Kölner Haie captain Moritz Müller is set to become the all-time appearance record holder in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga on Sunday when his team faces the Grizzlys Wolfsburg, DIE WELT reported.
The 39-year-old defenseman reaches the 1,200-game milestone in a career that began on December 18, 2003, against the Düsseldorfer EG when he was 17 years old. The fixture starts at 4:30 p.m. local time (UTC+1) and will be broadcast live on Magenta Sport.
“Ein Stück weit zu Hause,” said Müller, describing the locker room of the eight-time German champions in Cologne.
Müller has spent his entire professional career with the Kölner Haie, losing four final series along the way. He admitted he missed the club’s golden era by a narrow margin but believes the current squad stands closer to a championship than at any previous point during his tenure.
“Wäre das besser gewesen? Ich wäre vielleicht einmal nach München gewechselt und hätte dort den Titel holen können. Aber würde ich das für mein Leben hier eintauschen? Nein! Auch wenn es schon weh tut, ohne Titel zu sein,” Müller told DIE WELT.
With over 1,200 league games and more than 200 international appearances for the Germany national ice hockey team, Müller remains a recognized figure in domestic sports without reaching the omnipresent public scrutiny faced by top-tier football players. He regards that balance as a blessing rather than a curse.
The veteran defenseman has experienced the harsher realities of public attention, including online threats directed at his daughters.
“Ich erlebe schon eine Verrohung innerhalb unserer Gesellschaft. Moralische Werte nehmen allgemein ab,” Müller told DIE WELT.
Müller grew up under challenging circumstances after his mother left and his sister was placed in a residential home. His father, carrying personal burdens, raised him while moving frequently, with the family temporarily living in tents, forests, and campsites.
He eventually moved to Kassel to live with his grandmother at age twelve and joined the youth ranks of the Kassel Huskies. After a brief expulsion following a dispute between his father and club officials, he continued playing on frozen ponds before returning to the club a year later while his father served a ban from the premises.
“Wir haben zeitweise im Zelt gewohnt, auch im Wald und auf Campingplätzen. Ich liebe meinen Vater aber über alles und ich bin ihm sehr dankbar für alles, was er für mich getan hat,” Müller told DIE WELT.
The physical toll of his long career is visible. Müller said that only his left elbow remains entirely undamaged, with both shoulders, both knees, his face, and his hips having sustained recurring injuries over two decades.
Questions regarding his availability for the upcoming World Championship remain open following recent discussions with national team coach André Rankel.
The Kölner Haie host the Grizzlys Wolfsburg at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne on Sunday for the milestone fixture.
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