2nd Bundesliga (ice hockey)
Encyclopedia
The 2nd Eishockey-Bundesliga is the second tier of Ice hockey in Germany
. It is organised by the DEB
, the German Ice Hockey Federation. In the 2007-08 season, it features 14 teams.
Below the former 2nd Bundesliga, the Oberliga now became the highest league still under control of the DEB. The Oberliga was however renamed 1st Liga for the next couple of seasons, until returning to its old name.
and the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, since the DEL was of the opinion that it owned the right to call itselve Bundesliga, being the highest league in the country. For this reason, the DEL logo also carries the name 1st Bundesliga in smaller letters below. Eventually, a compromise was reached, naming the new league 2nd Bundesliga instead.
Despite this fact, some clubs still found themselves in financial difficulties throughout the season and had to withdraw, like the EC Bad Nauheim in the past. The Moskitos Essen and Eisbären Regensburg both declared insolvency
on 15 April 2008, being unable to meet their debts. Both clubs were immediately relegated from the 2nd Bundesliga. Due to the structure of the 2nd Bundesliga, where all teams playing are separate companies operated by the mother club, the insolvency of one of those does not mean the club itselve becomes insolvent.
In the 2008-09 season, the Tölzer Löwen had to declare insolvency and, despite coming second in the league, were relegated. Because the Füchse Duisburg had to return their DEL licence, the champion of the 2nd Bundesliga has the option of promotion to the DEL this season.
The two bottom teams in the 2nd Bundesliga are relegated to the Oberliga
and the top-two Oberliga teams promoted to this league.
{| border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0>
|
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Colour !! Result
|- bgcolor="#ffffbf"
| Gold || Champion
|- bgcolor="#dfdfdf"
| Silver || Finalist
|- bgcolor="#dfffdf"
| Green || Semi finalist
|- bgcolor="#cfcfff"
| Blue || 1st round
|- bgcolor="#efcfff"
| Purple || Preliminary round
|- bgcolor="#ffffff"
| White || not qualified for play-offs
|- bgcolor="#ffdf9f"
|DEL
|denotes club played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (I)
|}
Ice hockey in Germany
Ice hockey is one of the more popular sports in Germany, however it still ranks far behind football in spectator favour and meaning. Ice hockey is organized today in Germany by the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest professional league, and by the Deutschen Eishockey-Bund ice hockey federation,...
. It is organised by the DEB
Deutscher Eishockey-Bund
The German Ice Hockey Federation , commonly abbereviated as DEB, has been the responsible federation of ice hockey associations since its establishment on June 16, 1963, for the sport of ice hockey in Germany...
, the German Ice Hockey Federation. In the 2007-08 season, it features 14 teams.
History of the 2nd Ice Hockey Bundesliga
The league was first introduced in the 1973-74 season as the second tier of German ice hockey, the level below the Ice hockey Bundesliga.History up until 1994
- From 1973-74 up until 1980-81 the league operated as the single-conference 2nd Bundesliga
- In the 1981-82 season, it was divided into two conferences: 2nd Bundesliga Süd (southern division) and 2nd Bundesliga Nord (northern division)
- For the 1982-83 season, it returned to a single-conference league due to a lack of clubs interestet in playing in the league
- Starting from the 1983-84 season until 1991-92, it was divided into the 2nd Bundesliga Süd and Nord again, with the top four clubs from each league meeting the bottom two Bundesliga clubs for a promotion round for two places in the Bundesliga
- In the seasons 1992-93 and 1993–94, the league operated as one single division again
From 1994
The large number of insolvencies of second division clubs in 1994 was the reason for the abolition of the 2nd Bundesliga and the introduction of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga with 18 teams, without promotion and relegation. A number of top clubs from the second division were admitted to the DEL.Below the former 2nd Bundesliga, the Oberliga now became the highest league still under control of the DEB. The Oberliga was however renamed 1st Liga for the next couple of seasons, until returning to its old name.
From 1998
As the highest single-division for the DEB, a new league was formed in 1998, receiving the name "Bundesliga". The decision to name the new league "Bundesliga" led to conflicts between the Deutschen Eishockey-BundDeutscher Eishockey-Bund
The German Ice Hockey Federation , commonly abbereviated as DEB, has been the responsible federation of ice hockey associations since its establishment on June 16, 1963, for the sport of ice hockey in Germany...
and the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, since the DEL was of the opinion that it owned the right to call itselve Bundesliga, being the highest league in the country. For this reason, the DEL logo also carries the name 1st Bundesliga in smaller letters below. Eventually, a compromise was reached, naming the new league 2nd Bundesliga instead.
From 1999
Since 1999, the league became the 2nd Bundesliga again, which is organized today by the Eishockeyspielbetriebsgesellschaft (ESBG). As in the DEL, the clubs must undergo a strict financial examination.Despite this fact, some clubs still found themselves in financial difficulties throughout the season and had to withdraw, like the EC Bad Nauheim in the past. The Moskitos Essen and Eisbären Regensburg both declared insolvency
Insolvency
Insolvency means the inability to pay one's debts as they fall due. Usually used to refer to a business, insolvency refers to the inability of a company to pay off its debts.Business insolvency is defined in two different ways:...
on 15 April 2008, being unable to meet their debts. Both clubs were immediately relegated from the 2nd Bundesliga. Due to the structure of the 2nd Bundesliga, where all teams playing are separate companies operated by the mother club, the insolvency of one of those does not mean the club itselve becomes insolvent.
