Tim Stützle (surname alternately spelled Stuetzle; STOOTZ-luh; born 15 January 2002) is a German professional ice hockey player who is a centre and alternate captain for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). Rated one of the top prospects available for the 2020 NHL entry draft, he was selected third overall by the Senators. He has played for the German national team at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
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Playing career
Europe
Stützle played junior hockey for the Krefelder EV 1981. He was the top scorer on his team for the 2015–16 season. In the 2017–18 season, Stützle transferred to Jungadler Mannheim, scoring 18 goals and 29 assists. Despite originally committing to play hockey at the University of New Hampshire, and being selected by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the 2019 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft, Stützle opted to remain in Germany, and signed a three-year contract with Adler Mannheim in June 2019. He made his professional debut at the age of 17 in the Champions Hockey League opening round on 30 August 2019 against the Vienna Capitals. He played in 52 games for Adler, scoring seven goals and 34 points as the youngest player in the league.
Ottawa Senators
On 6 October 2020, Stützle was selected by the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the first round, third overall, of the 2020 NHL entry draft. The selection was made using a pick which they had previously acquired in a 2018 trade with the San Jose Sharks that sent defenceman Erik Karlsson to San Jose. The pick was announced by the Jeopardy! host and former Ottawa resident Alex Trebek, who revealed the selection with a mock Jeopardy! question and answer done in the style of the show. On 13 October, while continuing to train in Germany with Mannheim in preparation for the upcoming pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season, Stützle suffered a broken hand, requiring surgery with a six-to-eight week recovery period.
On 27 December 2020, Stützle signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators. He made his NHL debut on 15 January 2021 in a 5–3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored his first NHL goal on 16 January against goaltender Jack Campbell in a 3–2 loss to the Maple Leafs. On 4 February, he tallied his first NHL multi-point game, scoring one and assisting on goals by Thomas Chabot and Connor Brown in a 3–2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. On 2 March, he was announced as the NHL's Rookie of the Month for February of that year, after accumulating 10 points in 14 games. On 8 May, Stützle scored his first NHL hat-trick, in a 4–2 win over the Winnipeg Jets. The Senators failed to qualify for the playoffs in his rookie season. In 53 games, he scored 12 goals and 29 points.
Stützle switched from winger to centre during his second NHL season in 2021–22. He had previously played the position before being drafted and his game significantly improved after the move. On 4 December, he tallied a three-point night, scoring two goals and assisting on another by Brady Tkachuk. Stützle fought Edmonton Oilers defenceman William Lagesson in his first NHL fight on 31 January 2022; and later scored the game's game-winning goal in overtime. On 8 March he marked another three-point night, scoring once and assisting on goals by Josh Norris and Alex Formenton in a 4–1 win over the St. Louis Blues. In April, he had back-to-back three-point nights on 12 and 14 April and recorded a four-point game on 26 April, scoring two goals and assisting on two others by Chabot and Drake Batherson in a 5–4 victory over the New Jersey Devils. He scored 22 goals and 58 points in 79 games, but the team failed to make the playoffs again.
On 7 September 2022, Stützle signed an eight-year, $66.8 million contract extension with the Senators, which was the largest contract in Senators' franchise history, surpassing Thomas Chabot's $64 million contract signed in 2019. On 12 December, Stützle suffered a shoulder injury in a game versus the Anaheim Ducks that kept him out for a week. On 7 January 2023, he recorded his second career hat-trick and added an assist in an 8–4 loss to the Seattle Kraken. On 13 February, he tallied one goal and three assists in a 4–3 win over the Calgary Flames. On 20 February, he was named the NHL's first star of the week after scoring two game-winning goals and ten points in four games. On 28 February, he tallied one goal and two assists on goals by Tkachuk and Claude Giroux in a 6–1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. On 16 March, he marked another three-point night, assisting on goals by Batherson, Tkachuk, and Travis Hamonic in a 5–4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. By season's end, Stützle set career highs in goals (39), assists (51) and points (90), while establishing himself as one of the young stars of the game. However, for the sixth consecutive season, Ottawa failed to qualify for the playoffs.
International play
Stützle was selected as the best player on Germany junior team at the end of the first qualifying match against Kazakhstan in the 2020 World Junior Championships. He had five assists during the tournament, and averaged 18 minutes of ice time in five games, and was an A-rated skater. In the 2021 World Junior Championships, Stützle was named team captain for Germany and led them to the playoff round for the first time in World Juniors history. He tallied five goals and five assists in five games and was named player of the game for the team's second game against Canada. After the tournament ended, Stützle was named best forward by the directorate and one of the members of the media all-star team.
Stützle played for the German national team in the 2022 World Championship, where he was injured and left the tournament after three games. He played for Germany at the 2025 IIHF World Championships. He was also named to the national roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics.