View source for European Women's Hockey League


{{Infobox sports league
| title           = European Women's Hockey League
| current_season  = <!-- do not wikilink -->
| current_season2 = <!-- do not wikilink -->
| last_season     = 2023–24 EWHL season<!-- do not wikilink -->
| upcoming_season = <!-- do not wikilink; replace with current_season at the start of the new season -->
| logo            = 2019 EWHL Logo.png
| logo_size       = 250px<!-- use a format of ##px, such as 120px -->
| caption         = 
| formerly        = '''Elite Women's Hockey League''', 2005–2019
| sport           = Ice hockey
| game            = 
| founded         = 2004
| founder         = [[International Ice Hockey Federation]]
| folded          = 
| replaced        = 
| owner           = 
| ceo             = <!-- chief executive officer -->
| coo             = <!-- chief operating officer -->
| director        = [[Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation]]
| president       = Martin Kogler
| commissioner    =
| inaugural       = 2004–05
| teams           = 12
| countries       = Austria, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, Slovakia
| headquarters    = Göstingerstraße 111<br>[[Graz]], Austria
| champion        = {{flagicon|SVK}} [[HC ŠKP Bratislava]]
| champ_season    = 2023–24
| most_champs     = {{flagicon|AUT}} [[EHV Sabres]] (6)
| tv              = 
| sponsor         = Tippmix
| investor        = 
| related_comps   = 
| levels          = 
| promotion       =
| relegation      =
| domestic_cup    =
| confed_cup      = [[EWHL Super Cup]]
| website         = {{Official website|https://ewhl.com/}}
| footnotes       =
}}
[[File:EWHL.jpg|thumb|200px]]

The '''European Women's Hockey League''', abbreviated '''EWHL''', is an international [[ice hockey]] league. Created as the '''Elite Women's Hockey League''' in 2004 by the [[International Ice Hockey Federation]] (IIHF), the EWHL comprises clubs from several countries in Central Europe and one team from Kazakhstan, and is played in parallel to national championships.

==History==
The EWHL was created in 2004 on the same principle as the men's ice hockey [[Interliga (1999–2007)|Interliga]]. For its [[2004 Elite Women's Hockey League|first season]], the EWHL featured teams from Austria, Hungary, Italy and Slovenia. Teams from additional countries joined the league during the following seasons, including [[HC Slovan Bratislava (women)|HC Slovan Bratislava]] from Slovakia in [[2005–06 Elite Women's Hockey League|2005]], [[KHL Grič Zagreb]] from Croatia in [[2006–07 Elite Women's Hockey League|2006]], and [[HC Slavia Praha (women)|HC Slavia Praha]] from the Czech Republic in [[2007–08 Elite Women's Hockey League|2007]]. In the [[2008–09 Elite Women's Hockey League|2008–09 season]], the Italian and Hungarian teams gave way to two clubs from Germany, [[OSC Berlin]] and [[ESC Planegg]]. During the [[2010–11 Elite Women's Hockey League|2010–11]] and [[2011–12 Elite Women's Hockey League|2011–12 seasons]], the [[Netherlands women's national ice hockey team|Netherlands national team]] participated in the EWHL.<ref>The Netherlands wishing to offer more competitive matches to their top Women players. Source: EWHL Website</ref> 

Before the 2019–20 season, the Elite Women's Hockey League was renamed, becoming the European Women's Hockey League to reflect its unique position within European women's ice hockey.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-09-08|title=EWHL-Premiere in Sterzing|url=http://www.evbz-hockeyacademy.it/de/home/news-detailansicht/ewhl-premiere-in-sterzing.html|access-date=2020-11-13|website=EV Bozen Hockey Academy|language=de}}</ref> Also, the [[Poland women's national ice hockey team|Polish women's national team]] joined the league in 2019, playing as the Silesia Brackens and later under the name Silesian Metropolis Katowice.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Krzywicki|first=Benjamin|date=2019-06-27|title=Three Polish National Teams to Play In Foreign Leagues.|url=https://polishpuck.com/2019/06/27/three-polish-national-teams-to-play-in-foreign-leagues/|access-date=2020-11-13|website=Polish Puck|language=en}}</ref> The Hungarian team [[KMH Budapest]] rejoined the league, and [[MAC Budapest]] was added.

The EWHL is mostly played in a championship format with home and away matches, with the exception of the 2005–06 season where the teams were distributed in two regional divisions followed by qualifying rounds. For the 2010–11 season, the regular season was followed by a play-off between the four teams at the top of the league table. 

