The Superisligaen, known as the Metal Ligaen for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Denmark. The league consists of 9 professional teams.
Teams from the Superisligaen can participate in the IIHF's annual Champions Hockey League (CHL), competing for the European Trophy. Participation is based on the strength of the various leagues in Europe (excluding the European/Asian Kontinental Hockey League). Going into the 2022–23 CHL season, the Superisligaen was ranked the No. 13 league in Europe, allowing them to send their top team to compete in the CHL.
History The Danish ice hockey league has become a springboard for foreign players and a place to start their European careers, before traveling to other bigger leagues such as the Swedish Hockey League or DEL. The teams rely mostly on foreign talent, but there are still a lot of skilled professional Danish players. Mostly the older Danish players are full-time professional. Most younger players are semi-professional because of the tight economy in Danish hockey, and most of the money is spent on more talented foreign players.
In the past, the league has consisted of as many as 10 teams. Despite the introduction of a salary cap as well as a limit to the number of import players allowed, several teams have struggled financially in recent years. As a result, the Herlev Hornets and the Rungsted Cobras have withdrawn from the league, reducing the number of active teams from ten to eight. Teams from the second-tier league were offered the empty spots, but no team were able to accept the offer, citing financial issues as their main concern.
On 9 January 2015 TV2 Sport debuted as a new sports channel on Danish TV. Same day, HockeyNight also aired for the first time, with a match between Odense Bulldogs and Rungsted. Since 2015 TV2 Sport has been the place to watch icehockey and other sports.
On 18 June 2016, it was made clear that the foreign player limit of eight was against EU law and was therefore removed. The 2016–17 season was the first time, since 2009, that a Danish ice hockey team could have an unlimited number of foreign players. The salary cap was created to regulate the league, and was 6 million DKK for the 2016–17 season.
On 3 June 2017, Metal Ligaen was expanded once again, to an historic number of 11 teams. Hvidovre Fighters, who had previously left the league in 2013 because of bankruptcy, got their submitted papers approved, making them the 11th team of the 2017–18 season.
League format The league consists of 9 teams. The latest expansion was in 2014, when Gentofte Stars joined the league after being relegated in 1999. The league format has changed many times. The current structure was implemented in the 2011–12 season. Often it is changed depending on how many teams are represented in the league. There has never been more than 10 teams in the Danish ice hockey league, making it a fairly small league compared to other leagues in Europe.
The Danish hockey league is structured so that the teams meet five times, making the seasons after 2014 45 games long. The season typically starts in September and ends in February. The top eight teams of the regular season make the playoffs. First place gets to pick who they want to play in the quarterfinals. second place picks next and so on. The Metal Ligaen playoffs consists of three rounds: quarterfinals, semifinals, and the finals. The winner will raise The Prince Henrik's Cup.
As of the 2017–18 Metal Ligaen expansion, the Metal Ligaen regular season was extended from 45 games to a historic 50 games. The playoff format was also changed, where previously the top 8 teams made the playoffs. Now the top 6 teams advanced directly to the quarter-finals and teams ranking from 7 to 10 play for the last two wildcard spots.
Metal Cup
The Metal Cup is a tournament held every year. It consists of 12 teams, where all Metal Ligaen teams are represented. Two teams from the 1.division are also represented. The top 4 teams the year before will go straight to the quarter-finals. The 8 other teams will by draw be divided into 4 groups each one of them with a letter from A to D. 4 teams will advance on from first round to the quarter-finals. In the quarter-finals, the last season's champions will play the winner of group A, the second-placed winner of group B and so on. Games in the quarter-finals and semi-finals consists of two games. The winner of the tournament will receive the Metal Cup.
In 2017, the Metal Cup format was changed. Because of Hvidovre Fighters joining the league, the format would now only consist of teams from the Metal Ligaen and, instead of a playout format, the top 4 teams after 20 regular season games would be invited to a final four tournament.
Names and sponsorship The Danish Ice Hockey Union officially recognizes the league as the Superisligaen. Through the years, the naming rights of the league has been leased to a series of sponsors, resulting in numerous name changes.
