Hockey in Germany has been on the rise as of late. The country won its first Olympic silver medal in the sport in 2018, which was also its first medal since 1976. In 2023, Germany won its first silver medal in the World Championship since 1953. It’s helped that the sport’s popularity has grown as well, with the country producing star players like Leon Draisaitl and Moritz Seider.
While the 2026 Olympic team still has only a handful of NHLers, more and more talented players are making their mark on the tournament. This year, it’s been JJ Peterka who is in the midst of a good first season with the Utah Mammoth. Representing Germany in the Olympics has obviously always been a dream for Peterka. What hockey player doesn’t dream of playing in the Olympics?
Entering the quarterfinals, Peterka and Germany have an opportunity to make noise as underdogs. It’s an opportunity to give the country some eyes heading into a quarterfinal matchup with an upstart Slovakia team and a platform for Peterka to be a household name in his home country.
A German Star on the Rise
From the get-go, Peterka was hyped to be named to the Olympics. While he had participated in multiple World Championships, including in 2023, where he had 12 points to get Germany silver, he had never had the opportunity to play with some of the best players, like Draisaitl. That opportunity had him psyched from the moment he got the call.
“It’ll probably be pretty fun (to play with Draisaitl),” Peterka said. “Heck of a player. Obviously, I talked to him a little bit, but not much yet. It’s a super cool opportunity, since playing against him is always pretty hard and not the most fun thing. Being on the other side will be great.”
While Draisaitl is by far the best German hockey player on the planet right now and will be a big weapon for the country in the quarterfinals, Peterka himself has been a top name for a while now, too. In his first season in North America in the American Hockey League (AHL), Peterka produced 68 points in 70 games with the Rochester Americans. In the playoffs, he took it to another level, scoring seven goals and putting up 12 points in 10 games.
It took a season for the forward to adjust to the NHL, but Peterka broke out during the 2023-24 season with the Buffalo Sabres, scoring 28 goals and reaching 50 points in 82 games. His next season was even better with 68 points in 77 games.
Last summer, Peterka refused to sign an extension with the Sabres and was traded to the Mammoth. In the middle of his first season with the team, he’s fit in well with 38 points in 57 games. He’s also managed to improve his overall game, especially the defensive side of it, something that was constantly criticized in Buffalo.
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His past couple of seasons in North America have earned him repeated invites to the World Championship. As mentioned, Peterka won silver with Germany at the tournament in 2023, putting up 12 points in 10 games. He’s played with most of the German players before due to that experience. However, the forward says that the Olympics are a whole new level because each country brought their best players, unlike at the World Championships, where some NHL players are often missing due to the playoffs.
“I think the teams are going to be way more stacked when you compare it to World Championships,” Peterka said. “Since it’s always every four years, it’s also something more special. Overall, there’s way more competitive expectations for your country going into the tournament.”
Quartfinals Expectations Met, Goal of Winning a Medal Within Reach
For Germany, expectations have been met. The team was expected to make the quarterfinals, and they did on Tuesday with a 5-1 win over France, clinching their spot in the next round and a date with Slovakia. Peterka played a part in the win, scoring a nice backhanded goal in front of the net.
GERMANY UP 3-1. 👀
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 17, 2026
Frederik Tiffels & JJ Peterka extend Germany's lead in the #WinterOlympics playoff. pic.twitter.com/wKSt1Whkbj
The goal was assisted by Tim Stützle, another German forward who has broken out as a great offensive player in the NHL. The two have found a great connection in the four games Germany has played so far, with Peterka tallying three assists in the three round robin games, each setting up a Stützle goal. Their chemistry has shown that line with Josh Samanski has really formed good chemistry, something Peterka wanted to see ahead of the tournament.
“It’s a great challenge playing against so many good names out there,” Peterka said. “(I expect us to) develop as a team as the tournament goes on, and play a good, solid hockey game altogether.”
While the expectation of being one of the final eight countries in the Olympics has been met, the goal is to make it further. Germany draws Slovakia in one of the most intriguing matchups of the quarterfinals. Slovakia is a very similar team to Germany. They don’t have a full NHL roster, but they have some NHL individuals who are playing really well, especially Juraj Slafkovský, who has six points in three games.
Shutting down Slafkovský will be key to Germany succeeding and moving on to the semifinals. Peterka, expected to get key minutes in the game, will be relied on for not just his offense, but his newfound defensive game, too. If Stützle and Peterka can outperform Slafkovský and Philipp Grubauer, who is expected to start, and hold it together in net, the Germans, who are considered the underdogs, could hold their own and pull off an upset.
Even if Germany falls to Slovakia, the country can take away a lot from the tournament. One of those things is that Peterka is a key asset for success in the Olympics for the foreseeable future. He’s played well, and he’s only 24 years old, which means he’ll probably be able to play in the next three, maybe four Olympics. Peterka’s chemistry with Stützle has also been beneficial, something that Germany might use going forward as well.
German hockey players know how dangerous Peterka is offensively. They know how big he is to the present and future success of German hockey. A player like Julian Lutz, who wasn’t on the Olympic team this season but very well might be in 2030, knowing of Peterka’s skill, predicted that he would fare well in his first Olympics, making Germany a fun team to watch.
“He will do some damage,” Lutz said. “It’s gonna be exciting to watch, even though we’re not there.”
He was right. Peterka is third in points for Germany and leads the team in assists. He has shown he is one of the best German hockey players in the world. On Tuesday, he’ll get one of the biggest opportunities in his career, try to help his country put on an upset, return to the semifinals, and continue the hunt for gold.
As mentioned, Peterka grew up watching German players of old suit up for his country. Players like Marco Sturm and Christian Ehrhoff lay the groundwork for hockey in Germany. Now, Peterka is continuing what they built, becoming a role model for young hockey players back in his home country and helping the sport grow as his country tries to go deep in the Olympics. It’s something he thinks his younger self would be pleased with.
“I think I would be proud,” Peterka said. “I think that’s (making the Olympics) always a thing I dreamed of, especially watching Germany all the time. I think I would be super pumped and happy.”
Tuesday’s game is a big one for Germany. If Peterka can continue his great play, his country might be a threat for one of the medals, showcasing how good hockey in the country has become. Even if they fall to Slovakia, it’s been a great tournament for the Mammoth forward, one he’s dreamed of since he was a kid.
