Austria women's ice hockey Bundesliga

Austria women's ice hockey Bundesliga
Sport Ice Hockey
Founded 1998
Country  Austria
Official website http://www.dameneishockey.org

The Austria women's ice hockey Bundesliga (German: Dameneishockey-Bundesliga or DEBL) is the upper league in Women's ice hockey in Austria. It is organized by the Österreichischer Eishockeyverband. Austria had 652 female players in 2013.[1]

History

Founded in 1998, the league uses a format of home and away matches. In the 2004–05 season, the best Austrian teams additionally also competed in the international Elite Women's Hockey League (EWHL). From the following season onward, the top teams only played in the EWHL, making the Bundesliga in a sense the second-level league of Austrian Women's ice hockey. As a result, the title of Austrian champion is decided in a separate tournament titled Staatsmeisterschaft (National Championship), featuring the three teams that play in the EWHL and the top DEBL team. Exceptions were the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons where EWHL clubs were the only competing teams. Since 2008, following the example of the Austrian men's ice hockey league, the DEBL has also featured teams from neighbouring Slovenia.

2010–11 Season

Format

The six teams of the DEBL are assembled into one division. The teams play each other three times a year.

The top DEBL team qualifies for the Staatsmeisterschaft where it meets the three Austrian teams from the EWHL. The tournament uses a home- and away-game format. The two top teams contest the final, using a best-of-three format. The better-placed team has the right to contest the first game in its home ground. The other two teams contest the third-place play-off, also using a best-of-three format.[2]

Teams
Dameneishockey-Bundesliga
  • DEC Dragons Klagenfurt
  • Neuberg Highlanders
  • EHV Sabres Vienna 2
  • Gipsy Girls Villach
  • HK Celeia Slovenia
  • HK Merkur Triglav Kranj Slovenia
 Staatsmeisterschaft
  • DEC Salzburg Eagles
  • EHC Vienna Flyers
  • EHV Sabres Vienna
  • Neuberg Highlanders, DEBL league champion

Championship record

Season by season
Season Staatsmeisterschaft Dameneishockey-Bundesliga
1998-99 Gipsy Girls Villach
1999-00 Gipsy Girls Villach
2000-01 EHC Vienna Flyers
2001-02 EHV Sabres Vienna
2002-03 EHV Sabres Vienna
2003-04 EHV Sabres Vienna
2004-05 EHV Sabres Vienna
2005-06 EC The Ravens Salzburg Red Angels Innsbruck
2006-07 EHV Sabres Vienna Gipsy Girls Villach
2007-08 EHV Sabres Vienna DEC Dragons Klagenfurt
2008-09 EC The Ravens Salzburg HK Merkur Triglav Kranj Template:SLO-d
2009-10 EHV Sabres Vienna SPG Kitzbühel/Salzburg
2010-11 EHV Sabres Vienna [3] Neuberg Highlanders
2011-12 --- Neuberg Highlanders
Leading teams
Team Titles
1 EHV Sabres Vienna 7
2 EC The Ravens Salzburg 2
- Gipsy Girls Villach 2
4 EHC Vienna Flyers 1

DEBL II

In 2004, due to the increasing number of teams, a second division titled DEBL II was created. There was no matchplay in this league in the 2007–08 and 2008–09 seasons.

The team that finishes at the bottom of the DEBL league table at the end of the season meets the top team of the DEBL II over a best-of-three series. The winner of that contest then plays in the DEBL during the next season, while the loser is relegated to the second DEBL.[4]

Team Club for season 2011–12

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Regular season champions
Season Champion
2004-05 Kundl Crocodiles
2005-06 EHV Sabres Vienna 2
2006-07 EC The Ravens Salzburg 2
2009-10 FTC Eagles Budapest  Hungary
2010-11 EC "Die Adler" Kitzbühel
2011-12 ---

See also

References

  1. ↑ IIHF, http://www.iihf.com/iihf-home/countries/austria.html
  2. ↑ (German) "Staatsmeisterschaft – Austragungsmodus" (description of championship format), ÖEHV Women"s Ice Hockey website
  3. ↑ Life the Dream, Kiira Dosdall and the Vienna Sabres Capture Gold, http://www.womenshockeylife.com/blogs_view_dsp.cfm?BlogId=266&CatId=6 , April 12, 2011.
  4. ↑ (German) "DEBL II – Austragungsmodus" (description of 2nd league format), ÖEHV Women"s Ice Hockey website

External links