Ice hockey World Cup group stage, Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 4:20 p.m.
It’s the transalpine ice hockey clash par excellence, available to bet on at every bookmaker with Apple Pay – and just waiting to be crowned with a good Germany vs. Switzerland tip.
Although I’ve been rooting for the DEB team for years, my ice hockey expertise will have the upper hand on Thursday: Switzerland is simply too strong at the moment!
Everything has gone according to plan for the DEB team so far. Three games, three wins – including a commanding 5-2 victory over Norway, which was never really in danger.
Add to that the news of the week: Tim Stützle has finally joined the team. With his NHL class, speed, and game intelligence, he already took the German offense to a whole new level against the Scandinavians.
And if you look at their performances against Hungary, Kazakhstan, and Norway as a whole, it’s clear that this team has what it takes to march into the quarterfinals – and possibly even further if they can stabilize their defense.
But now it’s getting serious. Against Switzerland, it won’t be enough to “just” defend solidly and hope for a few chances up front. The Swiss are playing at a really high level, both individually and collectively.
They went into overtime against the Czech Republic and even managed a statement victory against the USA. Particularly striking: their incredible control of the game, their calmness in building up play and their clinical finishing – a far cry from the more direct style of Germany’s previous opponents.
Anyone who manages to beat the USA 3-0 definitely has to be on everyone’s radar – and is likely to pose serious problems for Germany too.
And it’s not just names like Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, and Jonas Siegenthaler who perform on NHL ice week in, week out – it’s also the depth of the squad that makes Switzerland so dangerous.
Added to this is a team spirit that is usually only seen in tournament favorites. Players like Ambühl and Genoni give the team backbone and experience.
It is precisely this mixture of talent, routine, and structure that could push the German game to its limits – at least in phases. With four almost equal lines and a high level of puck control, the Swiss are currently simply more consistent in their performances.
Which brings us to the Switzerland vs. Germany prediction: I currently rate Team Switzerland as a tad more mature and of higher quality. Last year, the Nati won 3-1 in a direct duel – a result that was absolutely within the realm of expectation.
And I expect a similar outcome this time around. The Switzerland Germany odds for a regular win for the Swiss are around 1.85, depending on the provider – a price I consider playable given their technical quality.
Those who want to reduce the risk a little can bet on goals instead of the outcome – specifically, that Switzerland will score more than 2.5 goals. The odds here are around 1.45 and are ideal for combination bets.
Of course, there is also the option that Germany will step up again with Stützle. Those who believe in this can get DEB win odds between 3.70 and 4.10 – pure value, but with a certain amount of risk.
I also find the “both teams to score” tip interesting, which is listed at around 1.25. This is because Germany is always capable of scoring at least once on the offensive, while the same can be assumed for Switzerland anyway.
Those who like to speculate can bet on an exact score of 3:1 for Switzerland – that would be a repeat of the last encounter and comes with odds of around 15.00.
Or: Hischier scores & Switzerland wins – a combination bet that is available at odds of between 2.50 and 3.50, depending on the bookmaker, and feels logical both historically and currently.
Also interesting: Switzerland wins with HC -1 – brings odds of around 2.15 and covers many conceivable scenarios.
Bottom line: Switzerland has more tournament experience, the finer edge, and the better overall team. But Germany should never be underestimated – especially with Stützle fresh off the plane.
Overall, I’m leaning towards a narrow Swiss victory, but the DEB will throw everything into the mix and remains a dangerous opponent. A close game is possible – but the decisive ten percent speaks in favor of the Swiss.
My Switzerland Germany prediction: Victory for the Swiss.
