What is the general format of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL)?Germany's elite league, the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), is made up of 14 teams playing a 52-game season. Every team plays each of the other 13 teams four times, twice at home and twice on the road.
How many teams qualify for the DEL playoffs?The
top eight teams of the regular season advance to the DEL playoffs, where series are best-of-seven in the quarterfinals and best-of-five thereafter.
How come there is a new team in the DEL each season?The DEL has a relegation/promotion agreement with the Second Bundesliga. The two teams finishing at the bottom of the DEL regular-season standings play a seven-game series, the so-called "playdowns", to determine which club is relegated to the Second Bundesliga. The champion of the Second Bundesliga earns promotion to the DEL. In 2004-05, Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg will make their DEL debut, taking the place of the Wölfe Freiburg.
How does the DEL shootout rule work?A regular season win is worth three points. If a regular season game is tied after 60 minutes, it will be decided by a penalty shootout: Skaters face goalies in a one-on-one situation. The team that scores the most goals in five shootout rounds will receive two points in the standings. The losing team will get one point. If the score is still tied after five rounds of shootout, the teams will proceed one round at a time until one team scores and the other does not.
If a DEL playoff game is tied after 60 minutes, a 20-minute
sudden-death overtime will be played. If there's no scoring in the extra period, the game will be decided by a penalty shootout. There is no shootout in potential series-clinching games. These games will be continued until one team scores.
How many players can dress for each game?Teams may dress up to 22 players for each regular season and playoff game, two of which must be goaltenders. Most coaches like to use four defensive pairings and four forward lines. The number of
imports (players who do not own a German passport) was reduced to a maximum of 13 per team.
How old is the DEL?The
DEL was founded in 1994 as Germany's first professional ice hockey league. Today, only nine of the 18 charter members are still part of the league: Augsburger Panther, Berlin Eisbären, Düsseldorfer EG Metro Stars, Frankfurt Lions, Kassel Huskies, Krefeld Pinguine, Kölner Haie, Adler Mannheim and Nürnberg Ice Tigers.
Which team has won the most DEL titles?The Mannheim Adler have won a record four
DEL championships (1997, 1998, 1999, 2001). Five other teams also had their names engraved on the DEL Cup: Two-time champion Kölner Haie (1995, 2002), Düsseldorfer EG Metro Stars (1996) München Barons (2000), Krefeld Pinguine (2003) and defending DEL Champion Frankfurt Lions (2004).
Does the DEL stage an All-Star Game?Yes. The DEL's best import players will take on Germany's national team in the annual
DEL All-Star Game which will be held at Hamburg's ColorLine Arena February 6th, 2005.
