Metal Ligaen

Metal Ligaen is the premier league in Danish ice hockey. The league consists of 9 professional teams. The name of the league has changed many times, but is being sponsored by Dansk Metal and therefore got the name Metalligaen.
== History ==
It is also known as Superisligaen or Eliteserien, which is the name used in the past and in times where no naming rights agreement is in place. On January 1, 2014, Danish Metal (Dansk Metal) became the sponsor of the Danish ice hockey league, which changed the name to Metal Ligaen, replacing the previous name AL-Bank Ligaen which was named for the sponsorship deal with the Danish bank Arbejdernes Landsbank.
The Danish Ice hockey league has become one of the better leagues in Europe, often compared to leagues such as the Swedish HockeyAllsvenskan and the German DEL2. The league is more of 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 is still a lot of skilled professional Danish players. It is mostly the older Danish players, who 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 As a result, the Herlev Hornets and the Rungsted Cobras have withdrawn from the league, reducing the number of active teams from 10 to 8. 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 January 9, 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 June 18, 2016, it was made clear that the foreign player limit of 8, was against EU law and it was therefore removed. The 2016-17 season was the first time, since 2009, that a Danish ice hockey team could have an unlimited amount of foreign players. The salary cap was created to regulating the league. The salary cap of the 2016-17 season, was 6 million DKK.
On June 3, 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 11 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 that are represented in the league. There has never been more than 10 teams in the Danish ice hockey league, making it fairly small structured league compared to other leagues in Europe.
The Danish hockey league is structured so that every team meet 5 times, making the seasons after 2014, 45 games long. The season typically starts in September and ends in February. The top 8 teams of the regular season makes the playoffs. First place gets to pick who they want to play in the quarterfinals. second place pick next and so on. The Metal Ligaen playoffs consists of 3 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 Quarterfinals and teams ranking from 7 to 10 would 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 quarterfinals. 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 quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals the last seasons champs will play winner of group A. second-place winner of group B and so on. games in the quarterfinals and semifinals 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.
== Teams ==
Team 	City 	Founded	Arena 	Capacity	Opened
Aalborg Pirates 	Aalborg 	1967 	Bentax Isarena 	5000 	2007
Esbjerg Energy 	Esbjerg 	1964 	Granly Hockey Arena 	4200 	1976
Frederikshavn White Hawks	Frederikshavn	1964 	Nordjyske Bank Arena 	4000 	2015
Herning Blue Fox 	Herning 	1947 	KVIK Hockey Arena 	4100 	1988
Herlev Eagles 	Herlev 	1968 	PM Montage Arena 	1740 	1977
Odense Bulldogs 	Odense 	1978 	VinMedKant Arena 	3280 	1999
Rungsted Seier Capital 	Rungsted 	1941 	Bitcoin Arena 	2460 	1971
Rødovre Mighty Bulls 	Rødovre 	1964 	Rødovre Centrum Arena	3600 	1995
SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Vojens 	1963 	Frøs Arena 	5000 	2011
== Notable players ==
List of notable players who have played in the Danish icehockey 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 ==
Season 	Winner 	Finalist 	Bronze 	Cup Champion
1954–55 	Rungsted IK 	KSF København 	Silkeborg 	not yet played
1955–56 	KSF København 	Rungsted IK 	not played 	not yet played
1956–57 	not played 	not played 	not played 	not yet played
1957–58 	not played 	not played 	not played 	not yet played
1958–59 	not played 	not played 	not played 	not yet played
1959–60 	KSF København 	Rungsted IK 	Silkeborg 	not yet played
1960–61 	KSF København 	Rungsted IK 	Esbjerg IK 	not yet played
1961–62 	KSF København 	Rungsted IK 	not played 	not yet played
1962–63 	Rungsted IK 	Esbjerg IK 	KSF København 	not yet played
1963–64 	KSF København 	Rungsted IK 	Esbjerg IK 	not yet played
1964–65 	KSF København 	Esbjerg IK 	Gladsaxe SF 	not yet played
1965–66 	KSF København 	Gladsaxe SF 	Esbjerg IK 	not yet played
1966–67 	Gladsaxe SF 	KSF København 	Esbjerg IK 	not yet played
1967–68 	Gladsaxe SF 	Esbjerg IK 	Rungsted IK 	not yet played
1968–69 	Esbjerg IK 	Gladsaxe SF 	Vojens IK 	not yet played
1969–70 	KSF København 	Gladsaxe SF 	Esbjerg IK 	not yet played
1970–71 	Gladsaxe SF 	Rungsted IK 	Esbjerg IK and Vojens IK 	not yet played
1971–72 	KSF København 	Esbjerg IK 	Gladsaxe SF 	not yet played
