TheDeutsche Eishockey Liga (for sponsorship reasons calledPENNY Deutsche Eishockey Liga) (German pronunciation:[ˌdɔʏtʃəˈʔaɪshɔkiˌliːɡa]; English:German Ice Hockey League) orDEL, is a professionalice hockey league inGermany and the highest division in German ice hockey. Founded in 1994, it was formed as a replacement for theEishockey-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 theGerman Ice Hockey Federation.

DEL

Upcoming season or competition: 2024–25 DEL season
Formerly	Eishockey-Bundesliga
Sport	Ice hockey
Founded	1994; 31 years ago (1994)
No. of teams	14
Country	Germany
Most recent champion(s)	Eisbären Berlin (11th title) (2024–25)
Most titles	Eisbären Berlin (11 titles)
Broadcaster(s)	Magenta Sport ServusTV/DF1
Level on pyramid	Level 1
Relegation to	DEL2
International cup(s)	Champions Hockey League
Related competitions	DEL2 Oberliga
Official website	penny-del.org

Teams from the DEL participate in theIIHF's annualChampions Hockey League (CHL), competing for the European Trophy. Participation is based on the strength of the various leagues in Europe (excluding the European/AsianKontinental Hockey League). Going into the2022–23 CHL season, the DEL wasranked the No. 3 league in Europe, allowing them to send their top four teams to compete in the CHL.

In the 2016–17 season, the league was the second-best supported ice hockey league in Europe, behind the SwissNational League A, with an average attendance of 6,198 spectators per game.^[1] Fourteen different teams comprise the league, playing their home games in a diverse mix of venues, including a few large, modern arenas (e.g. in Berlin, Mannheim, Cologne, and Düsseldorf) and older, smaller venues (e.g. in Iserlohn, Schwenningen and Straubing).Kölner Haie (English: Cologne Sharks),Düsseldorfer EG, andEisbären Berlin (Berlin Polar Bears) all regularly attract over 15,000 fans for home games.Adler Mannheim (Mannheim Eagles) also regularly attract over 12,000 fans per home game with each of their home games in the 2019 DEL Playoffs, including all three games in the final series againstEHC Red Bull München, selling out. Despite attracting some of the biggest crowds in the DEL, and hostingNHL teams in preseason games, Kölner Haie have not won a championship since 2002.

In the DEL Winter Game, similar to theNHL Winter Classic where matches are played in larger outdoor venues, Cologne and Düsseldorf have played in front of crowds in excess of 40,000, notably in 2019 as Düsseldorf won in overtime in rival Cologne'sRheinEnergieStadion. The DEL Winter Game traditionally takes place every two years; four editions have been played since 2013, including games inCologne and at the home ofTSG Hoffenheim, with each attracting over 30,000 spectators. Following a 2021 postponement due to the ongoingCOVID-19 pandemic, the DEL Winter Game returned in December 2022 with Cologne hosting Mannheim in the RheinEnergieStadion.

The DEL is known for its game-day atmosphere, as well as producing NHL talents includingDominik Kahun,Tim Stützle andLukas Reichel. Many of the German national team thattook silver at the2018 Winter Olympics inPyeongchang played in the DEL, whileEHC Red Bull München became the first German team to reach theChampions Hockey League final in2019, losing to the Swedish teamFrölunda HC.EHC Red Bull München followed this up by reaching the semi-finals in the2021-22 Champions Hockey League. Ice hockey is growing as a sport in Germany and is seen as a popular alternative tofootball orhandball, building upon the Olympic success in 2018.

A new system of promotion and relegation with theDEL2 began with the2021–22 season, in which the last-placed DEL club will be replaced by the DEL2 champions.SC Bietigheim Steelers joined the DEL for the2021-22 DEL season as DEL2 champions ahead of the first promotion/relegation toDEL2. Following the conclusion of the2021–22 season, Bietigheim retained their place in the top flight whileKrefeld Pinguine were relegated after finishing bottom of the table.Löwen Frankfurt (Frankfurt Lions) were promoted asDEL2 champions for the2022–23 season.

The DEL Playoffs decide the season champions using a format akin to that of the NHL. Each team plays 52 regular-season games to determine the regular-season champions before the top 10 teams are seeded and qualify for the playoffs. The top 6 teams receive a bye to the quarter-finals while the teams ranked 7–10 compete in the pre-playoff (wildcard) round. The seedings are re-calculated after each round in a straight knockout system. The DEL Finals, held in late April or early May, is a best-of-7 games format, similar to theNHL where the top seed remaining holds home-ice advantage in a Game 7 scenario.

