Former NHL defender Korbinian Holzer has left his World Cup participation under the new national ice hockey coach Harold Kreis open in view of his injury. “If I’m healthy and he wants me there, it’s always an honor to play for Germany. Basically, I’m at an age where you have to listen to your body,” said the 35-year-old after the game Semi-final out with Mannheim in the German Ice Hockey League.

The defender returned to the squad in the 2-0 defeat by Adler Mannheim against ERC Ingolstadt on Easter Monday, after suffering a setback from an old injury. The injury has not yet healed, said Holzer. “I’ll have to see how the injury develops and see if that makes sense. Last year I had injections to make me fit at the World Cup.”

The national team is currently preparing with a first provisional squad for the World Cup in Latvia and Finland, which starts on May 12. For Kreis, the tournament will be the first test as the successor to Toni Söderholm.

DEL schedule Adler squad