The initiative at the German Ice Hockey Association (DEB) was designed to raise awareness of career opportunities after a player's professional career.

Thirty-two-year-old Olympic silver medallist Mauer and 19-year-old Seider, who is a major prospect with National Hockey League side Detroit Red Wings, both attended the DEB offices in Munich.

They learned about league operations, camps, coach education, transfers, player licences, finance and the structure for marketing, events and communications. 

"It was a great possibility to go through the departments and get insight on what happens," said Mauer, a forward with EHC München who was part of Germany's stunning fairytale run to the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic final.

"It was interesting to see how we try to move the sport of ice hockey forward. 

"Because I'm educating myself it's interesting to see what happens at the association and what activities could be interesting for me later. 

"I still have some good years ahead of me to enjoy as an athlete, but nevertheless one cares more intensively about the end of the career the older you become."

Seider, a defenceman currently on loan at Adler Mannheim, added: "We come to our annual camps and everything works. 

"Now we had the chance to look behind the scenes and can evaluate better what's behind it.

"The earlier you start planning life after the career, the better. 

"That's why I used the time to collect ideas for later."

DEB sport director Stefan Schaidnage welcomed the visit of the two players.

"For us it's important to use the opportunity to grant active players insight into the work of the association," he said. 

"We think that it's important that they already care about the time after the career early on and think what's possible in their own sport.

"They have surely recognised what it's all about and that players sometimes imagine things to be easier than they actually are. 

"I think we were able to illustrate to them well the complexity and will pursue such formats because we are also very interested in the future orientation of our players."