Golden Puck (Award/Funding) of the Erich Kühnhackl Foundation

The Erich Kühnhackl Foundation annually honors outstanding German youth ice hockey players of a specified age group as well as a club distinguished by excellent youth development with its "Golden Puck" award. Eligible for funding nationwide are both private individuals and interest groups as well as other clubs engaged in ice hockey. The award is presented during the renowned "Ice Hockey Classics" and emphasizes the importance of commitment, talent, and professional youth development. Players receive a check of up to €1,500, and the awarded club is supported with up to €5,000. The evaluation considers the sporting achievements within the respective age group as well as the concept and quality of the club’s youth work to create sustainable impulses in German ice hockey.

The program begins on June 21, 2025, and invites interested parties to a special event at GC Schwarzsee-Kitzbühel. With this award, the foundation specifically promotes the second generation of German ice hockey talents and strengthens clubs that distinguish themselves through outstanding youth work. The award ceremony not only recognizes the sporting successes of participants and clubs but also enables them to meet future challenges with additional resources. The annual award ceremony serves as motivation and creates a platform where success stories are celebrated and the importance of youth development in ice hockey is sustainably anchored.