# 2017–18 DEL season

The 2017–18 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season was the 24th season since the founding of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.
EHC Red Bull München defended their title to win the third consecutive title.

## Teams

| Team | City | Arena |
| Augsburger Panther | Augsburg | Curt Frenzel Stadium |
| Eisbären Berlin | Berlin | Mercedes-Benz Arena |
| Fischtown Pinguins | Bremerhaven | Eisarena Bremerhaven |
| Düsseldorfer EG | Düsseldorf | ISS Dome |
| ERC Ingolstadt | Ingolstadt | Saturn Arena |
| Iserlohn Roosters | Iserlohn | Eissporthalle Iserlohn |
| Kölner Haie | Cologne | Lanxess Arena |
| Krefeld Pinguine | Krefeld | König Palast |
| Adler Mannheim | Mannheim | SAP Arena |
| EHC Red Bull München | Munich | Olympia Eishalle |
| Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers | Nuremberg | Arena Nürnberger Versicherung |
| Schwenninger Wild Wings | Villingen-Schwenningen | Helios Arena |
| Straubing Tigers | Straubing | Eisstadion am Pulverturm |
| Grizzlys Wolfsburg | Wolfsburg | Eis Arena Wolfsburg |

## Regular season
### Standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | EHC Red Bull München | 52 | 30 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 183 | 128 | +55 | 107 | Playoffs |
| 2 | Eisbären Berlin | 52 | 29 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 169 | 131 | +38 | 101 | Playoffs |
| 3 | Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers | 52 | 25 | 10 | 5 | 12 | 152 | 126 | +26 | 100 | Playoffs |
| 4 | ERC Ingolstadt | 52 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 147 | 137 | +10 | 79 | Playoffs |
| 5 | Adler Mannheim | 52 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 151 | 149 | +2 | 78 | Playoffs |
| 6 | Kölner Haie | 52 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 22 | 148 | 142 | +6 | 77 | Playoffs |
| 7 | Grizzlys Wolfsburg | 52 | 19 | 6 | 7 | 20 | 153 | 146 | +7 | 76 | Pre-playoffs |
| 8 | Iserlohn Roosters | 52 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 24 | 138 | 154 | −16 | 76 | Pre-playoffs |
| 9 | Fischtown Pinguins | 52 | 21 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 146 | 163 | −17 | 75 | Pre-playoffs |
| 10 | Schwenninger Wild Wings | 52 | 19 | 7 | 3 | 23 | 123 | 130 | −7 | 74 | Pre-playoffs |
| 11 | Düsseldorfer EG | 52 | 17 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 133 | 154 | −21 | 68 | |
| 12 | Augsburger Panther | 52 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 25 | 151 | 158 | −7 | 65 | |
| 13 | Straubing Tigers | 52 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 27 | 137 | 177 | −40 | 61 | |
| 14 | Krefeld Pinguine | 52 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 25 | 141 | 177 | −36 | 55 | |

