The Deutsche Eishockey Liga or DEL, is a German professional ice hockey league and the highest division in German ice hockey. Founded in 1994, it was formed as a replacement for the Eishockey-Bundesliga and became the new top-tier league in Germany as a result. Unlike the old Bundesliga, the DEL is not under the administration of the German Ice Hockey Federation.
The Eisbären Berlin is a professional ice hockey team based in Berlin, Germany. The team competes in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), the highest level of play in professional German ice hockey, and is also one of the league's founding members. The Eisbären have won the DEL championship more often than any other team, with ten DEL championships as of the 2023–24 season. They won the German ice hockey cup in 2008 as well as the European Trophy in 2010. Before reunification the team won the East German ice hockey championship 15 times as SC Dynamo Berlin.
Gregory Dean "Greg" Classen is a German-Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Classen played a total of 90 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) all with the Nashville Predators. He also appeared in 321 American Hockey League (AHL) games between six seasons and four different teams. After his career in North America, he moved to Europe and retired after the 2018–19 season in the German Eishockey-Oberliga with the Rostock Piranhas. In total Classen played 21 seasons professionally with 15 different clubs.
The EC Kassel Huskies are a professional ice hockey club based in Kassel, Hessen, Germany. The club currently competes in DEL2, the second level of ice hockey in Germany. The Huskies were founded in 1977 and have competed in the top five levels of the hockey in Germany since that time. Kassel's home barn is the Eissporthalle Kassel, which has a capacity of 6,100. The club's nickname is the Sled Dogs. Kassel has won two second level championships in 2008 and 2016 and have won one top level junior championship in 2004. The Huskies have finished runner-up in Germany's top league, DEL, in 1997 and have been beaten finalists in the Deutscher Eishockey-Pokal in 2004.
The 2008–09 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season was the 15th season since the founding of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. 16 Teams played after the 2. Bundesliga Champion, the Kassel Huskies received the license to play in the DEL. After 52 rounds and the play-off's, the Eisbären Berlin won its 4th German Championship in the last five years.
The 2009–10 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season is the 16th season since the founding of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Prior to the season, the Füchse Duisburg voluntarily left the league due to financial hardship. Bietigheim Steelers, champions of the 2. Bundesliga had an opportunity to join the league, but canceled their licensing application.
The 2007–08 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season was the 14th season since the founding of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Fifteen teams played after the Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg received the license and were admitted to play in the DEL. Each club played the other four times, resulting in 56 regular-season games per club. The top six clubs at the end of the regular season qualified for the first round of the play-offs. The clubs seven to ten played a preliminary round to determine the last two places for the first round. For the teams placed eleven to fifteen, the season ended. No club was relegated from the DEL in this season.
The 1996–97 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season was the 3rd season of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.
The 1999–2000 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season was the 6th season of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga . An agreement was reached between DEL and the 1. Liga. With DEL being the top-level league, it would be known as the DEL - Die 1. Bundesliga, and the 1. Liga as the 2. Bundesliga. A new logo displaying the full name was introduced at the same time.
The 2010–11 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season is the 17th season since the founding of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. As reigning champions of the 2. Bundesliga, EHC München were promoted to the DEL.
Manuel Strodel is a German professional ice hockey player currently playing for Starbulls Rosenheim of the DEL2 in Germany. He previously played for Düsseldorfer EG in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
Marius Möchel is a German professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing for the Starbulls Rosenheim of the DEL2 in Germany. He has formerly played in the DEL with EHC München, Hamburg Freezers, Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers, Grizzlys Wolfsburg and Schwenninger Wild Wings in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
Pascal Zerressen is a German professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing for Starbulls Rosenheim in the DEL2.
DEL2 is the second tier ice hockey league in Germany, below the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) and ahead of the Oberliga. Founded in 2013 to replace the defunct 2nd Bundesliga, DEL2 is administered by ESBG, under licence from DEB.
The 2018–19 DEL2 season was the sixth season since the founding of the DEL2, the second tier of German ice hockey, set below the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The season ran from 14 September 2018 till 28 April 2019. Löwen Frankfurt was crowned league premiers by finishing top of the regular season standings. Ravensburg Towerstars caused an upset by claiming the championship title by defeating Löwen Frankfurt 4-2 in the final series. Promoted team, Deggendorfer SC, was unable to survive in DEL2 and was relegated after losing the relegation playoffs final 3-4 against Wölfe Freiburg.
The 2017–18 DEL2 season was the fifth season since the founding of the DEL2, the second tier of German ice hockey, set below the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The season ran from 15 September 2017 till 22 April 2018. SC Riessersee was crowned league premiers by finishing top of the regular season standings. Bietigheim Steelers claimed the championship title by defeating SC Riessersee 4-1 in the final series. Bayreuth Tigers lost the relegation playoffs 4-1 against promoted team Tölzer Löwen, however they were saved from relegation from DEL2 to Oberliga due to SC Riessersee not being granted a DEL2 licence in the summer of 2018.
The 2016–17 DEL2 season was the fourth season since the founding of the DEL2, the second tier of German ice hockey, set below the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The season ran from 10 September 2016 till 25 April 2017. Bietigheim Steelers was crowned league premiers by finishing top of the regular season standings. Löwen Frankfurt claimed the championship title by defeating Bietigheim Steelers 4–2 in the final series. Starbulls Rosenheim lost the relegation playoffs 2–4 against ETC Crimmitschau and were relegated from DEL2 to Oberliga.
The 2019–20 DEL2 season was the seventh season since the founding of the DEL2, the second tier of German ice hockey, set below the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The season began on 13 September 2019 and prematurely ended on 10 March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Löwen Frankfurt was named winner of the regular season, but no season champion was declared with the championship play-offs called off. In addition, the relegation play-offs were also cancelled so the league decided there would be no relegation for the season.
The 2020–21 DEL2 season was the eighth season since the founding of the DEL2, the second tier of German ice hockey, set below the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). The season began on a delayed start date of 6 November 2020 after being rescheduled from 2 October 2020, and concluded with the end of the playoffs on 22 May 2021. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, DEL2 along with DEL and DEB agreed to a set of health rules and guidelines to ensure a safe and consistent work environment for everyone involved with hockey in Germany. Fans were excluded from attending matches. The DEL2 board agreed to suspend relegation to the Oberliga for the season, resulting in no relegation play-offs being contested. The season also marked the first time the league implemented promotion to DEL.
The 2021–22 DEL2 season was the ninth season since the founding of the DEL2, the second tier of German ice hockey, set below the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
