DEL: Playoffs?

[feitur]

How is the league set up?
Are there playoffs?
The first 8 teams?

I couldn't find any information on their website.

Click to read more...

 

[croAVSfan*]

How is the league set up?
Are there playoffs?
The first 8 teams?

I couldn't find any information on their website.

First 6 are automatically qualified for 1/4. 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th are playing best of three series and winners goes to quarterfinal where first 6 teams are waiting

 

[Sanderson]

The league consists of 14 teams that play each other four times for a total of 52 games. The first six teams make the playoffs, while 7-10 have to play a short round of pre-playoffs to determine the other two teams, with the 7th seed facing the 10th and the 8th facing the 9th seed.

Once that is done, it's business as usual, with the highest seed playing the lowest seed. So if the 7th and 8th seed win in the pre-playoffs, it's 1st against 8th, 2nd against 7th, 3rd against 6th and 4th against 5th.

edit: that took a bit too long

 

[feitur]

great, then I will cross my fingers that Eisbären will make it to the playoffs.
I am doing an Erasmus year in Berlin, and last week I just realized that the season is almost over, ehh. I just want to see a game here

 

[feitur]

I really like this 7-10th place idea

 

[Sanderson]

Mhm, I'd say less than perfect timing to visit Berlin. They won seven out of the last nine championships, including the last three. This year is the first time where they have looked quite bad and struggle to make the playoffs

 

[Sealink]

@feitur: When will you be in Berlin?

Yes, the Eisbären are struggling this season. But if they can stay healthy now, one shouldn't write them off yet...

 

[Sanderson]

I'm not, I'm expecting them to bounce back significantly, especially with Zepp back. Doesn't change the fact that they aren't nearly what they used to be, and that Tomlinson isn't nearly as good a coach as Don Jackson was. Compared to the machine the team was over many years, this isn't quite as good to watch. Not that the experience wouldn't be worth it regardless

 

[feitur]

I've been here since September, and will be here until August.
I am planning to go to the match on friday, a romantic valentines date

 

[Sealink]

Have you been to the game?
If so: How did you like it?

 

[feitur]

I went to the match on the 14th, against the Ice Tigers.
it was a good game, I had a lot of fun.
But, what's the deal with giving up 3 goals in just 5 minutes or so at the end? it was getting pretty stressful in the end.

I really hope they will make the playoffs.

 

[Sealink]

Glad that you liked it.
The last minutes really weren't good. But that's somehow typical for the Eisbären at the moment. They seem not to be able to focus on the game for 60 minutes.

 

[KEC]

Berlin will be the Team to beat. Everybody's Talking about Hamburg and Cologne right now. Even i'm a big Kölner Haie Fan, i Must admit Cologne will not be able to Win a Best of Seven against Berlin. Hördler, Constantin Braun, Zepp, Christensen, Busch, Rankel, Tallackson, Olver, Sharrow, Baxmann (injured) that's the Sound of Playoffs. The Dynasty's far from over.
A Krefeld Pinguine Team in Euphoria could be the Big Upset this Time like they did. before in 2003. Iserlohn Seems to be moving into Playoffs red Hot. And if you're not Willing to skate and play hard and smart Wolfsburg's going to kick you out of Business before You even know it.
I'm eager to see Nürnbergs and Mannheims Playoff Performance

 

[KEC]

Iserlohn: coming in red Hot.

Krefeld: remember 2003? Upset's on Your Way

Ingolstadt: Why? Everything's above DEL Average, but the Team's not ready for Playoff Hockey

Hamburg : on a cold Streak right now - Since the Calgary Flames Announcement (inoff.) it seems David Wolfs lost his Scoring Touch and is only playing a half breed Goon

München: wild Style Offensive, Hot Powerplay, Good Goaltending, if Defense wins Championship, Munich won't win anything.

Nürnberg: enough Firepower, not the best Goaltending, not known to Play best Hockey when it really matters.

Mannheim: up and down, still trying to find their Playoff Hockey. No Way they're going to get the Cup this Time.