1972–73 	Herning IK 	KSF København 	Esbjerg IK 	not yet played
1973–74 	Gladsaxe SF 	no playoff 	no playoff 	not yet played
1974–75 	Gladsaxe SF 	no playoff 	no playoff 	not yet played
1975–76 	KSF København 	no playoff 	no playoff 	not yet played
1976–77 	Herning IK 	no playoff 	no playoff 	not yet played
1977–78 	Rødovre SIK 	KSF København 	Vojens IK 	not yet played
1978–79 	Vojens IK 	Rødovre SIK 	Aalborg IK 	not yet played
1979–80 	Vojens IK 	Rungsted IK 	Aalborg IK 	not yet played
1980–81 	Aalborg IK 	Rødovre SIK 	Herning IK 	not yet played
1981–82 	Vojens IK 	Rødovre SIK 	Aalborg IK 	not yet played
1982–83 	Rødovre SIK 	Aalborg IK 	Herlev IK 	not yet played
1983–84 	Herlev IK 	Aalborg IK 	Rungsted IK 	not yet played
1984–85 	Rødovre SIK 	no playoff 	no playoff 	not yet played
1985–86 	Rødovre SIK 	no playoff 	no playoff 	not yet played
1986–87 	Herning IK 	no playoff 	no playoff 	not yet played
1987–88 	Esbjerg IK 	no playoff 	no playoff 	not yet played
1988–89 	Frederikshavn IK 	Aalborg IK 	Herning IK 	Esbjerg IK
1989–90 	Rødovre SIK 	Herning IK 	Frederikshavn IK 	not played
1990–91 	Herning IK 	Rødovre SIK 	Aalborg IK 	Esbjerg IK
1991–92 	Herning IK 	Esbjerg IK 	Rødovre SIK 	Esbjerg IK
1992–93 	Esbjerg IK 	Herning IK 	Rødovre SIK 	Esbjerg IK
1993–94 	Herning IK 	Esbjerg IK 	Aalborg IK 	Herning IK
1994–95 	Herning IK 	Esbjerg IK 	Rungsted IK 	not played
1995–96 	Esbjerg IK 	Rungsted IK 	Herning IK 	Herning IK
1996–97 	Herning IK 	Esbjerg IK 	Rungsted IK 	not played
1997–98 	Herning Blue Fox 	Rungsted IK 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	Herning Blue Fox
1998–99 	Rødovre Mighty Bulls 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	Esbjerg IK 	Frederikshavn IK
1999–2000	Frederikshavn White Hawks	Herning Blue Fox 	Esbjerg IK 	Rungsted Cobras
2000–01 	Herning Blue Fox 	Esbjerg IK 	Rødovre Mighty Bulls 	not played
2001–02 	Rungsted Cobras 	Odense IK 	Herning Blue Fox 	Frederikshavn IK
2002–03 	Herning Blue Fox 	Odense IK 	Rungsted Cobras 	Odense IK
2003–04 	Esbjerg Oilers 	Aab Ishockey 	Odense IK 	Rungsted Cobras
2004–05 	Herning Blue Fox 	Aab Ishockey 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	Nordsjælland Cobras
2005–06 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Aab Ishockey 	Herning Blue Fox 	Odense Bulldogs
2006–07 	Herning Blue Fox 	Aab Ishockey 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	AaB Ishockey
2007–08 	Herning Blue Fox 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Rødovre Mighty Bulls
2008–09 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Herning Blue Fox 	Rødovre Mighty Bulls 	Odense Bulldogs
2009–10 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Aab Ishockey 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	SønderjyskE Ishockey
2010–11 	Herning Blue Fox 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	SønderjyskE Ishockey
2011–12 	Herning Blue Fox 	Odense Bulldogs 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Herning Blue Fox
2012–13 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	Rødovre Mighty Bulls 	SønderjyskE Ishockey
2013–14 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Herning Blue Fox 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	Aalborg Pirates
2014–15 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Esbjerg Energy 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	Herning Blue Fox
2015–16 	Esbjerg Energy 	Herning Blue Fox 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	Odense Bulldogs
2016–17 	Esbjerg Energy 	Gentofte Stars 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	Rungsted Seier Capital
2017–18 	Aalborg Pirates 	Herning Blue Fox 	Rungsted Seier Capital 	Aalborg Pirates
2018-19 	Rungsted Seier Capital 	SønderjyskE Ishockey 	Frederikshavn White Hawks	Rungsted Seier Capital
===By club===
Club 	Winners	Winning Years
Herning Blue Fox (earlier known as Herning IK) 	16 	1973, 1977, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012
KSF København 	10 	1956, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1972, 1976
SønderjyskE Ishockey (earlier known as Vojens IK) 	9 	1979, 1980, 1982, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015
Esbjerg Energy (earlier known as Esbjerg Oilers and Esbjerg IK) 	7 	1969, 1988, 1993, 1996, 2004, 2016, 2017
Rødovre Mighty Bulls (earlier known as Rødovre SIK) 	6 	1978, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1999
Gladsaxe SF 	5 	1967, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1975
Rungsted Cobras (earlier known as Rungsted IK) 	4 	1955, 1963, 2002, 2019
Aalborg Pirates (earlier known as AAB Ishockey, Aalborg IK and AaB Ishockey)	2 	1981, 2018
Frederikshavn White Hawks (earlier known as Frederikshavn IK) 	2 	1989, 2000
Herlev Hornets (earlier known as Herlev IK) 	1 	1984
==References==
==External links==
*League website
 
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