German hockey has been on the rise in the NHL, led by Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl. Not only has the 30-year-old from Cologne been to the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons, he’s one of the top players in the League, winning the Hart Trophy as League MVP and the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer in 2019-20. Draisaitl also won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading goal-scorer last season with 52.

He is by far the all-time leader in points among Germany-born NHL players with 1,050 (433 goals, 617 assists) all with Edmonton. The next closest is current Boston Bruins coach Marco Sturm, who had 487 points (242 goals, 245 assists) in 938 games with the San Jose Sharks, Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers from 1997-2012.

Draisaitl leads all Germany-born players this season with 94 points (34 goals, 60 assists), with Stutzle second with 68 points (30 goals, 38 assists) and Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider third with 45 points (eight goals, 37 assists).

Stutzle said the more the NHL plays games in Europe, the better it is for kids in every country.

“All those kids coming out to those games and watching their role models play,” Stutzle said. “I feel like as a guy from Germany, there are probably a lot of kids they look up to Leon or [Seider] or me; the more you get those guys over there, it’s going to make [kids] work even harder and want to achieve that dream as well.

“They look up to us and it means a lot to us. We’re just trying to be role models for those kids.”

Germany is also on the rise on the international stage. It won the silver medal at the 2023 IIHF World Championships. It reached the quarterfinals of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. Stutzle, Draisaitl and Seider were three of the seven NHL players on the Germany roster at the Olympics.

“I think Germany has done some great things in hockey,” Stutzle said. “The game has grown a lot, so I hope there are going to be a lot more kids signed to play hockey and loving the game as much as I do, and I think it’s going to be awesome.”

The 2026 Global Series will be the 16th NHL season to include regular-season games outside of North America and the second time in Germany.

Stutzle, the only German on the Senators roster, can’t wait to show his teammates his own country.

“I had a great time (in Sweden), just showing teammates around Europe,” Stutzle said. “We had a bunch of Swedes on the team, and I just want to do the same thing for my teammates and show them around. We’re going to have a lot of family in town and friends and it’s definitely going to be special and a moment I will never forget.”