For the2021–22 season and2020–21 season, a shortened version of the DEL playoffs was used in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.Eisbären Berlin won the 2022 Finals againstEHC Red Bull München 3-1 in a best-of-5 format. Berlin also won the title in 2021, defeating Wolfsburg 2-1 in a best-of-3 series following a North/South regional league split during the 2020/21 season due to the pandemic.

TheEisbären Berlin andAdler Mannheim are the most successful DEL clubs and have won the last three editions between them (Mannheim 2019, Berlin 2021 & 2022). Mannheim have enjoyed a lot of success in recent years (2015 and 2019 Champions, 2021 Regular Season Champions) althoughEHC Red Bull München won three consecutive titles between 2016 and 2018 and also made the 2019 final, losing to Mannheim in five games. München were also top of the 2020 standings before the season was curtailed.ERC Ingolstadt (2014 Champions as the 9th seed) andGrizzlys Wolfsburg (2021 runners-up) have also enjoyed deep playoff runs in the last decade.

Some of the league's biggest rivalries includeKölner Haie andDüsseldorfer EG, Kölner Haie andAdler Mannheim, andEisbären Berlin andEHC Red Bull München. The Bavarian Derbies between München,ERC Ingolstadt,Augsburger Panther,Straubing Tigers, andNürnberg Ice Tigers are also fiercely contested. Due to geography, Nürnberg/Straubing and Augsburg/Ingolstadt are notable rivalries although Munich/Augsburg has become a stronger rivalry following their epic 2019 semi-final series. München won that series in the deciding game 7 which also included the longest match in DEL history, won byAugsburger Panther after 104 minutes of action in game 3, as two matches required three overtimes to determine a winner.

TheEishockey-Bundesliga was formed in 1957 as the elite hockey competition in the Federal Republic of Germany, replacing theOberliga in this position. It was in turn replaced by the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, which now also carries the name1st Bundesliga in its logo.

The DEL was founded in the 1994–95 season, consisting of teams from the Eishockey-Bundesliga's1st and2nd divisions. The condition of these earlier leagues had become intolerable. Many 1st and 2nd division teams were heavily in debt. The 2nd division attracted few sponsors and spectators. As a result, many clubs were forced to fold or withdraw to the lower leagues. Fans and corporate sponsors focused on the 1st Bundesliga teams, forcing the elite teams to invest heavily in players to avoid relegation. This increased budgets 25 percent over the previous two years.

In the final Bundesliga season, 1993–94, only 11 teams wanted to play in the2nd Bundesliga. Furthermore, two teams folded during and after the season. Ice hockey's reputation in Germany was heavily tarnished. This made it difficult to attract serious sponsorship. In January 1994, 20 out of the remaining 21 1st and 2nd Bundesliga teams voted for creating a new entity, the DEL.

Upon founding, the "DEL Betriebsgesellschaft mbH" was the first German professional sports league managed by an organization whose members were incorporated as well. The goal behind the DEL was to create a league, based on the model of the North AmericanNHL, in which teams could play consistently without relegation concerns and create a stable league. Clubs in the DEL were required to conform torules, which were designed to ensure long-term viability. Twelve clubs from the old1st Bundesliga, and six from the2nd Bundesliga came together as founding members. The new league immediately attracted corporate sponsorship with theKrombacher Brewery, which was prominently featured on the new league logo.

The hope of avoiding the troubles of the oldBundesliga by stricter financial controls did not materialize. During DEL'sinitial season, on 18 December 1994, theBundesliga's final champion, the renamedEC Hedos München, folded. This was controversial, as DEL's president Franz Hofherr had approved their license and certified their finances. Hofherr was Mad Dogs former president and it was alleged that he must have known about their desperate financial situation.

TheBosman ruling, a 1995 decision of theEuropean Court of Justice regarding the movement of labor in soccer, had profound influence on the league. The old Bundesliga had national character with German clubs competing for the German title using mostly German players. After the rulingEuropean Union players were excluded from the "foreign" player quota. In the1995–96 season following the decision, the DEL teams employed 97 EU players. This lowered costs significantly, enabling smaller teams to compete more effectively. However, frequent player moves were not viewed positively by the fans, resulting in smaller attendance numbers.

