Former NHLer Christian Ehrhoff to make pro hockey return at 41

Christian Ehrhoff, who last played professionally in 2018, has announced that he will play for the Krefeld Pinguine of the second-tier German pro league during the 2023-24 hockey season. He’ll be 41 at the start of the season,

Ehrhoff played 789 games over 12 seasons in the NHL with San Jose, Vancouver, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Chicago. He also previously played for Krefeld during the 2012-13 lockout, and before that at the start of his pro career from 1999-03.

Ehrhoff previously retired in 2018 after captaining Kolner Haie in the top German league, the DEL. He also helped Germany win silver for the first time men’s Olympic hockey, considered to be one of the nation’s greatest hockey achievements.

In a translated statement, Krefeld sports director Peter Draisaitl said, “After Christian Ehrhoff took the initiative and he clearly and realistically described to us how he imagines his way back onto the ice, there is no reason not to try it. The coaching staff and I expect Christian to work hard over the next few weeks so that he is physically at the highest level at the start of the season. He is aware of that and we will do everything in our power to ensure that he can perform at his best.”

The Pinguine were relegated to the DEL2 for 2022-23, but will look to try and earn promotion with Ehrhoff in the fold.

Drafted in the fourth round by San Jose in 2001, Ehrhoff spent the first five years of his NHL career with the Sharks. After recording a career-high 14 goals and 50 points with Vancouver in 2010-11, he signed a whopping 10-year contract with Buffalo worth $4 million a season. He played just three years before he was eventually bought out, a deal the Sabres are still paying for until 2028.

After leaving Buffalo in 2014, he played a season with Pittsburgh in 2014-15 before bouncing around between Los Angeles (and it’s AHL affiliate in Ontario) and the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015-16. He then presumably finished off his pro career with two years with Kolner Haie before retiring in 2018.