Period Name Sponsor 1960–1998 Superisligaen none 1998–2001 Codan Ligaen Codan A/S 1998–2002 Sanistål Ligaen Sanistål A/S 2002–2004 SuperBest Ligaen SuperBest 2004–2007 Oddset Ligaen Danske Spil 2007–2013 AL-Bank Ligaen Arbejdernes Landsbank 2013–2014(half-season) Superisligaen none 2014– Metal Ligaen Danish Union of Metalworkers
Teams
+ Team City Founded ArenaCapacityOpened Aalborg Pirates Aalborg 1967 Sparekassen Danmark Isarena50002007 Esbjerg Energy Esbjerg 1964 Granly Hockey Arena42001976 Frederikshavn White Hawks Frederikshavn 1964 Nordjyske Bank Arena40002015 Herning Blue Fox Herning 1947 KVIK Hockey Arena41001988 Herlev Eagles Herlev 1968 PM Montage Arena17401977 Odense Bulldogs Odense 1978 Spar Nord Arena32801999 Rungsted Seier Capital Rungsted 1941 Concordium Arena24601971 Rødovre Mighty Bulls Rødovre 1964 Holger Danske Arena36001995 SønderjyskE Ishockey Vojens 1963 Sydjysk Sparekasse Arena50002011
Notable players List of notable players who have played in the Danish ice hockey league.
Frederik Andersen Valeri Bragin (USSR) Robert Burakovsky (Sweden) Jannik Hansen Morten Madsen Frans Nielsen Peter Regin Kent Simpson (Canada) Juha Riihijärvi (Finland) Colin Greening (Canada) Petri Skriko (Finland) Todd Simpson (Canada) Kim Staal Kirill Starkov Oliver Bjorkstrand
Danish Champions
SeasonWinnerFinalistBronzeCup Champion1954–55 Rungsted IK KSF København Silkeborgnot yet played1955–56 KSF København Rungsted IK not playednot yet played1956–57 not played not played not playednot yet played1957–58 not played not played not playednot yet played1958–59 not played not played not playednot yet played1959–60 KSF København Rungsted IK Silkeborgnot yet played1960–61 KSF København Rungsted IK Esbjerg IKnot yet played1961–62 KSF København Rungsted IK not playednot yet played1962–63 Rungsted IK Esbjerg IK KSF Københavnnot yet played1963–64 KSF København Rungsted IK Esbjerg IKnot yet played1964–65 KSF København Esbjerg IK Gladsaxe SFnot yet played1965–66 KSF København Gladsaxe SF Esbjerg IKnot yet played1966–67 Gladsaxe SF KSF København Esbjerg IKnot yet played1967–68 Gladsaxe SF Esbjerg IK Rungsted IKnot yet played1968–69 Esbjerg IK Gladsaxe SF Vojens IKnot yet played1969–70 KSF København Gladsaxe SF Esbjerg IKnot yet played1970–71 Gladsaxe SF Rungsted IK Esbjerg IK and Vojens IKnot yet played1971–72 KSF København Esbjerg IK Gladsaxe SFnot yet played1972–73 Herning IK KSF København Esbjerg IKnot yet played1973–74 Gladsaxe SF no playoff no playoffnot yet played1974–75 Gladsaxe SF no playoff no playoffnot yet played1975–76 KSF København no playoff no playoffnot yet played1976–77 Herning IK no playoff no playoffnot yet played1977–78 Rødovre SIK KSF København Vojens IKnot yet played1978–79 Vojens IK Rødovre SIK Aalborg IKnot yet played1979–80 Vojens IK Rungsted IK Aalborg IKnot yet played1980–81 Aalborg IK Rødovre SIK Herning IKnot yet played1981–82 Vojens IK Rødovre SIK Aalborg IKnot yet played1982–83 Rødovre SIK Aalborg IK Herlev IKnot yet played1983–84 Herlev IK Aalborg IK Rungsted IKnot yet