The 1994–95 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season was the inaugural season of the (German Ice Hockey League). The (Cologne Sharks) won the first DEL season to become German Champions.

The first season 1994–95 started with 18 teams, twelve from the old 1st Bundesliga, six from the 2nd Bundesliga.

The new league immediately attracted corporate sponsorship with the Krombacher Brewery featuring a prominent spot on the league logo.

Regular season In the main round the 18 teams played a home-and-away schedule and, in regional groups, a second single round. After this, the play-off round of the last sixteen in the mode best of seven took place . The semi-finals and final were played in the mode best of five. The hope to be able to avoid the troubles of the old Bundesliga by stricter financial controls did not materialise in the first season. EC Hedos München, the Bundesliga's last champion, now renamed Maddogs Munich, folded on 18 December 1994.

Team GP Win Tie Lost OTL GF:GA Points 1.BSC Preussen 4433083 228:127 69 2.EV Landshut 4431382 187:98 67 3.Adler Mannheim 4429690164:10864 4.Krefelder EV 44293102203:12763 5.Düsseldorfer EG44294101196:12863 6.Kölner Haie44282122185:12560 7.Kassel Huskies44224171145:13848 8.SB Rosenheim44207161131:12448 9.Schwenninger ERC Wild Wings44187172174:1484510.Frankfurt Lions44165221110:1403811.Kaufbeurer Adler44127214138:1813512.EHC 80 Nürnberg44119231151:1873213.Augsburger Panther44127250137:1893114.EC Hannover44134261120:1773115.ESG Sachsen Weißwasser448527489:1822516.Ratinger Löwen4495291102:2142417.EHC Eisbären Berlin44102320136:2292218.Maddogs München folded GP = Games played; OTL = Overtime Loss; GF:GA = Goals for and against Color code: = Direct Playoff qualification, = Playoff qualification round, = No playoff

Playoffs Since 16 teams qualified for the playoffs, and Maddogs München folded, only Eisbären Berlin did not participate. The first two rounds were played as a best-of-seven, and the semifinals and finals as a best-of-five.

First round Game 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BSC Preussen – Ratinger Löwen 4:0 4:0 9:2 4:3 4:1 – – – EV Landshut – ESG Sachsen Weißwasser 4:0 5:1 5:2 4:1 7:3 – – – Adler Mannheim – EC Hannover 4:1 8:2 6:1 2:4 6:1 8:4 – – Krefelder EV – Augsburger EV 4:1 6:2 2:3 9:8 SO 7:6 5:2 – – Düsseldorfer EG – EHC 80 Nürnberg 4:1 7:1 5:0 2:4 4:2 9:0 – – Kölner Haie – Kaufbeurer Adler 4:0 5:1 4:3 5:1 8:2 – – – Kassel Huskies – Frankfurt Lions 4:1 6:5 4:3 2:5 5:3 2:1 OT – – Starbulls Rosenheim – Schwenninger ERC Wild Wings 3:4 2:0 3:8 2:6 5:2 4:3 n.V. 3:6 5:6 OT OT = Overtime; SO = Shootout

Quarterfinals Game 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BSC Preussen - Schwenninger ERC Wild Wings 4:0 5:1 4:1 3:2 OT 8:3 – – – EV Landshut - Kassel Huskies 4:0 4:3 6:3 6:3 11:4 – – – Adler Mannheim - Kölner Haie 1:4 3:4 2:3 5:3 2:7 0:6 – – Krefelder EV - Düsseldorfer EG 4:1 1:0 5:4 OT 3:9 5:3 4:1 – – OT = Overtime; SO = Shootout

Semifinals Game 1 2 3 4 5 BSC Preussen - Kölner Haie 1:3 3:1 2:5 1:5 0:3 – EV Landshut - Krefelder EV 3:2 3:4 OT 2:5 6:2 3:2 5:0 OT = Overtime; SO = Shootout

Finals Game 1 2 3 4 5 EV Landshut(L) - Kölner Haie 2:3 (L) 4:3 (3:0, 0:2, 1:1) 1:5 (1:3, 0:2, 0:0) (L) 4:1 (1:0, 2:1, 1:0) 2:8 (2:2, 0:4, 0:2) (L) 0:4 (0:0, 0:0, 0:4) OT = Overtime; SO = Shootout

With the last game, the Kölner Haie became the first DEL Champion and German Champions for the 7th time in the club history.

References