International Ice Hockey Federation

Ehrhoff returns home

Ehrhoff returns home

After 862 NHL games D-man moves to Cologne

Published 25.04.2017 15:10 GMT+2 | Author Martin Merk
Ehrhoff returns home
Christian Ehrhoff could play his second World Championship on home ice in Cologne next year. Photo: Minas Panagiotakis / HHOF-IIHF Images
Long-time German NHL defenceman Christian Ehrhoff returns to his home country and signed with Kolner Haie of the DEL.

Ehrhoff will now play in Cologne, which together with Paris will serve as host city for the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.

After he and the Boston Bruins couldn’t agree on a contract after the pre-season camp he said he wanted to join a club in Germany where he could also prepare optimally for the World Championship and the Olympic Games.

The 34-year-old started his professional career with regional rival Krefeld Pinguine where he became German champion in 2003 – in a final series against Kolner Haie – before playing in North America for 13 years.

For the San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks he appeared in 862 regular-season and playoff games in the National Hockey League.

Ehrhoff recently helped German win its Olympic Qualification tournament to move on to PyeongChang 2018. He represented Germany at the Olympic Winter Games (2002, 2006, 2010), played at the 2004 and 2016 World Cups and in six IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships including the 2010 edition where Germany reached a fourth-place finish in Cologne.

“To play a World Championship in front of your home crowd is very special. 2010 was our most successful Worlds and I remember it with pleasure. It was a great time and next year it will be a super event,” Ehrhoff recently told IIHF.com.

Now he’s back at LANXESS arena, the biggest ice hockey arena in Europe. First with the “Sharks” in the DEL, who beat out several other teams from the leagues in signing him, and next spring possibly with the national team. “I’d of course love to be part, that’s clear,” Ehrhoff said.

 

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