German Women's Ice Hockey League
Deutsche Fraueneishockey-Liga
Upcoming season or competition:
Current sports event 2023–24 DEFL season
FormerlyFraueneishockey-Endrunde
SportIce hockey
Founded1988 (1988)
FounderGerman Ice Hockey Federation
Inaugural season1988–89
No. of teams7
Countries Germany
 Netherlands
Most recent
champion(s)		ECDC Memmingen
(2022–23)
Most titlesESC Planegg-Würmtal (8)
TV partner(s)DEB-Online
Level on pyramid1st
Relegation to2. Liga Nord or Landesliga
Domestic cup(s)DEB-Pokal der Frauen
Related
competitions		EWHL
Official websiteDFEL Homepage

The German Women's Ice Hockey League (DFEL; German: Deutsche Fraueneishockey-Liga), also known as the German Women's Ice Hockey Bundesliga (German: Deutsche Fraueneishockey-Bundesliga, lit. 'German Women's Ice Hockey Confederated League'), is the top-tier women's ice hockey league in Germany. It was founded in 1988 by the German Ice Hockey Federation (German: Deutscher Eishockey Bund; DEB).

History

The German Women's Ice Hockey Bundesliga was created in 1988–89. Previously, the national championship took the form of a tournament featuring the best teams from the various regional federations. The Bundesliga was initially split into two divisions, North and South, with a final championship tournament at the end of the season, but in April 2006, the participating teams voted to have only a single division, starting from the 2006–07 season.

2022–23 season

Six teams participated in the 2022–23 DFEL season, following the withdrawal of Düsseldorfer EG after the 2019–20 season and the withdrawal of EC Köln ("Die Haie") after the 2021–22 season.[1][2] The regular season began on 1 October 2022 and concluded on 19 February 2023. ECDC Memmingen were the regular season champions; the team featured both the league’s top scorer, American forward Theresa Knutson, and best goaltender, Emma Schweiger.[3]

The top four teams from the regular season qualified for the playoffs, which were played on a best-of-five tournament schedule.[4] In the semifinals, ECDC Memmingen swept ESC Planegg-Würmtal to take the series in three games and the Mad Dogs Mannheim bested ERC Ingolstadt in four games.[5]

ECDC Memmingen did not slow down in the German Championship finals, sweeping Mad Dogs Mannheim in three games to claim the team’s fourth championship title.[6]

Teams

German women's ice hockey Bundesliga is located in Germany
EC Bergkamen
Juniors Berlin
Juniors Berlin
ERC Ingolstadt
ERC Ingolstadt
EKU Mannheim
EKU Mannheim
ECDC Memmingen
ECDC Memmingen
ESC Planegg
Location in Germany of teams participating in the 2023–24 DFEL season.
German women's ice hockey Bundesliga is located in Netherlands
Amsterdam Tigers
Amsterdam Tigers
Location in the Netherlands of teams participating in the 2023–24 DFEL season.

2023–24 season

With the addition of the Amsterdam Tigers, seven teams are participating in the 2023–24 DFEL season; the Amsterdam Tigers were the 2022–23 winners of the Netherlands' championship. The regular season began on 23 September 2023 and will conclude on 25 February 2024. Each team will play 24 games, facing every opponent twice at home and twice away.[7][8]

TeamLocationFoundedHome venueHead coach
Amsterdam Tigers Amsterdam Jaap Edenhal (1500) Max Farrill
EC Bergkamener Bären Bergkamen 1982 Eissporthalle Bergkamen (500) Miriam Thimm
Eisbären Juniors Berlin Berlin 2017 Wellblechpalast (4,695) Philipp Richter
ERC Ingolstadt Ingolstadt 2012 Saturn Arena (4,815) Christian Sohlmann
Mad Dogs Mannheim Mannheim 2002 SAP Arena (13,600) Randall Karsten
ECDC Memmingen Memmingen 1989 Eissporthalle Memmingen (3,850) Waldemar Dietrich
ESC Planegg-Würmtal Planegg 1991 Eisstadion Miesbach (1,400) Viliam Smida