Though they joined the league in the 2015–16 season, Kazakh team [[Aisulu Almaty]] has played only two EWHL games from their home arena, [[Baluan Sholak Sports Palace]] in [[Almaty]], due to the significant travel distance. The 2019–20 season provided the first opportunity for Aisulu to play EWHL matches in front of a home crowd, when they hosted the [[EHV Sabres]] for a two game series during 19–20 October 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Manninen|first=Henrik|date=2019-10-19|title=EWHL goes to Central Asia|url=https://www.iihf.com/en/news/15438/ewhl-goes-to-central-asia|access-date=2020-11-13|website=[[International Ice Hockey Federation]]|language=en}}</ref> 

Since the 2019–20 season, the [[Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation]] has overseen the league. The league president is Martin Kogler.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-06-11|title=EWHL to move under the HIHF|url=https://www.visegradhockey.hu/ewhl-to-move-under-the-hihf|access-date=2020-09-04|website=visegradhockey.hu}}</ref>

==Championship==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|- bgcolor="#efefef" align=center
!width="70" align=left|Years
!scope="col" style="background-color: #F7F6A8;" | {{goca}} Gold
!scope="col" style="background-color: #DCE5E5;" | {{sica}} Silver
!scope="col" style="background-color: #FFDAB9;" | {{Brca}} Bronze
!width="90"|No. of teams
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2004 Elite Women's Hockey League|2004]]
|{{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
|{{flagicon|SLO}}<br />[[HK Terme Maribor]]
|{{flagicon|ITA}}<br />[[HC Agordo]]
| 8
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2005–06 Elite Women's Hockey League|2005–06]]
|{{flagicon|SVK}}<br />[[HC Slovan Bratislava (women)|HC Slovan Bratislava]]
|{{flagicon|SLO}}<br />[[HK Terme Maribor]]
|{{flagicon|ITA}}<br />[[HC Eagles Bolzano]]
| 11
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2006–07 Elite Women's Hockey League|2006–07]]
|{{flagicon|SVK}}<br />[[HC Slovan Bratislava (women)|HC Slovan Bratislava]]
|{{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[The Ravens Salzburg]]
|{{flagicon|SLO}}<br />[[HK Terme Maribor]]
| 12
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2007–08 Elite Women's Hockey League|2007–08]]
|{{flagicon|CZE}}<br />[[HC Slavia Praha (women)|Slavia Praha]]
|{{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[DEC Salzburg Eagles|The Ravens Salzburg]]
|{{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| 11
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2008–09 Elite Women's Hockey League|2008–09]]
|{{flagicon|CZE}}<br />[[HC Slavia Praha (women)|Slavia Praha]]
|{{flagicon|GER}}<br />[[OSC Berlin]]
|{{flagicon|GER}}<br />[[ESC Planegg]]
| 8
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2009–10 Elite Women's Hockey League|2009–10]]
| {{flagicon|GER}}<br />[[ESC Planegg]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[DEC Salzburg Eagles|The Ravens Salzburg]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| 6
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2010–11 Elite Women's Hockey League|2010–11]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| {{flagicon|SVK}}<br />[[HC Slovan Bratislava (women)|Slovan Bratislava]]
| {{flagicon|GER}}<br />[[ESC Planegg]]
| 8
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2011–12 Elite Women's Hockey League|2011–12]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| {{flagicon|SVK}}<br />[[HC Slovan Bratislava (women)|Slovan Bratislava]]
| {{flagicon|BLR}}<br />[[HK Pantera Minsk]]
| 6
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2012–13 Elite Women's Hockey League|2012–13]]
| {{flagicon|BLR}}<br />[[HK Pantera Minsk]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[DEC Salzburg Eagles|Salzburg Eagles]]
| 6
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2013–14 Elite Women's Hockey League|2013–14]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}}<br />[[EV Bozen Eagles]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[Neuberg Highlanders]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| 7
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2014–15 Elite Women's Hockey League|2014–15]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}}<br />[[EV Bozen Eagles]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[DEC Salzburg Eagles|Salzburg Eagles]]
| 6
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2015–16 Elite Women's Hockey League|2015–16]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[DEC Salzburg Eagles|Salzburg Eagles]]
| {{flagicon|KAZ}}<br />[[Aisulu Almaty]]
| 7
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2016–17 Elite Women's Hockey League|2016–17]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}}<br />[[EV Bozen Eagles]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[DEC Salzburg Eagles]]
| {{flagicon|SVK}}<br />[[HC ŠKP Bratislava]]
| 8
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2017–18 Elite Women's Hockey League|2017–18]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}}<br />[[EV Bozen Eagles]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}}<br />[[KMH Budapest (women)|KMH Budapest]]
| 8
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2018–19 Elite Women's Hockey League|2018–19]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}}<br />[[KMH Budapest (women)|KMH Budapest]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| {{flagicon|ITA}}<br />[[EVB Eagles Südtirol]]
| 9
|- align=center
|align=left|[[2019–20 Elite Women's Hockey League|2019–20]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}}<br />[[KMH Budapest (women)|KMH Budapest]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}}<br />[[MAC Budapest (women)|MAC Budapest]]
| {{flagicon|KAZ}}<br />[[Aisulu Almaty]]
| 10
|- align=center
| align=left|[[2020–21 Elite Women's Hockey League|2020–21]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}}<br />[[KMH Budapest (women)|KMH Budapest]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| {{flagicon|SVK}}<br />[[HC ŠKP Bratislava|ŠKP Bratislava]]
| 9
|- align=center
| align=left|[[2021–22 Elite Women's Hockey League|2021–22]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}}<br />[[KMH Budapest (women)|KMH Budapest]]
| {{flagicon|KAZ}}<br />[[Aisulu Almaty]]
| {{flagicon|AUT}}<br />[[EHV Sabres]]
| 11
|- align=center
| align=left|[[2022–23 Elite Women's Hockey League|2022–23]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}}<br />[[Hokiklub Budapest]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}}<br />[[MAC Budapest (women)|MAC Budapest]]
| {{flagicon|SVK}}<br />[[HC ŠKP Bratislava|ŠKP Bratislava]]
| 10
|- align=center
| align=left|[[2023–24 EWHL season|2023–24]]
| {{flagicon|SVK}}<br /> [[HC ŠKP Bratislava]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}}<br /> [[Hokiklub Budapest]]
| {{flagicon|HUN}}<br /> [[MAC Budapest (women)|MAC Budapest]]
| 12
|}

