2016–17 EIHL season

The 2016–17 Elite Ice Hockey League season was the 14th season of the Elite Ice Hockey League. The regular season begun in early September and ended in March. Regular season champion Cardiff Devils were defeated in the playoff final by their Erhardt Conference rivals Sheffield Steelers 6–5 in double-overtime.
From the 2016–17 season, the number of non British-trained players rose from 13 to 14, while the amount of work-permit players remained at 11, according to 
a rule change first introduced in 2014.http://www.eurohockey.com/article/3414-eihl-rules-changes-ahead-of-201415.html
==Teams==
Erhardt Conference
 	 	 	
Belfast Giants 	Belfast 	SSE Arena Belfast 	7,200
Cardiff Devils 	Cardiff 	Ice Arena Wales 	3,088
Coventry Blaze 	Coventry 	SkyDome Arena 	3,000
Nottingham Panthers	Nottingham	National Ice Centre	7,500
Sheffield Steelers 	Sheffield 	Motorpoint Arena 	8,500
Gardiner Conference
 	 	 	
Braehead Clan 	Glasgow 	Braehead Arena 	4,000
Dundee Stars 	Dundee 	Dundee Ice Arena 	2,400
Edinburgh Capitals	Edinburgh 	Murrayfield Ice Rink	3,700
Fife Flyers 	Kirkcaldy 	Fife Ice Arena 	3,525
Manchester Storm 	Altrincham	Altrincham Ice Dome 	2,000
	
==Standings==
===Overall===
All games counted towards the overall Elite League standings. Each team played 52 matches; 32 matches against their four Conference rivals, and 20 against the five teams from the other Conference. The Cardiff Devils became regular season champions for the first time in twenty years, with a 6–2 win over the Sheffield Steelers on 18 March 2017 at Ice Arena Wales.
===Erhardt Conference===
Only intra-conference games counted towards the Erhardt Conference standings. Each team played the other four teams in the Conference eight times, for a total of 32 matches. The Cardiff Devils won the Conference for the second successive season, with a 4–3 win over the Belfast Giants on 25 March 2017 at Ice Arena Wales.
===Gardiner Conference===
Only intra-conference games counted towards the Gardiner Conference standings. Each team played the other four teams in the Conference eight times, for a total of 32 matches. The Braehead Clan won the Conference for the third successive season, with a 4–1 win over the Dundee Stars on 25 February 2017 at the Braehead Arena.
==Playoffs==
===Bracket===
===Quarter-finals===
====(E1) Cardiff Devils vs. (RS8) Manchester Storm====
====(G1) Braehead Clan vs. (RS7) Dundee Stars====
====(RS3) Sheffield Steelers vs. (RS4) Nottingham Panthers====
====(RS2) Belfast Giants vs. (RS6) Fife Flyers====
===Semi-finals===
----
===Third-place match===
===Grand Final===
==Challenge Cup==
The Challenge Cup was won by the Cardiff Devils, who came from behind to beat the Sheffield Steelers 3-2.https://www.bbc.com/sport/ice-hockey/39174189
The win meant Cardiff had won the Challenge Cup twice in the previous three years, with their other victory coming in 2014-15, also against the Steelers.
==Statistics==
===Scoring leaders===
The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the regular season.
Player	Team 	 	 	 	 	
 	Braehead Clan 	52	27	48	75	28
 	Braehead Clan 	52	32	42	74	26
 	Dundee Stars 	52	18	54	72	4
 	Braehead Clan 	52	24	45	69	57
 	Sheffield Steelers	52	28	29	57	28
 	Belfast Giants 	52	28	28	56	77
 	Belfast Giants 	49	20	35	55	107
 	Fife Flyers 	50	17	38	55	44
 	Fife Flyers 	41	31	23	54	32
 	Dundee Stars 	47	23	31	54	10
===Leading goaltenders===
The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average, playing at least 2100 minutes, at the conclusion of the regular season.
Player	Team 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	Cardiff Devils 	46	2616:43	33	7 	103	3	.912	2.36
 	Sheffield Steelers 	51	3053:14	34	14	130	1	.913	2.55
 	Belfast Giants 	39	2284:16	25	10	97 	3	.905	2.55
 	Manchester Storm 	52	3108:38	18	26	150	3	.910	2.90
 	Nottingham Panthers	41	2294:47	23	12	115	2	.901	3.01
==References==
Category:Elite Ice Hockey League seasons
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United