European Women's Hockey League

The European Women's Hockey League, abbreviated EWHL, is an international ice hockey league. Created as the Elite Women's Hockey League in 2004 by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the EWHL comprises clubs from several countries in Central Europe and one team from Kazakhstan, and is played in parallel to national championships.

European Women's Hockey League
Most recent season or competition:
2023–24 EWHL season
FormerlyElite Women's Hockey League, 2005–2019
SportIce hockey
Founded2004 (2004)
FounderInternational Ice Hockey Federation
First season2004–05
DirectorHungarian Ice Hockey Federation
PresidentMartin Kogler
No. of teams12
CountriesAustria, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, Slovakia
HeadquartersGöstingerstraße 111
Graz, Austria
Most recent
champion(s)		 HC ŠKP Bratislava
(2023–24)
Most titles EHV Sabres (6)
Sponsor(s)Tippmix
International cup(s)EWHL Super Cup
Official websiteOfficial website

History

The EWHL was created in 2004 on the same principle as the men's ice hockey Interliga. For its first season, the EWHL featured teams from Austria, Hungary, Italy and Slovenia. Teams from additional countries joined the league during the following seasons, including HC Slovan Bratislava from Slovakia in 2005, KHL Grič Zagreb from Croatia in 2006, and HC Slavia Praha from the Czech Republic in 2007. In the 2008–09 season, the Italian and Hungarian teams gave way to two clubs from Germany, OSC Berlin and ESC Planegg. During the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons, the Netherlands national team participated in the EWHL.[1]

Before the 2019–20 season, the Elite Women's Hockey League was renamed, becoming the European Women's Hockey League to reflect its unique position within European women's ice hockey.[2] Also, the Polish women's national team joined the league in 2019, playing as the Silesia Brackens and later under the name Silesian Metropolis Katowice.[3] The Hungarian team KMH Budapest rejoined the league, and MAC Budapest was added.

The EWHL is mostly played in a championship format with home and away matches, with the exception of the 2005–06 season where the teams were distributed in two regional divisions followed by qualifying rounds. For the 2010–11 season, the regular season was followed by a play-off between the four teams at the top of the league table.

Though they joined the league in the 2015–16 season, Kazakh team Aisulu Almaty has played only two EWHL games from their home arena, Baluan Sholak Sports Palace in Almaty, due to the significant travel distance. The 2019–20 season provided the first opportunity for Aisulu to play EWHL matches in front of a home crowd, when they hosted the EHV Sabres for a two game series during 19–20 October 2019.[4]

Since the 2019–20 season, the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation has overseen the league. The league president is Martin Kogler.[5]

Teams

2023–24 season
Team nameLocationHome venueHead coach
Aisulu Almaty Almaty Baluan Sholak Sports Palace Alexander Maltsev
Budapest Jégkorong Akadémia Budapest Tüskesátor Zoltán Fodor
DEC Salzburg Eagles Salzburg Eisarena Salzburg Eva-Maria Verworner
EC Graz Huskies[6] Graz Merkur Eisstadion Paul Mocher
EVB Eagles Südtirol Bolzano PalaOnda Stefano Daprà
HC ŠKP Bratislava Bratislava Zimný štadión Vladimíra Dzurillu (Ružinov) Miroslav Mosnár
Hokiklub Budapest Budapest Tüskesátor Levente Szilágyi
KEHV Lakers Villach Heidi Horten-Arena (Klagenfurt) Günther Ropatsch
KSV Neuburg Highlanders Neuberg an der Mürz Eishalle Kapfenberg (Kapfenberg) Philipp Holper
MAC Budapest Budapest Kisstadion Andrea Kiss
SKN Sabres St. Pölten Sankt Pölten Sportzentrum NÖ Stephan Brozovsky
TAURON Metropolia Silesia Katowice OSIR Bytom (Bytom) Zbigniew Wrobel

Source: ÖEHV[7]