played1984–85 Rødovre SIK no playoff no playoffnot yet played1985–86 Rødovre SIK no playoff no playoffnot yet played1986–87 Herning IK no playoff no playoffnot yet played1987–88 Esbjerg IK no playoff no playoffnot yet played1988–89 Frederikshavn IK Aalborg IK Herning IKEsbjerg IK1989–90 Rødovre SIK Herning IK Frederikshavn IKnot played1990–91 Herning IK Rødovre SIK Aalborg IKEsbjerg IK1991–92 Herning IK Esbjerg IK Rødovre SIKEsbjerg IK1992–93 Esbjerg IK Herning IK Rødovre SIKEsbjerg IK1993–94 Herning IK Esbjerg IK Aalborg IKHerning IK1994–95 Herning IK Esbjerg IK Rungsted IKnot played1995–96 Esbjerg IK Rungsted IK Herning IKHerning IK1996–97 Herning IK Esbjerg IK Rungsted IKnot played1997–98 Herning Blue Fox Rungsted IK Frederikshavn White HawksHerning Blue Fox1998–99 Rødovre Mighty Bulls Frederikshavn White Hawks Esbjerg IKFrederikshavn IK 1999–2000 Frederikshavn White Hawks Herning Blue Fox Esbjerg IKRungsted Cobras 2000–01 Herning Blue Fox Esbjerg IK Rødovre Mighty Bullsnot played 2001–02 Rungsted Cobras Odense IK Herning Blue FoxFrederikshavn IK 2002–03 Herning Blue Fox Odense IK Rungsted CobrasOdense IK 2003–04 Esbjerg Oilers Aab Ishockey Odense IKRungsted Cobras 2004–05 Herning Blue Fox Aab Ishockey Frederikshavn White HawksNordsjælland Cobras 2005–06 SønderjyskE Ishockey Aab Ishockey Herning Blue FoxOdense Bulldogs 2006–07 Herning Blue Fox Aab Ishockey SønderjyskE IshockeyAaB Ishockey 2007–08 Herning Blue Fox Frederikshavn White Hawks SønderjyskE IshockeyRødovre Mighty Bulls 2008–09 SønderjyskE Ishockey Herning Blue Fox Rødovre Mighty BullsOdense Bulldogs 2009–10 SønderjyskE Ishockey Aab Ishockey Frederikshavn White HawksSønderjyskE Ishockey 2010–11 Herning Blue Fox Frederikshavn White Hawks SønderjyskE IshockeySønderjyskE Ishockey 2011–12 Herning Blue Fox Odense Bulldogs SønderjyskE IshockeyHerning Blue Fox 2012–13 SønderjyskE Ishockey Frederikshavn White Hawks Rødovre Mighty BullsSønderjyskE Ishockey 2013–14 SønderjyskE Ishockey Herning Blue Fox Frederikshavn White HawksHerning Blue Fox 2014–15 SønderjyskE Ishockey Esbjerg Energy Frederikshavn White HawksHerning Blue Fox 2015–16 Esbjerg Energy Herning Blue Fox Frederikshavn White HawksOdense Bulldogs 2016–17 Esbjerg Energy Gentofte Stars Frederikshavn White HawksRungsted Seier Capital 2017–18 Aalborg Pirates Herning Blue Fox Rungsted Seier CapitalAalborg Pirates 2018–19 Rungsted Seier Capital SønderjyskE Ishockey Frederikshavn White HawksRungsted Seier Capital 2019–20 Morale champions - Aalborg Pirates Cancelled due to Covid19 Cancelled due to Covid19 Frederikshavn White Hawks 2020–21 Rungsted Seier Capital Aalborg Pirates Esbjerg Energy SønderjyskE Ishockey 2021–22 Aalborg Pirates Rungsted Seier Capital Odense Bulldogs Aalborg Pirates 2022–23 Aalborg Pirates Herning Blue Fox Herlev Eagles Herning Blue Fox 2023–24 SønderjyskE Ishockey Esbjerg Energy Aalborg Pirates SønderjyskE Ishockey2024-25Odense BulldogsHerning Blue FoxAalborg PiratesHerning Blue Fox2025-26Herning Blue FoxHerlev EaglesRungsted Seier CapitalHerning Blue Fox
By club