Metal Ligaen


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, competing for the European Trophy. Participation is based on the strength of the various leagues in Europe. 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 As a result, the Herlev Hornets and the Rungsted Cobras have withdrawn from the league, reducing the number of active teams from ten to eight.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.
PeriodNameSponsor
1960–1998Superisligaennone
1998–2001Codan LigaenCodan A/S
1998–2002Sanistål LigaenSanistål A/S
2002–2004SuperBest LigaenSuperBest
2004–2007Oddset LigaenDanske Spil
2007–2013AL-Bank LigaenArbejdernes Landsbank
2013–2014
Superisligaennone
2014–Metal LigaenDanish Union of Metalworkers

Teams

TeamCityFoundedArenaCapacityOpened
Aalborg PiratesAalborg1967Sparekassen Danmark Isarena50002007
Esbjerg EnergyEsbjerg1964Granly Hockey Arena42001976
Frederikshavn White HawksFrederikshavn1964Nordjyske Bank Arena40002015
Herning Blue FoxHerning1947KVIK Hockey Arena41001988
Herlev EaglesHerlev1968PM Montage Arena17401977
Odense BulldogsOdense1978Spar Nord Arena32801999
Rungsted Seier CapitalRungsted1941Concordium Arena24601971
Rødovre Mighty BullsRødovre1964Holger Danske Arena36001995
SønderjyskE IshockeyVojens1963Sydjysk Sparekasse Arena50002011

Notable players

List of notable players who have played in the Danish ice hockey league.

