Karl Friesen

Karl Heinz Friesen (born June 30, 1958) is a Canadian-born German former professional ice hockey goaltender. Friesen spent most of his career in Germany, playing in the Eishockey-Bundesliga and Deutsche Eishockey Liga, but he also played four games in the National Hockey League with the New Jersey Devils during the 1986–87 season. Internationally Friesen represented both West Germany and Germany at multiple tournaments, including the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Winter Olympics, and six World Championships.

Career A Canadian of German descent, Friesen played for the West Kildonan North Stars of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and the St. Boniface Mohawks of the Central Amateur Senior Hockey League, before taking his game to Germany in 1980 and would spend 15 years in Germany's top-flight. In 1985-86, Friesen played for the Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League and had a short stint with the New Jersey Devils of the NHL in 1986-87, but then returned to Rosenheim. He played a total of 12 years with the SB Rosenheim team, two with Hedos Munich and one with the Mad Dogs Munich. Friesen won German championships with Rosenheim in 1982, 1985 and 1989.

A dual citizen of Canada and the Federal Republic of Germany, Friesen represented West Germany internationally on many occasions, including six World Championships, the 1984 and 1988 Winter Olympics and the 1984 Canada Cup. After German Unification, he represented Germany at the 1992 Winter Olympics.

After retiring in 1996, he returned to his native Canada.

Friesen is a member of the German Ice Hockey Hall of Fame and of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2000, he was named German goalie of the century.

Career statistics 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 — — — — — — — — — 1979–80 St. Boniface Mohawks CASHL — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 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 33 22 7 4 1980 85 3 2.58 — 14 8 6 840 33 3 2.36 — 1988–89 SB Rosenheim GER 36 19 8 9 2160 98 0 2.72 — 11 9 2 655 27 0 2.47 — 1989–90 SB Rosenheim GER 18 14 4 4 1060 43 0 2.43 — 11 8 3 526 37 0 4.22 — 1990–91 SB Rosenheim GER 40 — — — 2340 105 0 2.69 — 11 — — 612 36 0 3.53 — 1991–92 SB Rosenheim GER 44 — — — 2447 133 0 3.26 — 9 — — 547 27 0 2.96 — 1992–93 EC Hedos München GER 44 21 15 8 2640 111 0 2.52 — 4 — — 240 14 0 3.50 — 1993–94 EC Hedos München GER 44 — — — 2172 81 0 2.24 — 10 — — 600 25 0 2.50 — 1994–95 Maddogs München DEL 26 — — — 1409 71 0 3.02 — — — — — — — — — 1994–95 SB Rosenheim DEL 28 — — — 1571 81 0 3.09 — 4 — — 240 18 0 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 Senior totals 54 15 25 8 3248 214 2 3.95 —