Championship record

Season Champion Second Third
Fraueneishockey-Endrunde
1983–84ESG EsslingenEC Bergkamener BärenESV Kaufbeuren
1984–85EHC Eisbären DüsseldorfEV FüssenESG Esslingen
1985–86EHC Eisbären DüsseldorfEC Bergkamener BärenEDM Köln
1986–87EHC Eisbären DüsseldorfESG EsslingenEV Füssen
1987–88Mannheimer ERC WildCatsEHC Eisbären DüsseldorfESG Esslingen
DFEL
1988–89EHC Eisbären DüsseldorfMannheimer ERC WildCatsESG Esslingen
1989–90Mannheimer ERC WildCatsEHC Eisbären DüsseldorfOSC Berlin
1990–91OSC BerlinEHC Eisbären DüsseldorfMannheimer ERC WildCats
1991–92Mannheimer ERC WildCatsNeusser ECEC Bergkamener Bären
1992–93Neusser ECMannheimer ERC WildCatsTuS Geretsried
1993–94TuS GeretsriedMannheimer ERC WildCatsNeusser EC
1994–95ESG EsslingenDEC Tigers KönigsbrunnTuS Geretsried
1995–96ESG EsslingenTuS WiehlTuS Geretsried
1996–97ESG EsslingenTuS WiehlGrefrather EC
1997–98ESG EsslingenMannheimer ERC WildCatsTuS Geretsried
1998–99Mannheimer ERC WildCatsTuS GeretsriedESC Planegg-Würmtal
1999–2000Mannheimer ERC WildCatsTuS GeretsriedTuS Wiehl
2000–01TV KornwestheimTuS GeretsriedEC Bergkamener Bären
2001–02TV KornwestheimSC RiesserseeOSC Berlin
2002–03TV KornwestheimOSC BerlinMannheimer ERC WildCats
2003–04TV KornwestheimOSC BerlinSC Riessersee
2004–05EC Bergkamener BärenTV KornwestheimOSC Berlin
2005–06OSC BerlinESC Planegg-WürmtalTV Kornwestheim
2006–07OSC BerlinESC Planegg-WürmtalSC Riessersee
2007–08ESC Planegg-WürmtalOSC BerlinSC Riessersee
2008–09OSC BerlinESC Planegg-WürmtalEC Bergkamener Bären
2009–10OSC BerlinESC Planegg-WürmtalEC Bergkamener Bären
2010–11ESC Planegg-WürmtalOSC BerlinEC Bergkamener Bären
2011–12ESC Planegg-WürmtalECDC MemmingenEC Bergkamener Bären
2012–13ESC Planegg-WürmtalECDC MemmingenOSC Berlin
2013–14ESC Planegg-WürmtalOSC BerlinECDC Memmingen
2014–15ESC Planegg-WürmtalECDC MemmingenERC Ingolstadt
2015–16ECDC MemmingenESC Planegg-WürmtalERC Ingolstadt
2016–17ESC Planegg-WürmtalERC IngolstadtECDC Memmingen
2017–18ECDC MemmingenESC Planegg-WürmtalERC Ingolstadt
2018–19ECDC MemmingenESC Planegg-Würmtalno bronze medal match held
2019–20 Finals between ECDC Memmingen and ESC Planegg-Würmtal cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemicno bronze medal match
2020–21ESC Planegg-WürmtalEisbären Juniors BerlinERC Ingolstadt
2021–22ERC IngolstadtECDC Memmingenno bronze medal match
2022–23ECDC MemmingenMad Dogs Mannheimno bronze medal match

Medal table

Team 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Total
ESC Planegg-Würmtal87116
OSC Berlin55414
Mannheimer ERC WildCats54211
ESG Esslingen5139
EHC Eisbären Düsseldorf4307
TV Kornwestheim4116
ECDC Memmingen44210
TuS Geretsried1348
EC Bergkamener Bären1258
ERC Ingolstadt1146
Neusser EC1113
TuS Wiehl0213
SC Riessersee0134
EV Füssen0112
DEC Tigers Königsbrunn0101
Eisbären Juniors Berlin0101
Mad Dogs Mannheim0101
ESV Kaufbeuren0011
Kölner EC0011
Grefrather EC0011

German Women's Cup

Beginning in the 2001–02 season, the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) organized an annual tournament called the DEB Women's Cup (German: DEB-Pokal der Frauen), which would be played over several days at the end of the DFEL season. It featured the top four or six teams from the most recent DFEL season, divided into two groups of two or three teams each. The tournament has not been held since 2018.

Record
Season Champion Finalist
2001–02Grefrather ECEHC Memmingen
2002–03WSV BraunlageERC Sonthofen
2003–04Grefrather ECECDC Memmingen
2004–05Grefrather ECESC Planegg-Würmtal
2005–06EC Bergkamener BärenECDC Memmingen
2006–07EC Bergkamener BärenESC Planegg/Würmtal
2007–08OSC BerlinHamburger SV
2008–09OSC BerlinECDC Memmingen
2009–10ESC Planegg-WürmtalOSC Berlin
2010–11OSC BerlinESC Planegg-Würmtal
2011–12ESC Planegg-WürmtalOSC Berlin
2012–13ECDC MemmingenESC Planegg-Würmtal
2013–14OSC BerlinESC Planegg-Würmtal
2014–15ESC Planegg-WürmtalERC Ingolstadt
2015–16ECDC MemmingenESC Planegg-Würmtal
2016–17ECDC MemmingenESC Planegg-Würmtal
2017–18ECDC MemmingenERC Ingolstadt

See also

References

  1. ↑ "DEB gibt Rahmentermine von Oberliga, Frauen-Bundesliga und Nachwuchs bekannt" (in German). Deutscher Eishockey Bund. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  2. ↑ "DEB-Ligen: Bewerbungsfrist für die Zulassung zur Teilnahme am Spielbetrieb in der DFEL und den Oberligen Nord und Süd abgelaufen". Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (in German). 7 June 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  3. ↑ "ECDC Memmingen Indians sichern sich Hauptrundentitel". Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (in German). 20 February 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Spieltermine der DFEL Saison 2022/2023 mit Pokalwettbewerb stehen fest". Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (in German). 2 August 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  5. ↑ "Frauen Bundesliga – Saison 2022/23, Playoffs". Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (in German). 18 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "DFEL: ECDC Memmingen Frauen sichern sich Meisterschaftstitel". Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (in German). 18 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  7. ↑ "Amsterdam Tigers steigen ein – Fraueneishockey-Liga startet mit sieben Teams in die neue Saison 2023/24". Eishockey NEWS (in German). 31 July 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  8. ↑ "Frauen Bundesliga > Spielplan > Saison 2023/24, Hauptrunde". Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (in German). 31 July 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
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