The Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) launches its 33rd season on Thursday, kicking off a campaign defined by surging attendance figures, high-profile club returns, and an upcoming national team showcase on home ice. Title-holders Eisbären Berlin open the schedule against the Straubing Tigers at 19.30 local time (17:30 UTC) on MagentaSport, preceded by a traditional championship banner-raising ceremony celebrating the club’s twelfth league title.
According to league data, the DEL enters the new season with top values in attendance and revenue. Total attendance reached 3,21 million spectators across the previous campaign, maintaining the league’s standing as the most-visited sports competition in Germany behind professional soccer. Total revenue rose by three million euros to 198 million euros, with leadership targeting the 200-million-euro threshold.
Krefeld Pinguine Return to the Top Flight
The 33rd DEL season welcomes back a traditional name as the Krefeld Pinguine return to the top division for the first time since their relegation in 2022. Coached by Thomas Popiesch, the founding DEL club and 2003 champions secured promotion to rejoin the elite tier. “Ich bin mir ziemlich sicher, dass sie eine gute Rolle spielen und mithalten können,” Tripcke stated regarding the promoted side. Anticipation in North Rhine-Westphalia is high, with Krefeld’s opening match on Friday at 19.30 local time (17:30 UTC) against the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven already sold out on MagentaSport. Conversely, the Dresdner Eislöwen returned directly to the DEL2 following their 2025 promotion.
World Championship Focus and NHL Scheduling Friction
Calendar adjustments shape the current domestic schedule. The league will not stage an outdoor Winter Game this season, ceding the winter spectacle space to the upcoming Ice Hockey World Championship, which opens its tournament at the football arena on Schalke with an expected crowd of numerous fans. Tripcke noted that league arenas will use the domestic tournament to build public momentum, promising to “den Appetit auf WM steigern.”
Simultaneously, two regular-season NHL games between the Ottawa Senators—featuring German forward Tim Stützle—and the Chicago Blackhawks, scheduled for December 18 and 20 in Düsseldorf, have drawn mixed reactions. While fans anticipate elite North American play, league administration criticized the coordination. Tripcke publicly objected that the fixtures were announced in isolation without prior consultation with participating clubs, the DEL, or the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund (DEB).
Chasing History: Title Contenders and Coaching Changes
Eisbären Berlin enter the campaign pursuing a historic milestone: no DEL team has ever captured four consecutive championships. However, the capital club navigates its title defense following a major coaching departure. After securing a championship hat-trick, head coach Serge Aubin left the organization for SC Bern in Switzerland. The club appointed 56-year-old Canadian Eric Dubois, formerly an assistant coach with league rival ERC Ingolstadt, as his successor.
Despite Berlin’s recent dominance, rival coaches point elsewhere for the primary favorite. In a preseason survey conducted by the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, only Straubing head coach Craig Woodcroft designated the Eisbären as his primary choice for the championship. The majority of DEL head coaches instead tabbed the Adler Mannheim as the team to beat, following Mannheim’s 1-4 defeat to Berlin in the previous championship series. Alongside Mannheim, the EHC Red Bull München—featuring former NHL forward and national team player Dominik Kahun—and the Kölner Haie are projected to contend near the top of the standings. Cologne enters the season under new Swedish head coach Thomas Berglund, bolstered by high-profile additions Marcel Noebels from Berlin and Daniel Fischbuch from Iserlohn following strong showings in the Champions Hockey League.
Individual Milestones and Broadcast Details
Individual records stand to fall during the regular season. Kölner Haie captain Müller enters the campaign with numerous career appearances, leaving him just 18 games shy of surpassing club legend Mirko Lüdemann’s all-time record of matches. Assuming standard availability, Müller could eclipse the milestone as early as November 20 during an away fixture in Munich.
Broadcasting coverage remains split between subscription and free-to-air platforms. MagentaSport broadcasts all 364 regular-season fixtures alongside the complete playoff schedule live. In free-to-air television, broadcaster DF1 airs one selected Sunday fixture live at 16.30 local time (14:30 UTC).
Action resumes Thursday evening as Berlin hosts Straubing to officially open the 2025–26 DEL campaign.
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