EIHL moves to conference system

19 Jul 2012 | Jon Rowson

After the first season without team changes for what seems like an eternity, the British EIHL has moved to create a more competitive league by introducing a conference system

The EIHL has gone through a number of different changes in its eight year history. Teams such as the London Racers, Basingstoke Bison and Newcastle Vipers have come and gone, whilst in recent years, the expansion has moved north as the Braehead Clan, Fife Flyers and Dundee Stars all from Scotland have swelled the leagues ranks to include ten teams. However, what has become clear over recent years in the EIHL is the divide between the arena teams and the rink teams. Last seasons league champions, the Belfast Giants, along with playoff champions Nottingham Panthers and the Sheffield Steelers all average attendances over 5,000 and as a result of this extra income, are able to secure a higher calibre of player. Teams that have consistently propped up the table in the EIHL often struggle to get over 1,500 to come to games.

As a result, in early June, the EIHL proposed moving to a conference system which was clearly targeted at separating the "have's" and the "have not's" of the EIHL. The 'Southern' Conference features the top five placed teams in the league last season, with the 'Northern' Conference featuring the teams that finished in the bottom half of the table.

Southern Conference Northern Conference

Belfast Giants Braehead Clan

Nottingham Panthers Hull Stingrays

Sheffield Steelers Fife Flyers

Coventry Blaze Dundee Stars

Cardiff Devils Edinburgh Capitals

Teams will play eight games (four home, four away) against teams in their own conference, while playing a further four (two home, two away) against teams outside of the conference. One reason for this move is to reduce the travel costs for teams travelling to and from Scotland, as well as trying to create more competitive games in order to increase home revenues. However, the way the league championship will be won is still rather up in the air. The EIHL, which is unique in the way that the regular season title holds more esteem than the playoff championship (The EIHL sends the regular season winner to the Continental Cup), will now be decided by teams having a different schedule, as all games played will go towards the league championship. On the face of it, this means that the Braehead Clan, who are owned by Nottingham Panthers owner Neil Black, have an easier schedule than their rivals last season the Coventry Blaze and Cardiff Devils.

Another change which the EIHL has incorporated is once again increasing the import limit. Ever since the league's inception, the number of foreigners allowed on a team in the EIHL has fluctuated between 10 and 11, with some teams even being allowed 12 in the 2010-2011 season. As a result of the league increasing to ten teams, as well as a number of the best British players making moves to Kazakhstan, or in Robert Dowd's case, in the Allsvenskan, the league owners have taken the decision to once again move the number up from 10 to 11. There is still no official word whether or not the league will shut down while British players will be away in Japan for the Olympic Qualifiers in November, but once again the EIHL will fail to recognise the IIHF international breaks.

The addition of the conference system has split many fans, but the EIHL is benefiting from the current weakening of the Euro, as the calibre of player joining the league this offseason has certainly kicked up a gear. The Coventry Blaze have penned the Leeb brothers from the Nürnberg Ice Tigers of the DEL, while Sheffield Steelers have signed Corey Pecker from the Swiss NLB. Also joining from the DEL is Noah Clarke, who has signed with the Belfast Giants. It seems that the bigger teams in the league are trying to increase the quality of the league. However, with such wide gaps between the money available to the arena teams compared to the teams in the lower half of the league, the conference system could strive to push the lower teams out of the EIHL, which would be reminiscent of the collapse of the SuperLeague in the early 2000s.

It certainly is a summer of 'wait and see' for British ice hockey fans, and no-one is yet sure how the conference system will play out. However, with rumours of yet more big names to join the league over the next month and a half before the season starts, anything is possible.

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