In his first year in the NHL, Moritz Seider not only developed enormously on the ice, he also internalized the North American way of getting things straight.

"We just weren't good enough," said the defender after the German team's 4-1 defeat against the Czech Republic in the World Cup quarter-finals.

And he also saw a shadow over the overall result of these two weeks in Helsinki: "Frustration prevails, we don't have to beat around the bush."

Although the team "played very, very decent ice hockey", he too had hoped for more after the historically good preliminary round with 16 points from seven games.

Until an ugly mixture of sleepy start, weak outnumbered game and bad luck in the end quickly ended the tournament.

The Germans hit the post or crossbar three times on Thursday, "with a bit of luck I could stand in front of you with a smile," said Seider's defense colleague Leon Gawanke, but it was "just disappointing".

National coach Toni Söderholm also seemed touched.

The tournament was basically the right answer to the disappointment at the Olympics in February.

But one mustn't forget that the group was cheaper than ever before.

Due to the exclusion of the Russians, they only knew one top team, and victories over France, Italy, Kazakhstan, Denmark and Slovakia were enough for the DEB selection to finish second.

Only the games against Denmark and Slovakia can be seen as 50:50 games, the rest are mandatory wins.

On the other hand, there were defeats against the more prominent teams: Canada, Switzerland – albeit only after a penalty shootout – and the Czech Republic.

Söderholm, in particular, hurt in the quarterfinals, as at the 2019 World Cup, his team seemed to have left something behind.

"One had the feeling that our team was now on the right track," said the coach, who in view of the physically and mentally difficult club season was "really proud" of "what the boys have achieved".

The eternal topic of offspring

Another even threw superlatives around: DEB Vice President Andreas Niederberger.

It was a "sensational tournament", each individual showed an "outstanding performance".

Which was a bit too much of a good thing.

But Niederberger didn't even think about looking for a hair in the World Cup soup, he also sees the future as rosy.

You just have to "continue on the path", when it comes to promoting young people, the DEB is "completely on the right track".

What you can see differently looking at the recent results of the U national teams.

Söderholm is also skeptical.

He didn't feel like having a fundamental debate so soon after the defeat, but of course he also knows that the Germans depend on their top talents being there.

Players like Moritz Seider, Tim Stützle, Lukas Reichel, Leon Gawanke, JJ Peterka.

All in their early 20s, all employed in North America.

Except for Peterka, they were in Helsinki because their clubs didn't play long in the play-offs.

At some point it could be different, like with superstar Leon Draisaitl, who always came at the beginning of his career, but is now in the semifinals of the NHL.

This could also apply to other Germans overseas in the future.

"Of course, years will come if not everyone is there," said Söderholm and made the clubs responsible for ensuring the necessary breadth: "It shouldn't be the case that the national team shows which German players can play ice hockey .”

There it was again, the eternal topic of offspring.

And why he doesn't get enough ice time in the league.

What the DEL recognized itself and forced its clubs to use young players: "If I say in Scandinavia that we have an artificial U-23 rule, then they believe that we are not very tight," said Söderholm, man I don't need a rule for this, but the "will".

Now, this tournament certainly knew new players, nine World Cup debutants were there in Finland.

And younger people like Samuel Soramies (23) or Alexander Ehl (22) were particularly impressive.

It was all the more impressive overall.

And the fact that a German team is dissatisfied when they lose to the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals hasn't been standard for that long either.

However, it is doubtful whether the DEB team – as proclaimed years ago – can really play for medals permanently from 2026 onwards.

There isn't much time left.