In the 2008-09 season, the Tölzer Löwen had to declare insolvency and, despite coming second in the league, were relegated. Because the Füchse Duisburg had to return their DEL licence, the champion of the 2nd Bundesliga has the option of promotion to the DEL this season.
Promotion and relegation
In November 2007, the DEL has introduced promotion to the league once more. The teams placed 15th and 16th in the DEL will play a best-of-seven series to determined which club faces the 2nd Bundesliga champion for a place in the league. There is however an ongoing dispute about those games as second division clubs can only have five foreign players on contract and therefore face a handicap in comparison to the DEL clubs with currently twelve. For now, the ESBG has declared that no club from the 2nd Bundesliga would take part in these matches and therefore no promotion/relegation with the DEL will take place.The two bottom teams in the 2nd Bundesliga are relegated to the Oberliga
Oberliga (Ice Hockey)
The Oberliga is currently the third tier of ice hockey in Germany. In the 2007-08 season, the Oberliga is split in a northern and a southern group.-1948-58:...
and the top-two Oberliga teams promoted to this league.
League champions
| Season | Champion |
|---|---|
| 1973-74 | ESV Kaufbeuren |
| 1974-75 | EV Rosenheim |
| 1975-76 | Augsburger EV |
| 1976-77 | ESV Kaufbeuren |
| 1977-78 | Augsburger EV |
| 1978-79 | |
| 1979-80 | ESV Kaufbeuren |
| 1980-81 | ERC Freiburg |
| Season | South | North | Championship Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-82 | EHC 70 München | Duisburger SC | EHC Essen |
| Season | Regular Season | Promotion Round |
|---|---|---|
| 1982-83 | ERC Freiburg | ERC Freiburg |
| Season | South | North | Promotion round |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983-84 | SV Bayreuth | Preussen Berlin | ECD Iserlohn * |
| 1984-85 | SV Bayreuth | Preussen Berlin | SC Riessersee * |
| 1985-86 | Augsburger EV | Preussen Berlin | Eintracht Frankfurt |
| 1986-87 | EHC Freiburg | Preussen Berlin | Preussen Berlin |
| 1987-88 | EHC Freiburg | Krefelder EV Krefeld Pinguine The Krefeld Pinguine are an ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. They play in Krefeld, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany at the KönigPALAST. Founded first in 1936, the pro team became a limited liability company in 1994 and joined the top tier Deutsche Eishockey Liga... |
Preussen Berlin * |
| 1988-89 | SV Bayreuth | Krefelder EV | EHC Freiburg * |
| 1989-90 | SV Bayreuth | ECD Sauerland Iserlohn Roosters The Iserlohn Roosters are a professional ice hockey team based in Iserlohn, North-Rhine-Westphalia. They are members of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga since 2000 and play their home games at the Eissporthalle Iserlohn which is also known as Eissporthalle am Seilersee. Playing nine years in the DEL the... |
EV Landshut Landshut Cannibals The Landshut Cannibals are a professional ice hockey team based in Landshut, Bavaria. Currently they are members of the 2nd Bundesliga. The team was founded in 1948 as Eislaufverein Landshut , but since 2002 the professional team is organised as “Landshut Cannibals”. The EVL is still responsible... * |
| 1990-91 | EHC Nürnberg Sinupret Ice Tigers The Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers Nürnberg are a professional ice hockey club located in Nuremberg, Germany. They play in the country's premier league, the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-History:... |
ECD Sauerland | ESV Kaufbeuren * |
| 1991-92 | Augsburger EV Augsburger Panther The Augsburger Panther are a professional ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The team is based in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany. They play their home games at the Curt Frenzel Stadion.... |
EC Kassel | Dynamo Berlin Eisbären Berlin ' are a professional ice hockey team based in Berlin, Germany. The team competes in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga , the highest level of play in professional German ice hockey and is also one of the league's founding members... |
- * denotes Bundesliga club taking part in the promotion round
| Season | Regular Season | Play-Offs |
|---|---|---|
| 1992-93 | Augsburger EV | SB Rosenheim |
| 1993-94 | Augsburger EV | Augsburger EV |
| 1998-99 | ESC Moskitos Essen | ESC Moskitos Essen |
| 1999–2000 | Düsseldorfer EG DEG Metro Stars The DEG Metro Stars is a German professional ice hockey team in Düsseldorf. It was Germany's most successful hockey club for a long time and had many international players... |
Düsseldorfer EG |
| 2000-01 | ERC Ingolstadt ERC Ingolstadt The ERC Ingolstadt are a member of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Commonly known as the Panthers, they play their games in Ingolstadt, Germany at the Saturn Arena. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Ingolstadt signed NHLers Marco Sturm, Andy McDonald, Jamie Langenbrunner and Aaron Ward... |
ERC Ingolstadt |
| 2001-02 | ERC Ingolstadt | REV Bremerhaven |
| 2002-03 | SC Bietigheim-Bissingen | EHC Freiburg |
