Erich Kühnhackl
Encyclopedia
Erich Kühnhackl is a retired German
ice hockey
player born and raised in Czechoslovakia. He and his parents emigrated from their homeland after the Soviet occupation in 1968.
He won four German Championships and a bronze medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, is widely regarded as the best German hockey player ever and was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame
in 1997. Kühnhackl was also named the German ice hockey player of the Century in 2000. His nickname "Kleiderschrank auf Kufen" (wardrobe on skates) refers to his mighty appearance.
After his playing career Kühnhackl worked as coach of the EV Landshut, German National Team, EC Bad Nauheim, Erding Jets, Polar Bears Regensburg and the Straubing Tigers
. Since 2008 he serves as Vice President of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund
and is currently also a sport director for the Frankfurt Lions
of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga .
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player born and raised in Czechoslovakia. He and his parents emigrated from their homeland after the Soviet occupation in 1968.
He won four German Championships and a bronze medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, is widely regarded as the best German hockey player ever and was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame
IIHF Hall of Fame
The IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which was established by the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1997, when 30 individuals were inducted at the world championships in Helsinki...
in 1997. Kühnhackl was also named the German ice hockey player of the Century in 2000. His nickname "Kleiderschrank auf Kufen" (wardrobe on skates) refers to his mighty appearance.
After his playing career Kühnhackl worked as coach of the EV Landshut, German National Team, EC Bad Nauheim, Erding Jets, Polar Bears Regensburg and the Straubing Tigers
Straubing Tigers
The Straubing Tigers are a professional men's ice hockey team in the German Ice Hockey League . They play out of Straubing, Germany, and they play their home games at Eisstadion am Pulverturm, which can hold 5,800 spectators....
. Since 2008 he serves as Vice President of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund
Deutscher Eishockey-Bund
The German Ice Hockey Federation , commonly abbereviated as DEB, has been the responsible federation of ice hockey associations since its establishment on June 16, 1963, for the sport of ice hockey in Germany...
and is currently also a sport director for the Frankfurt Lions
Frankfurt Lions
The Frankfurt Lions were a professional men's ice hockey club from Frankfurt, Germany that played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The club ceased operations in 2010 due to financial difficulty.-History:...
of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga .
Career
- won German Championships: 1970 with EV Landshut, 1977 and 1979 with Kölner HaieKölner HaieThe Kölner Haie are an ice hockey club based in Cologne, Germany that plays in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The team was one of the founding members of the DEL.The team colours are red and white....
, 1983 with EV Landshut - German Player of the Year (1978, 1980, 1983)
- 211 international games played (131 G) including 3 Olympic Games and 10 World Championships
- won a bronze medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck
- first German Top Scorer at the World Championships 1978 (15 points)
- 774 German league games (724 G, 707 A, 1431 PTS, 1110 PIM)
- All-Star Team of the German Bundesliga 1976/77, 1977/78, 1978/79, 1979/80, 1981/82, 1982/83 and 1983/84
- Gustav-Jaenicke Cup (Best Scorer) 1973/74, 1976/77, 1977/78, 1978/79, 1979/80, 1982/83 and 1983/84
- Fritz-Poitsch-Trophy (Best Goalscorer) 1973/74 and 1979/80
- Xaver-Unsinn-Trophy (Most Assists) 1973/74, 1977/78, 1982/83 and 1983/84
- German ice hockey player of the Century 2000