senators Bring Back First-Rounder For Second Tour Of Duty [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/ottawa-senators-bring-back-former-first-rounder-for-a-second-tour-of-duty] Fashionably Late: Top 10 Ottawa Senator Draft Day Steals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/fashionably-late-top-10-ottawa-senators-draft-picks-taken-after-round-3] Why The Notion Of Mitch Marner Signing With Ottawa Wouldn't Work [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators/latest-news/opinion-the-notion-of-mitch-marner-signing-with-ottawa-wouldn-t-work-for-either-side]