### Results
#### Matches 1–26

| Home \ Away | AUG | BER | BRE | DÜS | ING | ISE | KÖL | KRE | MAN | MUN | NÜR | SCH | STR | WOL |
| Augsburger Panther | — | 7–4 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 (SO) | 2–4 | 7–4 | 1–4 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 4–0 | 3–5 | 5–4 | 3–2 (OT) |
| Eisbären Berlin | 2–1 (OT) | — | 4–1 | 3–4 (SO) | 6–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 4–3 | 3–4 | 5–4 (SO) | 2–4 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 |
| Fischtown Pinguins | 3–4 | 2–7 | — | 2–5 | 1–5 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 6–3 | 2–1 (OT) | 3–2 | 4–5 (SO) | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 (OT) |
| Düsseldorfer EG | 2–4 | 2–4 | 3–2 | — | 0–2 | 6–1 | 2–3 (OT) | 1–4 | 4–3 (SO) | 6–4 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 1–2 (SO) |
| ERC Ingolstadt | 4–2 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–3 | — | 5–0 | 1–6 | 2–5 | 0–1 | 2–5 | 3–2 | 5–3 | 2–4 | 3–0 |
| Iserlohn Roosters | 3–1 | 3–6 | 2–1 (SO) | 1–5 | 4–1 | — | 5–4 (SO) | 5–1 | 1–0 | 3–6 | 4–0 | 1–2 (OT) | 4–3 (OT) | 2–4 |
| Kölner Haie | 6–3 | 2–4 | 5–4 (OT) | 3–2 (OT) | 2–6 | 4–1 | — | 3–2 | 0–1 | 2–6 | 2–3 | 4–5 (SO) | 5–1 | 5–1 |
| Krefeld Pinguine | 5–7 | 3–2 (SO) | 2–4 | 4–2 | 5–3 | 3–5 | 5–3 | — | 6–2 | 2–3 (OT) | 1–2 (SO) | 4–5 | 4–0 | 1–3 |
| Adler Mannheim | 3–2 (SO) | 1–4 | 2–4 | 5–4 | 3–1 | 2–5 | 2–6 | 4–1 | — | 1–4 | 2–1 (OT) | 4–3 (SO) | 5–2 | 6–3 |
| EHC Red Bull München | 5–2 | 4–2 | 5–3 | 5–1 | 0–4 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 3–2 (OT) | 4–2 | — | 3–2 (OT) | 3–1 | 6–3 | 2–5 |
| Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers | 2–1 | 2–1 (SO) | 5–4 | 5–3 | 4–2 | 4–1 | 5–2 | 3–2 | 1–2 (SO) | 2–1 (OT) | — | 3–0 | 2–1 (SO) | 0–1 |
| Schwenninger Wild Wings | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–4 | 5–1 | 0–1 (OT) | 2–1 | 1–2 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–4 | — | 5–3 | 0–2 |
| Straubing Tigers | 3–2 | 4–3 (SO) | 1–2 (OT) | 3–6 | 2–1 (SO) | 1–5 | 6–3 | 0–1 (OT) | 3–2 | 2–5 | 4–5 | 3–4 (SO) | — | 1–6 |
| Grizzlys Wolfsburg | 5–3 | 2–5 | 5–2 | 3–2 (OT) | 1–2 | 5–3 | 2–4 | 3–2 (SO) | 6–2 | 4–3 (OT) | 1–4 | 4–1 | 3–4 | — |

#### Matches 27–52

| Home \ Away | AUG | BER | BRE | DÜS | ING | ISE | KÖL | KRE | MAN | MUN | NÜR | SCH | STR | WOL |
| Augsburger Panther | — | 2–4 | 5–6 | 2–1 (OT) | 1–5 | 4–2 | 1–3 | 7–1 | 3–4 (OT) | 4–1 | 2–3 | 5–1 | 2–3 | 5–3 |
| Eisbären Berlin | 2–3 | — | 6–1 | 2–3 | 2–1 (OT) | 3–1 | 3–5 | 3–1 | 6–3 | 3–2 | 2–3 (OT) | 5–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 |
| Fischtown Pinguins | 2–1 | 1–4 | — | 5–0 | 1–5 | 4–3 | 3–4 (OT) | 6–2 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 6–3 | 5–1 | 3–0 | 3–1 |
| Düsseldorfer EG | 2–3 (OT) | 2–6 | 4–0 | — | 3–5 | 3–2 | 3–2 (OT) | 7–3 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 3–4 (OT) | 2–3 (OT) | 4–3 | 4–7 |
| ERC Ingolstadt | 5–4 (SO) | 5–0 | 3–2 (OT) | 4–0 | — | 3–2 | 0–1 | 5–1 | 4–3 | 5–4 (OT) | 6–2 | 2–1 (SO) | 3–6 | 2–1 (OT) |
| Iserlohn Roosters | 3–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 2–5 | 4–3 (OT) | — | 3–1 | 2–5 | 5–3 | 1–5 | 5–2 | 2–5 | 2–1 | 1–4 |
| Kölner Haie | 6–3 | 1–3 | 5–2 | 0–1 | 3–2 (OT) | 4–2 | — | 2–3 (SO) | 5–0 | 0–6 | 2–3 | 2–1 | 4–2 | 3–4 |
| Krefeld Pinguine | 3–4 (OT) | 3–4 (OT) | 1–4 | 2–3 (OT) | 7–3 | 4–5 (OT) | 0–2 | — | 4–3 (OT) | 1–3 | 2–4 | 4–0 | 3–4 | 4–3 (OT) |
| Adler Mannheim | 5–1 | 6–2 | 5–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 7–0 | — | 1–3 | 3–2 (SO) | 2–4 | 7–3 | 4–3 |
| EHC Red Bull München | 4–3 | 4–1 | 5–2 | 5–4 (OT) | 4–3 (SO) | 3–4 (OT) | 5–0 | 3–2 (OT) | 4–1 | — | 4–3 | 2–5 | 4–2 | 0–4 |
| Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers | 1–2 | 2–1 (OT) | 7–4 | 2–1 | 2–1 (OT) | 3–2 | 1–3 | 5–3 | 5–2 | 5–1 | — | 4–5 (OT) | 7–4 | 2–1 (OT) |
| Schwenninger Wild Wings | 3–1 | 1–2 | 5–2 | 4–2 | 2–1 | 3–4 | 1–0 | 2–1 (OT) | 1–4 | 1–2 | 1–4 | — | 1–2 | 3–0 |
| Straubing Tigers | 4–2 | 6–5 | 0–4 | 2–1 | 5–2 | 5–1 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 2–5 | 2–3 | 2–3 | — | 4–5 (SO) |
| Grizzlys Wolfsburg | 3–2 (OT) | 7–4 | 4–5 | 3–0 | 5–8 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–3 (SO) | 3–7 | 2–4 | 3–0 | 2–3 (OT) | 1–4 | — |

