Moritz Müller Reaches 1200Th League Game and Record for Kölner Haie

Moritz Müller makes history when he skates in his 1200th league game on Sunday, becoming the all-time appearance record holder for the Kölner Haie and surpassing Mirko Lüdemann’s long-standing benchmark in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

The 39-year-old Haie-Kapitän described the club’s cabin as “Ein Stück weit zu Hause” according to an interview with Bild.

Reflecting on his career, Müller remembered his first game on 18 December 2003 against Düsseldorf when he was 17 years old.

He said that he no longer has the jersey from that debut, stating, “Leider nein. Wenn es jemand findet: Ich würde es zurückkaufen!” His first goal came in Duisburg during an 11:4 victory where he poked the puck through his legs with one hand, and his first ice fight occurred against Christoph Melischko during a 10:0 win against Ingolstadt.

Müller acknowledged that he has lost four final series with the Haie since then, admitting, “Das ist schon ein Thema. Die goldenen Zeiten habe ich knapp verpasst. Ich glaube aber, wir sind so nah dran wie noch nie in meiner Zeit hier.” Although he conceded that he could have moved elsewhere—such as Munich—to potentially win a title, he said that he would not trade his life in Cologne, despite the pain of remaining titleless.

With 1200 league games, more than 200 international matches, an Olympic silver medal, and a runner-up world championship title, Müller addressed whether being a hockey player rather than a footballer is a curse or a blessing.

He said, “Wahrscheinlich beides ein wenig, aber eher Segen. Ich vermisse nicht noch mehr Öffentlichkeit, noch mehr Bewunderung, weil ich auch unsere Gesellschaft kenne.” He added that the public handling of sports idols can be very critical as people watch them grow up publicly, noting that society can be merciless when mistakes are made.

Addressing the darker side of public life, including internet threats directed at his daughters, Müller referenced his former coach by saying, “Trainer Hans Zach sagt immer: Müssen tun wir nur sterben.” He added, “Leider muss man dann lernen, damit umzugehen. Aber ich bin trotzdem, glaube ich, immer verletzlich geblieben. Das finde ich auch ganz gut.” He also observed a general coarsening within society and a decline in moral values, pointing to family, school, and faith as traditional moral institutions.

Regarding his physical condition at nearly 40 years of age, Müller said that only his left elbow remains entirely intact, while both shoulders, both knees, his face, and his hip have sustained wear.

Nevertheless, he defended his lifestyle of prioritizing his body by avoiding smoking, drinking little, eating well, sleeping deeply, and training constantly, stating that he would not trade his physical state for a body that had not moved for 20 years.