Friday, 15. May 2026 |
An interview with Maximilian Kastner ahead of the 2026 World Cup
Behind goaltender Philipp Grubauer, defenseman Marcus Weber, and former Munich forward Nico Krämmer, Kastner is the oldest and most experienced player on the German roster. “I believe that with my experience, I can contribute a lot off the ice as well. On the ice, I’ll be back in my defensive role,” says our forward.
In addition to Kastner, three other current Munich pros—defensemen Fabio Wagner and Phillip Sinn (Germany) and Lucas Thaler (Austria)—will also take the ice at the World Championship. On May 23, they’ll even face off against each other.
Standout Home Game in Garmisch
Our three German players joined the DEB squad for Phase 3 at the end of April—in Kastner’s hometown, of all places. “This phase was really special for me because it was also in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I was able to show the guys how beautiful it is back home,” enthuses our number 93. They also secured two wins; in the 5-2 victory in Garmisch, Kastner even scored a goal and was named “Player of the Game.” “That was, of course, the icing on the cake.”
Afterward, the DEB squad headed to Mannheim for Phase 4, culminating in a final test match last Sunday against the U.S. “We trained very hard there,” says Kasti. Despite the 2-5 loss to the reigning Olympic and world champions, our club icon drew a positive conclusion. “The game was solid. We got a lot of video footage showing what we did well and what we did poorly.”
World Championship Countdown in Mannheim
The DEB team then took these impressions with them on Monday during a four-hour bus ride to Zurich, where the German team will play all of its preliminary round games. After a day of travel that included checking into their rooms, Kasti still had time for a coffee with some of his teammates.
On Tuesday, the entire team then completed their first on-ice practice. “The focus in the sessions is clearly on our game—on how we improve our play in our own zone and enter the forecheck in a controlled manner to really make things difficult for the opponent,” said Kastner about the priorities. Over the course of the week, the focus also shifted to the special teams, and there were individual meetings with the coaches.
To continue growing together as a group and rally the team before the first game, a team event is taking place today, Wednesday. Kastner reveals: “We’re going out to eat and playing mini-golf beforehand.” This way, the DEB squad heads into the World Championship opener well-prepared.
Key game against Latvia?
Finland, an absolute top-tier nation, awaits right from the start. “The Finns are all very well-trained, including when it comes to stickhandling. We’ll see right away where we stand,” our forward assesses. But: “We don’t need to hide and want to counter them with our speed and toughness. If we do a lot of things right in the first game, we can build on that.” Next up are Latvia, Switzerland, and the U.S., before Germany faces Hungary, Austria, and Great Britain—and thus three supposedly easier opponents.
Kastner’s assessment: “With the U.S., we know what to expect. It’ll be very tough against Switzerland on their home turf, but we won’t let that intimidate us. We’ll also have to play our best game against Hungary, Austria, and Great Britain—we have to beat them.” The second group match on Sunday against Latvia could already be a turning point. “That’s probably where it will be decided whether we make it to the quarterfinals,” Kasti suspects.
Team spirit, commitment, and passion
And reaching the quarterfinals is, of course, the ultimate goal for now. Our forward confirms: “That’s our objective, and that’s how it’s being communicated.” He believes the team is strong enough to achieve it. “I believe we have a very good team and can give any opponent a run for their money. We want to get better with every game.”
Kastner has also already figured out exactly how this should work. The mix of experienced and young players in the lineup is good; now it’s about bringing those strengths to the ice. “We have to focus on our strengths, like commitment and passion, and fight for every inch of ice. We simply have to act as a team,” demands the Red Bulls veteran.
2026 World Championship Schedule, Preliminary Round Group A:
May 15, 2026 | 4:20 PM | Finland – Germany
May 17, 2026 | 8:20 PM | Germany – Latvia
May 18, 2026 | 8:20 PM | Germany – Switzerland
May 20, 2026 | 8:20 PM | USA – Germany
May 22, 2026 | 4:20 PM | Germany – Hungary
May 23, 2026 | 8:20 PM | Austria – Germany
May 25, 2026 | 8:20 PM | Germany – Great Britain
The 2026 IIHF World Championship will be broadcast live on MagentaSport, ProSieben, ProSiebenMAXX, and Sporteurope.TV.
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