The excitement surrounding the 2026 Olympics in Milan, Italy, is already building. To add to this excitement, on June 16, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced six players on the preliminary rosters for 12 of the participating countries. Of the 12 countries that announced their rosters, only one had a player on the Kraken. Philipp Grubauer will be between the pipes for Germany.
Grubauer’s First Time Playing at the Olympic Level
While Grubauer has participated in other IIHF World Championships for Germany, this is the first time he has earned the opportunity to play at the Olympic level. When speaking to the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA), Grubauer stated, “It’s going to be unbelievable to have the chance to participate and represent Germany. I have never done that at the Olympics, so it is very exciting to think about.” Representing your home country in the Olympics is certainly an honor, and he seems more than excited to get the chance to represent Germany.
Since the 2013-14 season, Grubauer has been participating in international hockey championships. He has played in 29 games for the German national team. With several years of international experience under his belt, Grubauer can use this to his advantage with an all-star German team.
Grubauer Being Selected Should Build Confidence
Grubauer had a lackluster performance in the 2024-25 season. It was so poor, he was placed on waivers. After no other team claimed him, he was sent down to the Kraken’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, for a month. During his time with the Firebirds, he played seven games and recorded five wins. He also played 28 games with the Kraken but only recorded six wins.
Related: Kraken’s Philipp Grubauer Recalled From Coachella Valley
Grubauer was a pillar of the Kraken team in their first couple of seasons, as he was the starting goaltender throughout the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. During the 2023-24 season, Grubauer endured a lower-body injury, which forced Joey Daccord into the crease more often. This was the same time as the Winter Classic, so Daccord stepped up in this place. He recorded the first shutout in Winter Classic history. After that, he began starting more games for Seattle, and as of the 2024-25 season, it was made clear that Daccord was now the Kraken’s starting goaltender.
After a lackluster performance this past season, Grubauer played in four games in this year’s IIHF World Championship. He recorded two wins and one loss. While Germany didn’t even make it into the semi-finals, Grubauer still played well, with a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.33.
Being named to an Olympic team is an honor that not many players receive. Grubauer should be honored that he is amongst the first six, alongside some incredible talent. He is a talented goaltender, despite the performance slide he took this season. He is representing the country that he has the honor of calling home, and they selected him over other German talent. He needs to use this to fuel him, to prove that he is the great goaltender both the Kraken and Team Germany expect him to be.
Olympics Set for February 2026
The Olympics are set to take place in Milan, Italy, in February 2026. While 12 of the initial teams announced six members of their team on Monday, the official full rosters will be announced on Dec. 31.
The other five preliminary members representing Germany are Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stutzle, Moritz Seider, Nico Sturm, and Lukas Reichel. With just these six players, Germany already has incredible talent. It will be interesting to see who else is added to the team.