Following an agreement with the DEB the league renamed itself as "DEL – Die 1. Bundesliga" in the1999–2000 season, while reintroducing relegation and promotion to/from the2nd Ice Hockey Bundesliga.

The2004–05 season was significant due to theNHL lockout. 26 NHL players came to play the season in the DEL, includingJamie Langenbrunner,Erik Cole,Stéphane Robidas,Doug Weight,Mike York and several German national team players –Jochen Hecht,Olaf Kölzig, andMarco Sturm.

The DEL is an independently run league, fully owned and operated by its 14 member teams. Each team must fulfill theDEL's basic requirements to remain in the league:

• A written application for membership;
• "On ice qualification" for new teams (championship in the 2nd Bundesliga);
• A stadium that meets DEL standards;
• Financial qualification;
• Formation of an ordinary company (the DEL consists of franchises);
• Development program for young players; and
• Purchase of a license (currently, the licensing fee is set at €800,000.00)

The DEL can only admit one 2nd Bundesliga team per season to the league, unless the league strength falls below fourteen, in which case two clubs can be admitted. Since the 2006–07 season, no DEL team can be automatically relegated, a team can only lose its league status through non-compliance with the leagues regulations (see above).

TheESBG guarantees to admit any DEL team wishing to step down to the lower 2nd Bundesliga orOberliga. The team, however, has to purchase a license (licensing fees for the 2nd Bundesliga are currently set at €100,000.00).

To regulate the relationship between the DEL, theDEB and theESBG (2nd Bundesliga), a so-calledKooperationsvertrag exists. Thiscooperation contract was signed in December 2005, and was valid until 2011. This contract ended years of dispute between the three organizations over competencies and financial issues.^[2][3]

In November 2007, the DEL announced another change in policy. The league expanded to allow 16 teams beginning in the2008–09 season, resulting in direct promotion for the2nd Bundesliga league champions, should they fulfill all requirements and be interested in joining the DEL. Should this not be the case, or a current DEL team resigns from the league, a selection process would determine the club, or clubs, who would be eligible to join in order required to achieve 16 teams.(Note:Füchse Duisburg resigned before the2009–10 season and was not replaced until the following season.)

For that season, it was also mandated that each DEL club would be allowed to have no more than ten non-EC players under contract.

Additionally, a new format for the game schedule will limit the number of regular-season games to 52 for each team. This is achieved by each team playing four games against eleven others and two games against the remaining four. To determine which teams play, the final standings of the previous season are used.

The DEL would also reintroduce promotion once more. The first- and second-lowest ranked teams will play a best-of-seven series to determine which team faces the2nd Bundesliga champion for a place in the league. There is, however, an ongoing dispute about those games as second division teams may only have five foreign players on contract and therefore face a handicap in comparison to the DEL teams with twelve import players each.^[4] For now, theESBG has declared that no team from the 2nd Bundesliga would take part in these matches and therefore no promotion/relegation with the DEL will take place.^[5]

Members for the2023–24 DEL season:

33 clubs have played in the DEL since founding, with 15 currently playing. The 1994 standing represents the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga.

• ¹ In 2001, theStarbulls Rosenheim sold their DEL licence to theIserlohn Roosters.
• ² In 2002, theMunich Barons relocated to become theHamburg Freezers.
• ³ In 1999, theLandshut Cannibals sold their DEL licence to theMunich Barons.
• ⁴ In 1995, theMaddogs München folded during the regular season.
• ⁵ In 2012, theEHC München changed their name toEHC Red Bull München.
• ⁶ In 2012, theDEG Metro Stars changed their name toDüsseldorfer EG.
• In the 1995 and 1996 season, 16 clubs qualified for the play-offs.
• In the 1998 season, 14 clubs qualified for the play-offs.
• ⁷ The 2020 season was ended prematurely due to thecoronavirus pandemic, which caused the cancellation of the play-offs. The teams are listed by their placement in the regular season.^[10]
• ⁸ The 2021 playoffs were conducted under a reduced format, with no preliminary round and only eight playoff teams.

• List of German ice hockey champions
• DEL2
• Oberliga

• Meltzer, Bill."Three European Champs, Three Different Paths to the Top" at NHL.com^{[permanent dead link]} Retrieved 08–18–06.
• Official DEL website(in German)
• Official Website of the German Ice Hockey-Federation – DEB(in German)
• Hockeyarenas – DEL Arenas
• Internet Hockey Database – standings and statistics
• Hockey Archives – International ice hockey website with tables and results(in French)