===Medal table by club===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|- bgcolor="#efefef" align=center
!
! Club
! scope="col" style="background-color: #F7F6A8;" | {{goca}} Gold
! scope="col" style="background-color: #DCE5E5;" | {{sica}} Silver
! scope="col" style="background-color: #FFDAB9;" | {{Brca}} Bronze
! Medals
|- align=center
| 1 || align=left| {{flagicon|AUT}} [[EHV Sabres]] || 6 || 2 || 4 || 12
|-
| 2 || align="left" | {{flagicon|HUN}} [[Hokiklub Budapest]] || 5 || 1 || 1 || 7
|- 
| 3 || align="left" |{{flagicon|SVK}} [[HC ŠKP Bratislava|ŠKP Bratislava]] || 3 || 2 || 3 || 8
|-
| 4 || align="left" | {{flagicon|ITA}} [[EVB Eagles Südtirol]] || 2 || 2 || 1 || 5
|-
| 5 || align="left" |{{flagicon|CZE}} [[HC Slavia Praha (women)|Slavia Praha]]|| 2 || 0 || 0 || 2
|- 
| 6 || align=left|{{flagicon|GER}} [[ESC Planegg]] || 1 || 0 || 2 || 3
|- 
| 7 || align=left| {{flagicon|BLR}} [[HK Pantera Minsk]] || 1 || 0 || 1 || 2
|-
| 8 || align="left" | {{flagicon|AUT}} [[DEC Salzburg Eagles]]|| 0 || 5 || 2 || 7
|-
| 9 || align="left" | {{flagicon|HUN}} [[MAC Budapest (women)|MAC Budapest]]|| 0 || 2 || 2 || 4
|- 
| 9 || align="left" | {{flagicon|SLO}} [[HK Terme Maribor]] || 0 || 2 || 1 || 3
|- 
| 10 || align="left" | {{flagicon|KAZ}} [[Aisulu Almaty]]|| 0 || 1 || 2 || 3
|- 
| 11 || align="left" | {{flagicon|GER}} [[OSC Berlin]]|| 0 || 1 || 0 || 1
|-
| 11 || align="left" | {{flagicon|AUT}} [[Neuburg Highlanders]]|| 0 || 1 || 0 ||1
|- 
| 12 || align="left" | {{flagicon|ITA}} [[HC Eagles Bolzano]]|| 0 || 0 || 1 || 1
|- 
| 12 || align="left" | {{flagicon|ITA}} [[HC Agordo]]|| 0 || 0 || 1 || 1
|}

==See also==
* [[EWHL Super Cup]]
* [[Austria women's ice hockey Bundesliga]] 
* [[German women's ice hockey Bundesliga]]
* [[Swiss Women's A]]

==References==
<references/>

* ''This article incorporates information from the French and German Wikipedias.''

==External links==
*  [http://www.ewhl.com/default.aspx?SIId=326 EWHL News in English]
* (German) [http://www.ewhl.com  EWHL Website]
* (German) [http://www.ewhj.org/index.cfm?tem=1&spr=1&hpn=6 European Women's Hockey Journal]

{{Women's European Ice Hockey Leagues}}
{{IIHF Women's Ice Hockey championships}}
{{Wikipedia}}
[[Category:Women's ice hockey leagues]]