## Playoffs
### Bracket

| First round | First round | First round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| | | | 1 | EHC München | 4 | | | | | | |
| 7 | Grizzlys Wolfsburg | 2 | 9 | Fischtown Pinguins | 1 | | | | | | |
| 10 | Schwenninger Wild Wings | 0 | | | | 1 | EHC München | 4 | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | Adler Mannheim | 1 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Eisbären Berlin | 4 | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | | | |
| | | | 7 | Grizzlys Wolfsburg | 1 | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | | | |
| | | | | | | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | 1 | EHC München | 4 |
| | | | | | | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | 2 | Eisbären Berlin | 3 |
| | | | 3 | Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers | 4 | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | | | |
| 8 | Iserlohn Roosters | 0 | 6 | Kölner Haie | 2 | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | (Pairings are re-seeded after the first and second round) | | | |
| 9 | Fischtown Pinguins | 2 | | | | 2 | Eisbären Berlin | 4 | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers | 2 | | | |
| | | | 4 | ERC Ingolstadt | 1 | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | Adler Mannheim | 4 | | | | | | |

### Playoff qualification

The playoff qualification were played between 7 and 9 March 2018 in a best-of-three mode.

#### Grizzlys Wolfsburg vs. Schwenninger Wild Wings

* Wolfsburg won series 2–0

#### Iserlohn Roosters vs. Fischtown Pinguins

* Bremerhaven won series 2–0

### Quarterfinals

The quarterfinals will be played between 14 and 27 March 2018 in a best-of-seven mode.

#### EHC München vs. Fischtown Pinguins

* Munich won series 4–1

#### Eisbären Berlin vs. Grizzlys Wolfsburg

* Berlin won series 4–1

#### Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers vs. Kölner Haie

* Nuremberg won series 4–2

#### ERC Ingolstadt vs. Adler Mannheim

* Mannheim won series 4–1

### Semifinals

The semifinals were played between 29 March 8 11 April 2018 in a best-of-seven mode.

#### EHC München vs. Adler Mannheim

* Munich won series 4–1

#### Eisbären Berlin vs. Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers

* Berlin won series 4–2

### Final

The final was played between 13 and 26 April in a best-of-seven mode.
* Munich won series 4–3

## Rule changes

* Midway through the season, the league implemented the "David Leggio Rule:" in the event the goaltender deliberately knocks the goalposts off its moorings to prevent a score, the score is awarded anyway. The rule is named after Leggio, a goaltender for Red Bull München who is infamous for the tactic.