Seattle Kraken’s Philipp Grubauer says representing Team Germany at his first Olympic Games is a “dream come true.”
SEATTLE — The ‘German Gentleman’ has been anything but to opposing teams this season. Seattle Kraken’s Philipp Grubauer is stellar in goal and makes life very difficult for everyone trying to score on him this season.
Grubauer, 34, won a Stanley Cup in 2018, led the Kraken to the playoffs in 2023 and is representing Germany in the Winter Olympics for the first time.
The German men’s hockey team fell in the quarter-final to Slovakia 6-2 on Feb. 18.
“[I’ve] never been part of the Olympics before, so it’s gonna be a huge,” he said. “A dream come true for me.”
Back in his home of Germany, the Olympic Games were where Grubauer could watch the greatest talent from around the globe.
“The best players in the world and getting to see them was incredible,” he said. “So it’s definitely a huge honor to get to represent.”
Grubauer provides Team Germany with tremendous experience and composure. If Germany is going to upset the big hockey nations at the games, they’ll need Grubauer to play at his best.
“The ice is smaller than NHL size, apparently, a couple feet, so that’s going to make it a little bit more interesting for us, too, because we do have a couple of players who are playing in Europe who are used to the bigger ice,” he said. “It’s definitely going to be a challenge for us, but in terms of speed and physicality, it’s going to be the same.”
Grubauer is also excited he won’t have to face Edmonton Oilers Super Star Leon Drysitel; the two will be teammates in Milan.
Germany won silver in the 2018 Pyeongchang games, but NHL players did not participate.