DEB says goodbye to coach Harold Kreis after disappointing performance
The DEB confirmed the departure of Harold Kreis following unsatisfactory results in recent tournaments. The search for a new coach has already begun.
The Deutsche Eishockey-Bund (DEB) announced this Friday the separation of coach Harold Kreis. The decision was taken by consensus between the coach and the federation, which had already renewed Kreis' contract until the 2027 World Cup, but decided to break it. The 67-year-old coach's departure was expected after three consecutive poor performances in international competitions.
Kreis took office on March 15, 2023 and made a promising start, leading the national team to win the silver medal at the 2023 World Cup, which guaranteed direct qualification for the 2026 Olympic Games.
However, the team's performance at the 2024 World Cup was below expectations, with the team being eliminated in the quarter-finals by Switzerland. Since then, the situation has worsened, with the team failing to reach the expected minimum, which was to reach the quarter-finals in the 2025 and 2026 World Cups. In 2025, the team lost in a crucial game to Denmark and, in 2026, it also did not progress beyond the group stage.
Christian Künast, sporting director of the DEB, commented on the decision to dismiss Kreis: "We reached this conclusion after intense analysis and presented our results to the board, who agreed with our vision. The collaboration with Harold has always been marked by trust, openness and mutual respect, both professionally and personally. Therefore, this decision was not an easy one."
Harold Kreis also commented on his departure: "The last three years with the national team have been a special period, and I gratefully cherish the memories of the success in 2023 and the experiences I had with the team." DEB is now beginning the search for a new coach, less than a year before the 2027 World Cup, which will be held in Mannheim and Düsseldorf.