Cologne: the Season Plan was to get better from month to month Til the Team Goes Full Force into the Playoffs. Now the Plan must be to survive the First Round and Hope to find their Confidence.

Berlin: Awful Season so far. But who Cares. Now it's Playoff Time and everybody's ******** their pants playing against Eisbären.

Wolfsburg: if you're wanting to Beat them., outwork them, coz they're going to hurt you otherwise

 

[Wasserlasser]

I haven't seen a game so far but will see one by the end of this week. The only win I need to see when the Wild Wings beat the Adler

 

[Vicente]

The funny things about the playoffs is: Eisbären Berlin are as always favourites to win the championship.

Of course they have lost a lot more points than usual in the regular season and they often gave up games in a stupid way. But it also has something to do with motivation. In the past the situation was similar for Berlin when they were not focussing on the regular season too much but then won the title.

I can't see a single team yet that would beat Berlin in a Best-of-Seven series. And as it looks now Hamburg could play Berlin in the quarters already. If Berlin beat them they barely have any opposition left.

 

[Wasserlasser]

Please, do not let Hamburg win against anybody for anything. I will never hear the end of it at home...

 

[Sanderson]

I can't see a single team yet that would beat Berlin in a Best-of-Seven series. And as it looks now Hamburg could play Berlin in the quarters already. If Berlin beat them they barely have any opposition left.

I don't know about that. They wouldn't have made it out of the first round alive last year if it weren't for Hamburg losing Kotschnew right before and Flaake during the playoffs. This time around Berlin is even weaker. Not that it would be surprising if they made it to the finals again, they seem to have found their stride again, but they are hardly the team they used to be.

It's really hard to say who one should consider to be the favorite.

Hamburg has struggled a bit recently, the powerplay is atrocious and they tend to have games where they put in a whole lot of effort without getting anything out of it. Though when they do start to roll they are the best team in the league. It will be interesting to see how the loss of Wolf can be compensated. The Freezers are most efficient when they can role four good lines, which will be hard to do without Wolf.

The teams that follow in the remaining top six all seem to be rather equal, none of them is particularly hot going into the playoffs either. Berlin and Iserlohn had quite a good stretch lately, so upsets might very well be possible. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of difference between the playoff teams. And the one that does exist might be negated by the leading teams not faring well against a particular opponent.

 

[Maverick41]

The funny things about the playoffs is: Eisbären Berlin are as always favourites to win the championship.

Of course they have lost a lot more points than usual in the regular season and they often gave up games in a stupid way. But it also has something to do with motivation. In the past the situation was similar for Berlin when they were not focussing on the regular season too much but then won the title.

I can't see a single team yet that would beat Berlin in a Best-of-Seven series. And as it looks now Hamburg could play Berlin in the quarters already. If Berlin beat them they barely have any opposition left.

I agree with Sanderson. They are not the same team they were in the last few years.
However, if the other teams are afraid of them and show it, they could well go all the way again.
Which would be kind of sad for the league, since they are sort of rebuilding.
A few years back they brought along players like Busch, Rankel, Hördler, Baxmann, Weiss and Braun. Right now they are again bringing in a number of young players in Ziegler, Trivellato, Haase or Schlenker. Therefore they have not the depth of proven players they used to have.
I am still rooting for them, but I would not be too sad if a team like Köln or Krefeld would win it all.

 

[Vicente]

What many people seem to forget: last year Berlin lost 24 regular season games aswell. They had a very similar record as this year just that some more teams have a better record now. And they went on to win the championship.

Nobody would be more happy if they wouldn't make it (I support Kölner Haie and having Berlin win everything makes the league boring). But they are a danger until they are out.

