Over 135,000 people voted on who Germany\u2019s flag bearer should be at the 2026 Winter Olympics.<\/p>\n
No word on how many Canadian voters there were, but there were likely a few.<\/p>\n
Germany announced on Wednesday that Leon Draisaitl would be one of two flagbearers at the upcoming Milano Cortina Olympics, alongside ski jumper Katharina Schmid.<\/p>\n
There were six athletes total, three men and three women, who were candidates to be Germany\u2019s flag bearer.<\/p>\n
After the announcement, Draisaitl thanked both Edmonton Oilers fans and Canadians for voting him in.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, Oil Country, hey Canada, thank you for voting me as the flag bearer for Team Germany at the Olympics.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel so proud and lucky I get to do that, and it\u2019s all thanks to you guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perhaps Draisaitl has a better idea of how many Oilers fans worked to vote him in.<\/p>\n
The Cologne, Germany, native is the first ice hockey player in nearly 100 years to carry the flag for his country at the Olympics. The only other ice hockey player who was a German flagbearer at the Olympics was Martin Schr\u00f6ttle, who did so back in 1932.<\/p>\n
That year, Germany won the bronze medal in men\u2019s ice hockey. It was their first of three men\u2019s ice hockey medals in the country\u2019s history. West Germany also won bronze in 1976, while Germany took home silver in 2018.<\/p>\n
Of course, no NHL players were at the Olympics when Germany won in 2018.<\/p>\n
This will be Draisaitl\u2019s first time playing at the Olympics, with NHL players returning for the first time since 2014.<\/p>\n