European Women's Hockey League

European Women's Hockey League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024–25 EWHL season
FormerlyElite Women's Hockey League, 2005–2019
SportIce hockey
Founded2004; 20 years ago (2004)
FounderInternational Ice Hockey Federation
First season2004–05
DirectorHungarian Ice Hockey Federation
PresidentMartin Kogler
No. of teams11
CountriesAustria, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, Slovakia
HeadquartersGöstingerstraße 111
Graz, Austria
Most recent
champion(s)		Slovakia HC ŠKP Bratislava
(2023–24)
Most titlesAustria EHV Sabres (6)
Sponsor(s)Tippmix
International cup(s)EWHL Super Cup
Official websiteOfficial website

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.

History

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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]

In March 2023, a group of eighteen players founded the European Women's Hockey League Players' Association (EWHLPA). The organization's driving purpose is to address players' concerns and advocate for changes on players' behalf, while also playing an active role in the development of the league.[6]

Teams

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2024–25 season

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Team name Location Home venue Head coach
Aisulu Almaty Kazakhstan Almaty Baluan Sholak Sports Palace Alexander Maltsev
Budapest Jégkorong Akadémia Hungary Budapest Tüskesátor Norbert Zaka
DEC Salzburg Eagles Austria Salzburg Eisarena Salzburg Eva-Maria Verworner
EC Graz Huskies[7] Austria Graz Merkur Eisstadion Paul Mocher
EVB Eagles Südtirol Italy Bolzano PalaOnda Stefano Daprà
HK PSRŽ Bratislava Slovakia Bratislava Zimný štadión Vladimíra Dzurillu (Ružinov) Miroslav Mosnár
Lakers Kärnten Austria Villach Heidi Horten-Arena (Klagenfurt) Günther Ropatsch
MAC Budapest Hungary Budapest Kisstadion Zoltán Fodor
Metropolia Silesia Poland Katowice OSIR Bytom (Bytom) Zbigniew Wrobel
Neuburg Highlanders Austria Neuberg an der Mürz Eishalle Kapfenberg (Kapfenberg) David Picka
SKN Sabres St. Pölten Austria Sankt Pölten Sportzentrum NÖ [de] Stephan Brozovsky

Source: ÖEHV[8]

Former teams

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Championship

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

Source: [9][10]

Medals (Clubs)

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Club 1st place, gold medalist(s) Gold 2nd place, silver medalist(s) Silver 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Bronze Medals
1 Austria EHV Sabres 6 2 4 12
2 Slovakia ŠKP Bratislava[a] 3 2 3 8
3 Hungary Hokiklub Budapest[b] 5 1 1 7
4 Italy EVB Eagles Südtirol[c] 2 2 1 5
5 Czech Republic Slavia Praha 2 0 0 2
6 Germany ESC Planegg 1 0 2 3
7 Belarus HK Pantera Minsk 1 0 1 2
8 Austria DEC Salzburg Eagles[d] 0 5 2 7
9 Hungary MAC Budapest 0 2 2 4
9 Slovenia HK Terme Maribor 0 2 1 3
10 Kazakhstan Aisulu Almaty 0 1 2 3
11 Germany OSC Berlin 0 1 0 1
11 Austria Neuburg Highlanders 0 1 0 1
12 Italy HC Eagles Bolzano 0 0 1 1
12 Italy HC Agordo 0 0 1 1
  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)

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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

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References

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  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. ^ Kennedy, Ian (17 August 2023). "EWHL Members Form Players' Association". The Hockey News. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  7. ^ O'Brien, Derek (9 November 2023). "Barbier bringing her knowledge to the next generation". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  8. ^ "European Women's Hockey League: 2023/24 Tabelle". Austrian Ice Hockey Association (in German). Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  9. ^ "EWHL League Champion 2022-23: Hokiklub Budapest". European Women's Hockey League. 27 March 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  10. ^ "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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