 

[KEC]

Yeah I thought Berlin's lost a lot of Leadership over the last couple of seasons-after nearly every Championship Run the Team thinned out a bit more - Names like Pederson, Walker, Felski, Ustorf, Friesen, Sim, Regehr, Angell and many others. Ok some Guys had stepped up, but you never felt like they were fully replaced. Now the Leaders left got carried through a cold streak last Season by Briere and Giroux and came in red hot to crunch time. This Season the Team got hurt by serious Injuries. But now they seem to be coming in red hot again. For the next couple of Years if they want to remain a true Powerhouse, they must add Talent and Leadership again. Often it looks like the Franchise is running out of financial Support from AEG, despite the second highest Attendance in Europe over the last Years

 

[KEC]

Funny to see my Team (Kölner EC) doing everything which is been written in the Textbook how to win a Championship
1 Add Talent: Check (Ohmann, Zerressen, Riefers, Krupp jun.)
2 Add excellent Goaltending : Check (Aus den Birken)
3 Add Experience: Check (Ludemann, Sturm the last Year, Tripp, Tjarnqvist)
4 Add winning mentality : Check (Holmqvist, Tjarnqvist, Hannula, Krupp, Ruotselainen ...)
5 Add a solid Coaching Stuff: Check (Krupp, Ruotselainen)
6 Add Frame: Check (Marcel Müller, Tripp, Stephens, Ankert, Mo Müller)
7 Add secondary Scoring : Check (Weiss, Ticar, Ohmann, Falk)
8 Add pure Scorers : Check (Minard, Müller, Sturm the last Year, maybe Hannula this Year)
9 Add Special Team: Check (Holmqvist)
10 Add Role Players : Check (Ankert, Kranjc, Hagos ...)
11 Add Faceoff Talent: Check (Falk)
12 Add funny guys: Check (a few)
And still it seems this doesn't get the Job done

I think like 4-5 years back from now they'd crushed the DEL

 

[Salzig]

Funny to see my Team (Kölner EC) doing everything which is been written in the Textbook how to win a Championship
1 Add Talent: Check (Ohmann, Zerressen, Riefers, Krupp jun.)
2 Add excellent Goaltending : Check (Aus den Birken)
3 Add Experience: Check (Ludemann, Sturm the last Year, Tripp, Tjarnqvist)
4 Add winning mentality : Check (Holmqvist, Tjarnqvist, Hannula, Krupp, Ruotselainen ...)
5 Add a solid Coaching Stuff: Check (Krupp, Ruotselainen)
6 Add Frame: Check (Marcel Müller, Tripp, Stephens, Ankert, Mo Müller)
7 Add secondary Scoring : Check (Weiss, Ticar, Ohmann, Falk)
8 Add pure Scorers : Check (Minard, Müller, Sturm the last Year, maybe Hannula this Year)
9 Add Special Team: Check (Holmqvist)
10 Add Role Players : Check (Ankert, Kranjc, Hagos ...)
11 Add Faceoff Talent: Check (Falk)
12 Add funny guys: Check (a few)
And still it seems this doesn't get the Job done

I think like 4-5 years back from now they'd crushed the DEL

Well I guess every team has that kind of mix on their roster, especially Hamburg and Mannheim. It's just how the league is constructed (i.e. limited roster spots for foreigners). The only reason Cologne has improved over the last years (and actually it was just a big jump from the 2011/12 to the 2012/13 season) is money. In the years before 2012 there was simply no money to sign players like Falk, Tjärnqvist, Holmqvist or Minard. Additionally Uwe Krupp's got a good name in German hockey, that's why young players decide to come to Cologne (e.g. Schmölz, Zerressen). But if the "Gesellschafter" (I can't think of any equal English term) decide to cut the budget, we'll be back in the no-man's-land of the DEL very soon.

 

[Melphiz]

I haven't seen a game so far but will see one by the end of this week. The only win I need to see when the Wild Wings beat the Adler

So close, buddy. 3:2 and then it turned in the last minute.

 

[KEC]

KEC vs MERC and Other PO Predictions

Best of Seven:
Mannheim 2 - Cologne 4 (Hey Mannheim we're gonna kick U out!!!)
Nürnberg 4 - Wolfsburg 3

Best of Three:
Eisbären 2 - Ingolstadt 0
Munich 2 - Iserlohn 1

If Berlin Beats Ingolstadt 2-0 as I predicted, they're going to become the Most likely Team to Win Lord Tripckes Cup