Karl Friesen
Karl Heinz Friesen | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 30, 1958 Canada |
| Occupation | Ice hockey goaltender |
| Years active | 1975–1996 |
| Known for | Professional ice hockey goaltender; played in Germany and NHL; represented West Germany and Germany internationally |
Karl Heinz Friesen (born June 30, 1958) is a former professional ice hockey goaltender, originally from Canada but holding German nationality. The majority of his playing career unfolded in Germany, where he competed in the Eishockey-Bundesliga and Deutsche Eishockey Liga. He also appeared in four National Hockey League games with the New Jersey Devils during the 1986–87 season. On the international stage, Friesen represented both West Germany and unified Germany at several events, including the Winter Olympics of 1984, 1988, and 1992, as well as participating in six Ice Hockey World Championships.
Career
Friesen, a Canadian with German heritage, began his hockey journey with the West Kildonan North Stars in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and later played for the St. Boniface Mohawks in the Central Amateur Senior Hockey League. In 1980, he relocated to Germany, where he spent 15 seasons competing at the highest level of German ice hockey. During the 1985-86 season, he joined the Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League and briefly played in the NHL for the New Jersey Devils before returning to Rosenheim. Over his career in Germany, he spent twelve seasons with SB Rosenheim and two seasons with Hedos Munich (also known as Maddogs München). Friesen was instrumental in Rosenheim's German championship victories in 1982, 1985, and 1989.
Possessing dual citizenship in Canada and Germany, Friesen represented West Germany internationally on six occasions at the World Championships, participated in the Winter Olympics of 1984 and 1988, and competed in the 1984 Canada Cup. After Germany's reunification, he played for the national team at the 1992 Winter Olympics. Throughout his international career, Friesen earned 105 appearances for Germany.
Following his retirement from professional play in 1996, Friesen returned to Canada. His accomplishments have been recognized with inductions into both the German Ice Hockey Hall of Fame and the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2000, he was honored as Germany’s goalie of the century.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 1975–76 | West Kildonan North Stars | MJHL | 11 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 658 | 44 | 0 | 4.01 | .889 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Kildonan North Stars | MJHL | 34 | 23 | 9 | 0 | 1925 | 125 | 0 | 3.90 | .902 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1977–78 | Kildonan North Stars | MJHL | 38 | 19 | 17 | 0 | 2091 | 164 | 0 | 4.71 | .873 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 1042 | 71 | 1 | 4.08 | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Kildonan North Stars | MJHL | 37 | — | — | — | 2194 | 144 | 1 | 3.94 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | SB Rosenheim | GER | 44 | — | — | — | 2592 | 140 | 0 | 3.24 | — | 3 | — | — | 180 | 8 | 0 | 2.67 | — | ||
| 1981–82 | SB Rosenheim | GER | 42 | — | — | — | 2469 | 147 | 0 | 3.57 | — | 7 | — | — | 420 | 15 | 0 | 2.14 | — | ||
| 1982–83 | SB Rosenheim | GER | 36 | — | — | — | 2160 | 103 | 0 | 2.86 | — | 9 | — | — | 480 | 36 | 0 | 4.50 | — | ||
| 1983–84 | SB Rosenheim | GER | 42 | — | — | — | 2490 | 136 | 0 | 3.28 | — | 4 | — | — | 240 | 10 | 0 | 2.50 | — | ||
| 1984–85 | SB Rosenheim | GER | 35 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 2100 | 99 | 2 | 2.83 | — | 9 | 9 | 0 | 547 | 22 | 0 | 2.41 | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 35 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 1983 | 115 | 2 | 3.48 | .886 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 340 | 14 | 0 | 2.47 | |||
| 1986–87 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 130 | 16 | 0 | 7.38 | .800 | — | |||||||||
| 1986–87 | SB Rosenheim | GER | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 840 | 39 | 1 | 2.79 | — | 7 | 3 | 4 | 424 | 18 | 0 | 2.55 | — | ||
| "1987–88" | "SB Rosenheim" | "GER" | "22"|"7"|"4"|"1980"|"85"|"3"|"2.58"|"—" | "8"|"6"|"840"|"33"|"3"|"2.36"|"—" | |||||||||||||||||
| "1988–89" | "SB Rosenheim" | "GER" | "19"|"8"|"9"|"2160"|"98"|"0"|"2.72"|"—" | "9"|"2"|"655"|"27"|"0"|"2.47"|"—" | |||||||||||||||||
| "1989–90" | "SB Rosenheim" | "GER" | "14"|"4"|"4"|"1060"|"43"|"0"|"2.43"|"—" | "8"|"3"|"526"|"37"| "０"| "4.22"| "—" | |||||||||||||||||
| "1991–92" | "SB Rosenheim" | "GER" | "" |"" |"" |2447 |133 |"" |3.26 |"" | "" |"" |547 |27 |"" |2.96 |"" | |||||||||||||||||
| '1992–93' | 'EC Hedos München' | 'GER' | '21'|'15'|'8'|'2640'|'111'|'０'|'2.52'|'—' | '—'|'—'|'240'|'14'|'０'|'３．５０'|'－' | |||||||||||||||||
| '1993–94' | 'EC Hedos München' | 'GER' | '44' | —' | —' | —' | 2172' | 81' | ０２．２４' | '10' | －２．５０' | ||||||||||
| '1994–95' | 'Maddogs München' | 'DEL' | '26' | －３．０２' | '－－' | ||||||||||||||||
| '1994–95' | 'SB Rosenheim' | 'DEL' | '28' | －３．０９' | '4' | －４．５０' | |||||||||||||||
| NHL totals | 4 | ０ | ２ | １ | 131 | 16 | ０ | 7.38 | .800 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | West Germany | WC | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 240 | 20 | 0 | 5.00 | .878 | |
| 1982 | West Germany | WC | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 420 | 30 | 0 | 4.28 | .880 | |
| 1983 | West Germany | WC | 5 | — | — | — | 300 | 21 | — | 4.20 | .891 | |
| 1984 | West Germany | OLY | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 300 | 16 | 0 | 3.20 | .899 | |
| 1984 | West Germany | CC | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 240 | 21 | 0 | 5.25 | .858 | |
| 1985 | West Germany | WC | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 580 | 34 | 1 | 3.51 | .886 | |
| 1987 | West Germany | WC | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 300 | 19 | 0 | 3.80 | .864 | |
| 1988 | West Germany | OLY | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 328 | 17 | 0 | 3.11 | .906 | |
| 1989 | West Germany | WC | 8 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 480 | 31 !!1 !!3.87 !!.872 | ||||
| 1992 | Germany | OLY | 1 !!0 !!1 !!0 !!60 !!5 !!0 !!5.00 !!.833 | |||||||||
| Career senior totals | 54 | 15 | 25 | 8 | 3248 | 214 | 2 | 3.95 | — | |||