| 2003-04 | EHC Wolfsburg EHC Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams EHC Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams are a professional ice hockey club of the German professional ice hockey league Deutsche Eishockey Liga. They play their games at Eisarena in Wolfsburg... |
EHC Wolfsburg |
| 2004-05 | EHC Straubing Straubing Tigers The Straubing Tigers are a professional men's ice hockey team in the German Ice Hockey League . They play out of Straubing, Germany, and they play their home games at Eisstadion am Pulverturm, which can hold 5,800 spectators.... |
EV Duisburg EV Duisburg Die Füchse The Füchse Duisburg are a German ice hockey team formerly a member of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga and currently plays in the Regionalliga.-History:Known in English as the "Duisburg Foxes," the team was founded in 1971.... |
| 2005-06 | REV Bremerhaven | EHC Straubing |
| 2006-07 | Kassel Huskies | EHC Wolfsburg |
| 2007-08 | Kassel Huskies | Kassel Huskies |
| 2008-09 | SC Bietigheim-Bissingen | SC Bietigheim-Bissingen |
| 2009-10 | SERC Wild Wings | EHC München Eishockeyclub München Eishockeyclub München is a professional ice hockey club based in Munich, Germany that currently plays in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-History:... |
| 2010-11 | Ravensburg Towerstars | Ravensburg Towerstars |
Placings in the 2nd Bundesliga from 1999
| Club | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Düsseldorfer EG | 3 | 1 | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL |
| Iserlohn Roosters | 6 | 6 | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL |
| Ingolstadt Panther | 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL |
| EV Duisburg | 14 | 9 | 5 | 2 | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | |||||
| Straubing Tigers | 10 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 5 | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | ||
| EHC Wolfsburg | 6 | 7 | 1 | DEL | 8 | 2 | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | |||
| Kassel Huskies | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | 1 | 1 | DEL | DEL | DEL |
| Landshut Cannibals | DEL | DEL | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | ||||
| Heilbronner Falken | 10 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||||
| Schwenninger Wild Wings | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | DEL | 8 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| SC Riessersee | 8 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 14 | 5 | 10 | 7 2 | ||||
| Moskitos Essen | 1 | DEL | DEL | DEL | 10 | 14 | 8 | 6 2 | |||||
| SC Bietigheim-Bissingen | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 4 | ||
| ETC Crimmitschau | 5 | 15 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 13 | |||||
| EHC München | 11 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| Eisbären Regensburg | 12 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 10 2 | ||||||
| EV Ravensburg | 11 | 4 | 3 | 1 | |||||||||
| REV Bremerhaven | 5 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 9 | 11 | ||||
| Lausitzer Füchse | 15 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 8 | ||
| EV Landsberg | 10 | 14 | |||||||||||
| Dresdner Eislöwen | 7 | 11 | 11 | 9 | |||||||||
| ESV Kaufbeuren | 13 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 14 | 10 | |||||||
| Freiburger Wölfe | 5 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 6 | DEL | 9 | 10 | 7 | 14 | |||
| Tölzer Löwen | 9 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 1 | ||||
| 1. EV Weiden | 13 | 14 | |||||||||||
| Rote Teufel Bad Nauheim | 2 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 2 2 | |||||||
| EC Wilhelmshaven | 10 | 7 2 | |||||||||||
| Erding Jets | 11 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Hamburg Crocodiles | 14 | 7 3 | |||||||||||
| EHC Harz-Braunlage | 7 | 13 | |||||||||||
| Grefrather EV | 16 | 14 | |||||||||||
| EHC Neuwied | 12 | 15 | |||||||||||
| GEC Nordhorn | 4 | 16 | |||||||||||
{| border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0>
|
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Colour !! Result
|- bgcolor="#ffffbf"
| Gold || Champion
|- bgcolor="#dfdfdf"
| Silver || Finalist
|- bgcolor="#dfffdf"
| Green || Semi finalist
|- bgcolor="#cfcfff"
| Blue || 1st round
|- bgcolor="#efcfff"
| Purple || Preliminary round
|- bgcolor="#ffffff"
| White || not qualified for play-offs
|- bgcolor="#ffdf9f"
|DEL
|denotes club played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (I)
|}
- 1 The Tölzer Löwen finished second in the regular season but due to having to declare insolvency they were relegated to the last place in the standings.
- 2 Team withdrew from the league because of financial reasons.
- 3 The Hamburg Crocodiles withdrew to the Oberliga after the 1999-2000 season.
See also
- Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the DEL
- OberligaOberliga (Ice Hockey)The Oberliga is currently the third tier of ice hockey in Germany. In the 2007-08 season, the Oberliga is split in a northern and a southern group.-1948-58:...
- Bavarian ice hockey leaguesBavarian ice hockey leaguesThe Bavarian ice hockey leagues are part of the German ice hockey league system and form the tiers four to six of the league system in the state of Bavaria...