Erich Kühnhackl
| Erich Kühnhackl | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | October 17, 1950 Citice, Czechoslovakia |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Weight | 213 lb (97 kg; 15 st 3 lb) |
| Position | Centre |
| Shot | left |
| Played for | EV Landshut (Germany) Kölner Haie (Germany) EHC Olten (Switzerland) |
| National team |  West Germany |
| Playing career | 1968–1989 |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men’s ice hockey | ||
| Competitor for West Germany
| ||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Bronze | 1976 Innsbruck | Team Competition |
Erich Kühnhackl (born October 17, 1950 in Citice, Czechoslovakia) 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 .
In 2010, his son Tom was drafted in the 4th round of the NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins
Career
- won German Championships: 1970 with EV Landshut, 1977 and 1979 with Kölner Haie, 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-Jaenecke 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[1]