Danish Champions

SeasonWinnerFinalistBronzeCup Champion
1954–55Rungsted IKKSF KøbenhavnSilkeborgnot yet played
1955–56KSF KøbenhavnRungsted IKnot playednot yet played
1956–57not playednot playednot playednot yet played
1957–58not playednot playednot playednot yet played
1958–59not playednot playednot playednot yet played
1959–60KSF KøbenhavnRungsted IKSilkeborgnot yet played
1960–61KSF KøbenhavnRungsted IKEsbjerg IKnot yet played
1961–62KSF KøbenhavnRungsted IKnot playednot yet played
1962–63Rungsted IKEsbjerg IKKSF Københavnnot yet played
1963–64KSF KøbenhavnRungsted IKEsbjerg IKnot yet played
1964–65KSF KøbenhavnEsbjerg IKGladsaxe SFnot yet played
1965–66KSF KøbenhavnGladsaxe SFEsbjerg IKnot yet played
1966–67Gladsaxe SFKSF KøbenhavnEsbjerg IKnot yet played
1967–68Gladsaxe SFEsbjerg IKRungsted IKnot yet played
1968–69Esbjerg IKGladsaxe SFVojens IKnot yet played
1969–70KSF KøbenhavnGladsaxe SFEsbjerg IKnot yet played
1970–71Gladsaxe SFRungsted IKEsbjerg IK and Vojens IKnot yet played
1971–72KSF KøbenhavnEsbjerg IKGladsaxe SFnot yet played
1972–73Herning IKKSF KøbenhavnEsbjerg IKnot yet played
1973–74Gladsaxe SFno playoffno playoffnot yet played
1974–75Gladsaxe SFno playoffno playoffnot yet played
1975–76KSF Københavnno playoffno playoffnot yet played
1976–77Herning IKno playoffno playoffnot yet played
1977–78Rødovre SIKKSF KøbenhavnVojens IKnot yet played
1978–79Vojens IKRødovre SIKAalborg IKnot yet played
1979–80Vojens IKRungsted IKAalborg IKnot yet played
1980–81Aalborg IKRødovre SIKHerning IKnot yet played
1981–82Vojens IKRødovre SIKAalborg IKnot yet played
1982–83Rødovre SIKAalborg IKHerlev IKnot yet played
1983–84Herlev IKAalborg IKRungsted IKnot yet played
1984–85Rødovre SIKno playoffno playoffnot yet played
1985–86Rødovre SIKno playoffno playoffnot yet played
1986–87Herning IKno playoffno playoffnot yet played
1987–88Esbjerg IKno playoffno playoffnot yet played
1988–89Frederikshavn IKAalborg IKHerning IKEsbjerg IK
1989–90Rødovre SIKHerning IKFrederikshavn IKnot played
1990–91Herning IKRødovre SIKAalborg IKEsbjerg IK
1991–92Herning IKEsbjerg IKRødovre SIKEsbjerg IK
1992–93Esbjerg IKHerning IKRødovre SIKEsbjerg IK
1993–94Herning IKEsbjerg IKAalborg IKHerning IK
1994–95Herning IKEsbjerg IKRungsted IKnot played
1995–96Esbjerg IKRungsted IKHerning IKHerning IK
1996–97Herning IKEsbjerg IKRungsted IKnot played
1997–98Herning Blue FoxRungsted IKFrederikshavn White HawksHerning Blue Fox
1998–99Rødovre Mighty BullsFrederikshavn White HawksEsbjerg IKFrederikshavn IK
1999–2000Frederikshavn White HawksHerning Blue FoxEsbjerg IKRungsted Cobras
2000–01Herning Blue FoxEsbjerg IKRødovre Mighty Bullsnot played
2001–02Rungsted CobrasOdense IKHerning Blue FoxFrederikshavn IK
2002–03Herning Blue FoxOdense IKRungsted CobrasOdense IK
2003–04Esbjerg OilersAab IshockeyOdense IKRungsted Cobras
2004–05Herning Blue FoxAab IshockeyFrederikshavn White HawksNordsjælland Cobras
2005–06SønderjyskE IshockeyAab IshockeyHerning Blue FoxOdense Bulldogs
2006–07Herning Blue FoxAab IshockeySønderjyskE IshockeyAaB Ishockey
2007–08Herning Blue FoxFrederikshavn White HawksSønderjyskE IshockeyRødovre Mighty Bulls
2008–09SønderjyskE IshockeyHerning Blue FoxRødovre Mighty BullsOdense Bulldogs
2009–10SønderjyskE IshockeyAab IshockeyFrederikshavn White HawksSønderjyskE Ishockey
2010–11Herning Blue FoxFrederikshavn White HawksSønderjyskE IshockeySønderjyskE Ishockey
2011–12Herning Blue FoxOdense BulldogsSønderjyskE IshockeyHerning Blue Fox
2012–13SønderjyskE IshockeyFrederikshavn White HawksRødovre Mighty BullsSønderjyskE Ishockey
2013–14SønderjyskE IshockeyHerning Blue FoxFrederikshavn White HawksHerning Blue Fox
2014–15SønderjyskE IshockeyEsbjerg EnergyFrederikshavn White HawksHerning Blue Fox
2015–16Esbjerg EnergyHerning Blue FoxFrederikshavn White HawksOdense Bulldogs
2016–17Esbjerg EnergyGentofte StarsFrederikshavn White HawksRungsted Seier Capital
2017–18Aalborg PiratesHerning Blue FoxRungsted Seier CapitalAalborg Pirates
2018–19Rungsted Seier CapitalSønderjyskE IshockeyFrederikshavn White HawksRungsted Seier Capital
2019–20Morale champions - Aalborg PiratesCancelled due to Covid19Cancelled due to Covid19Frederikshavn White Hawks
2020–21Rungsted Seier CapitalAalborg PiratesEsbjerg EnergySønderjyskE Ishockey
2021–22Aalborg PiratesRungsted Seier CapitalOdense BulldogsAalborg Pirates
2022–23Aalborg PiratesHerning Blue FoxHerlev EaglesHerning Blue Fox
2023–24SønderjyskE IshockeyEsbjerg EnergyAalborg PiratesSønderjyskE Ishockey