Draisaitl global top earner German millionaire hopes shake up the NHL on October 1st, 2024, 7:49 p.m. Four German ice hockey professionals are in focus in the new season in North America. Of course, superstar Leon Draisaitl continues to race ahead. But new million-dollar contracts also make other DEB cracks even more valuable. The beneficiary is the national team. The German ice hockey stars have recently enchanted the NHL again and again. In the new season, which starts next week, a quartet will once again be in the spotlight. Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl has been world class for years. Tim Stützle from the Ottawa Senators and, more recently, Moritz Seider in Detroit have also advanced into new dimensions with long-term contracts worth millions. “I’m just very happy to be able to wear this jersey for a long time,” said defender Seider. Buffalo’s JJ Peterka will most likely follow suit with a so-called big contract next year. The new generation belongs to the so-called franchise players, the figureheads of a team for many years. The 22-year-old Stützle has been the Senators’ top earner since 2023. He will receive $8.35 million (approximately €7.51 million) per year until 2031. The national player impressed on the ice in the last round with 18 goals and 52 assists.Seider signed a seven-year contractSeider signed a seven-year contract almost two weeks ago in Detroit. With an annual salary of $8.55 million (7.69 million euros), he will earn a little more in Detroit than Stützle. “New and interesting,” Seider called his new situation with the Red Wings. The 23-year-old runner-up in 2023 narrowly missed the coveted playoffs with Detroit last season. With the new contract, the first participation since 2016 should work. “We all know the feeling of ending the season on a low note last year,” said Seider. “That will be our motivation.”Peterka is also likely to encounter similar financial areas next summer. After three years, the entry-level contract of the former professional from EHC Red Bull Munich ends in 2025. With 28 goals and 22 assists, the 22-year-old striker was one of the best scorers in Buffalo. “My goal is the playoffs with Buffalo,” emphasized Peterka. He is not yet thinking about a possible extension. “That doesn’t really help.”Draisaitl will soon be the highest-paid NHL professional. Draisaitl stands above the trio. From 2025, the world-class striker for the Edmonton Oilers will become the highest-paid NHL professional with $14 million (around €12.56 million). “Few professionals can play like him,” enthused Edmonton general manager Stan Bowman. “I want to remain an Oiler forever,” said Draisaitl. What he, like Stützle, Seider and Peterka, is still missing: winning the Stanley Cup. The former national coach Uwe Krupp even scored the decisive goal for Colorado to win the title in 1996. Dennis Seidenberg, Tom Kühnhackl, goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer and Nico Sturm also became champions in the best league in the world.Olympics with all the stars The national team of national coach Harold Kreis is also likely to be a big beneficiary of the current German NHL block. The DEB selection has already qualified for the 2026 Olympics in Milan. In 2018, the team of the then coach and long-time NHL professional Marco Sturm won silver, but all the cracks from North America were missing in Pyeongchang. In just under a year and a half, the DEB could have Draisaitl, Stützle, Peterka and Seider as well as Lukas Reichel (Chicago Blackhawks), Nico Sturm (San Jose Sharks), Maksymilian Szuber (Utah, formerly Arizona Coyotes) and Grubauer (Seattle Kraken) make up probably the best national team in German ice hockey history. “Outstanding,” enthused Draisaitl. “We’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”
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Draisaitl global top earner: German hopes for millions are shaking up the NHL
