Latest news with #equipmentdonation
CTV News
08-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Draisaitl gives back to German hometown with hockey equipment
Leon Draisaitl visits his hometown of Cologne, Germany to deliver full sets of hockey equipment to a youth team on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Facebook/Kölner Haie) A program of young hockey players in Cologne, Germany is going to be decked out in all-new equipment after Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers paid it forward to his hometown. The forward and alternate captain donated 29 complete sets of equipment to the youth player program at Kölner Haie, called the Junghaie, or 'baby sharks.' Draisaitl wears jersey number 29 for the Oilers. The gift comes from Draisaitl in collaboration with the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) Goals and Dreams. Draisaitl and Junghaie Leon Draisaitl poses with the Kölner Junghaie on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Facebook/Kölner Haie) A release on the NHLPA website said 58 full sets of equipment will eventually be donated to the Junghaie over the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons. In a post on Facebook, Kölner Haie thanked both the NHLPA and Draisaitl for the recognition of their youth outreach. According to the NHLPA media release, the Kölner Junghaie is the only minor or junior hockey program in Cologne and hosts almost 300 players aged four to 20.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Leon Draisaitl Donates Equipment To German Youth Club
Back home in Germany for the summer, Leon Draisaitl recently appeared at a promotional event to donate equipment to a youth club in his hometown of Cologne. According to a press release from the city's professional hockey club, Kölner Haie (Cologne Sharks), Draisaitl will donate 29 complete sets of new equipment, both this season and next, to the Junghaie (Young Sharks) club, through the NHLPA's Goals & Dreams program. Advertisement The number 29 was obviously chosen to match Draisaitl's uniform number with the Edmonton Oilers. 'It's a great feeling to return to where it all began,' Draisaitl was quoted. 'Without the support I received as a young player in Cologne, I wouldn't be where I am today. I hope this NHLPA Goals & Dreams equipment donation to the Junghaie helps inspire the next generation to play the game and build a strong future for our sport.' Cologne is one of Germany's hockey hotbeds. In addition to Draisaitl, the city is also home to German hockey legend Uwe Krupp. At the professional level, Kölner Haie has broken the record for average attendance by a European club in each of the past two seasons. Kölner Haie Shatters Own European Single-Season Attendance Record Kölner Haie Shatters Own European Single-Season Attendance Record Kölner Haie will break its own single-season attendance record for a European club, according to a press release from the German club on Friday. Advertisement Draisaitl was born in Cologne in 1995 while his father, Peter Draisaitl, played professionally for Kölner Haie. The young Draisaitl played youth hockey in Cologne before moving to Mannheim at age 13. He would then head to the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL at age 16 and was drafted third overall by the Oilers in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft at age 18. 'Leon is a Cologne boy,' said Rodion Pauels, sports director of the Junghaie. 'We have, of course, followed his fantastic development closely over the years and are very grateful to him and the NHLPA for this generous donation to our youth department. The children had a wonderful day that they certainly won't soon forget.' Photo: Kölner Haie 2026 Olympics will see best German team ever 2026 Olympics will see best German team ever The Germans have had some very good results internationally in recent years, including a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics and another silver at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. They've had some very good young talent to work with but they haven't had a chance to put all of their best players together on one team since the 2010 Winter Olympics. They've improved a lot since then. In fact, it's no stretch to say the 2026 Winter Olympics will feature the greatest German ice hockey team ever assembled.