Former teams

Championship
# Years Gold Silver Bronze No. of teams
1 2004 EHV Sabres HK Terme Maribor HC Agordo 8
2 2005–06 HC Slovan Bratislava HK Terme Maribor HC Eagles Bolzano 11
3 2006–07 HC Slovan Bratislava The Ravens Salzburg HK Terme Maribor 12
4 2007–08 Slavia Praha The Ravens Salzburg EHV Sabres 11
5 2008–09 Slavia Praha OSC Berlin ESC Planegg 8
6 2009–10 ESC Planegg The Ravens Salzburg EHV Sabres 6
7 2010–11 EHV Sabres Slovan Bratislava ESC Planegg 8
8 2011–12 EHV Sabres Slovan Bratislava HK Pantera Minsk 6
9 2012–13 HK Pantera Minsk EHV Sabres Salzburg Eagles 6
10 2013–14 EV Bozen Eagles Neuberg Highlanders EHV Sabres 7
11 2014–15 EHV Sabres EV Bozen Eagles Salzburg Eagles 6
12 2015–16 EHV Sabres Salzburg Eagles Aisulu Almaty 7
13 2016–17 EV Bozen Eagles DEC Salzburg Eagles HC ŠKP Bratislava 8
14 2017–18 EHV Sabres EV Bozen Eagles KMH Budapest 8
15 2018–19 KMH Budapest EHV Sabres EVB Eagles Südtirol 9
16 2019–20 KMH Budapest MAC Budapest Aisulu Almaty 10
17 2020–21 KMH Budapest EHV Sabres HC ŠKP Bratislava 9
18 2021–22 KMH Budapest Aisulu Almaty EHV Sabres 11
19 2022–23 Hokiklub Budapest MAC Budapest HC ŠKP Bratislava 10
20 2023–24 HC ŠKP Bratislava Hokiklub Budapest MAC Budapest 12

Source: [8][9]

Medals (Clubs)
Club Gold Silver Bronze Medals
1 EHV Sabres62412
2 ŠKP Bratislava[lower-alpha 1]3238
3 Hokiklub Budapest[lower-alpha 2]5117
4 EVB Eagles Südtirol[lower-alpha 3]2215
5 Slavia Praha2002
6 ESC Planegg1023
7 HK Pantera Minsk1012
8 DEC Salzburg Eagles[lower-alpha 4]0527
9 MAC Budapest0224
9 HK Terme Maribor0213
10 Aisulu Almaty0123
11 OSC Berlin0101
11 Neuburg Highlanders0101
12 HC Eagles Bolzano0011
12 HC Agordo0011
  1. Includes record as Slovan Bratislava
  2. Includes record as KMH Budapest
  3. Includes record as EV Bozen Eagles
  4. Includes record as Ravens Salzburg/The Ravens Salzburg

Medals (Nations)
RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Austria69621
2 Hungary53210
3 Slovakia3238
4 Italy2237
5 Czech Republic2002
6 Germany1124
7 Belarus1012
8 Slovenia0213
9 Kazakhstan0123
Totals (9 entries)20202060

See also

References
  1. The Netherlands wishing to offer more competitive matches to their top Women players. Source: EWHL Website
  2. "EWHL-Premiere in Sterzing". EV Bozen Hockey Academy (in German). 8 September 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  3. Krzywicki, Benjamin (27 June 2019). "Three Polish National Teams to Play In Foreign Leagues". Polish Puck. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  4. Manninen, Henrik (19 October 2019). "EWHL goes to Central Asia". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
  5. "EWHL to move under the HIHF". visegradhockey.hu. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  6. O'Brien, Derek (9 November 2023). "Barbier bringing her knowledge to the next generation". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  7. "European Women's Hockey League: 2023/24 Tabelle". Austrian Ice Hockey Association (in German). Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  8. "EWHL League Champion 2022-23: Hokiklub Budapest". European Women's Hockey League. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  9. "EWHL League Champion 2023-24: HC SKP Bratislava". European Women's Hockey League (in English and German). 16 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
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