Uwe Krupp

Uwe Krupp is a German former NHL defenceman who became the first German-born player to win the Stanley Cup, scoring the championship-clinching goal for Colorado in 1996.

In the third overtime period of Game 4 of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final, Uwe Krupp scored the championship-clinching goal for the Colorado Avalanche — completing a four-game sweep of the Florida Panthers and making him the first German-trained player in history to win the Stanley Cup. Discovered by legendary coach and general manager Scotty Bowman while playing for the German national team, Krupp was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 11th round, 214th overall, of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft — a remarkably low pick for a player who would go on to have a lasting NHL career. He joined the Sabres in 1986, becoming, after Walt Tkaczuk, only the second German-born player to establish himself in the league, and stood out immediately for his imposing 6-foot-6 frame, making him the tallest player in the NHL for much of his career. Krupp went on to play for the New York Islanders, Quebec Nordiques, and Colorado Avalanche, reuniting with Bowman in Colorado for the 1995-96 season. Despite tearing his ACL, MCL, and lateral meniscus in the franchise's very first game in Denver, Krupp returned for the playoffs and delivered the signature moment of his career: in Game 4 of the 1996 Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, he scored the championship-clinching goal 4:31 into the third overtime period, completing a four-game sweep and making him the first German-trained player ever to win the Stanley Cup. Krupp added a second Stanley Cup ring with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002, again under Bowman, though a back injury limited him to just eight regular-season and two playoff games that year. He retired in 2003 having played 729 NHL games, and was immediately inducted into the German Hockey Hall of Fame. After retiring, Krupp moved into coaching, leading the German national team and clubs including Kölner Haie and Eisbären Berlin, and won back-to-back Deutschland Cup titles with Germany in 2009 and 2010. His son Björn Krupp is also a professional ice hockey player.

Towering, defensively reliable stay-at-home defenceman with an accurate, heavy slap shot

Trailblazer for German-born players in the NHL and a foundational figure in modern German international hockey coaching

• Stanley Cup champion (1996, 2002)
• First German-born player to win the Stanley Cup
• Scored 1996 Stanley Cup Final-winning goal in triple overtime
• NHL All-Star (1991)
• German Hockey Hall of Fame