The 1997–98 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season was the 4th season of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (German Ice Hockey League).

Adler Mannheim

Adler Mannheim

Adler Mannheim are an ice hockey team of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest ice hockey league in Germany. The team is from Mannheim, a city in the north of Baden-Wurttemberg...

 became the DEL Champion for the second time in a row, winning a German title for the third time in their history. The season had its share of instability. After the 15th regular season round, the Kaufbeurer Adler

ESV Kaufbeuren

ESV Kaufbeuren is an ice hockey team in Kaufbeuren, Germany. They play in the Oberliga, the third level of ice hockey in Germany.The club was founded in 1946. In 2007, they were relegated to the Oberliga....

 were insolvent and the Düsseldorfer EG

DEG Metro Stars

The DEG Metro Stars is a German professional ice hockey team in Düsseldorf. It was Germany's most successful hockey club for a long time and had many international players...

 left the league after season end.

Regular season

As in the previous season two rounds/phases were played. In the first round, all teams played one home and one away game with each other for a total of 28 rounds. The first 6 placed teams continued playing for the playoff placements ). The 9 last placed teams had to fight it out for the last 2 playoff spots.

Phase I

	Team	GP	W	T	L	OTL	GF:GA	Points
1.	Adler Mannheim Adler Mannheim Adler Mannheim are an ice hockey team of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest ice hockey league in Germany. The team is from Mannheim, a city in the north of Baden-Wurttemberg...	28	20	2	1	5	111:74	43
2.	Düsseldorfer EG DEG Metro Stars The DEG Metro Stars is a German professional ice hockey team in Düsseldorf. It was Germany's most successful hockey club for a long time and had many international players...	28	20	0	0	8	113:88	40
3.	EV Landshut Landshut Cannibals The Landshut Cannibals are a professional ice hockey team based in Landshut, Bavaria. Currently they are members of the 2nd Bundesliga. The team was founded in 1948 as Eislaufverein Landshut , but since 2002 the professional team is organised as “Landshut Cannibals”. The EVL is still responsible...	28	18	2	1	7	100:64	39
4.	Frankfurt Lions Frankfurt Lions The Frankfurt Lions were a professional men's ice hockey club from Frankfurt, Germany that played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The club ceased operations in 2010 due to financial difficulty.-History:...	28	16	4	1	7	92:74	37
5.	Eisbären Berlin Eisbären Berlin ' are a professional ice hockey team based in Berlin, Germany. The team competes in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga , the highest level of play in professional German ice hockey and is also one of the league's founding members...	28	15	4	0	9	97:79	34
6.	Kölner Haie Kölner Haie The Kölner Haie are an ice hockey club based in Cologne, Germany that plays in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The team was one of the founding members of the DEL.The team colours are red and white....	28	14	4	1	9	104:94	33
7.	Krefeld Pinguine Krefeld Pinguine The Krefeld Pinguine are an ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. They play in Krefeld, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany at the KönigPALAST. Founded first in 1936, the pro team became a limited liability company in 1994 and joined the top tier Deutsche Eishockey Liga...	28	14	2	1	11	85:84	31
8.	Hannover Scorpions Hannover Scorpions The Hannover Scorpions are a professional ice hockey team founded in 1975 as ESC Wedemark. The team was renamed Wedemark Scorpions in 1996 after the rock band Scorpions, who also call Hanover, Lower Saxony their home. Their games are played at TUI Arena of the Expo Plaza...	28	12	3	2	11	88:96	29
9.	Schwenninger ERC Wild Wings	28	11	5	2	10	98:100	29
10.	Berlin Capitals BSC Preussen BSC Preussen was an ice hockey team in Berlin, Germany. They played between the first and fourth level of German ice hockey from 1983-2005.-History:...	28	11	2	4	11	73:81	28
11.	Kassel Huskies Kassel Huskies The Kassel Huskies were a professional ice hockey team based in Kassel, Hesse, Germany. They played the majority of their seasons in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.The club was founded as ESG Kassel in 1977 and was renamed into EC Kassel in 1987...	28	10	2	3	13	82:86	25
12.	Nürnberg Ice Tigers Sinupret Ice Tigers The Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers Nürnberg are a professional ice hockey club located in Nuremberg, Germany. They play in the country's premier league, the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-History:...	28	9	2	2	15	93:107	22
13.	Revierlöwen Oberhausen Revierlöwen Oberhausen Reiverlowen Oberhausen was an ice hockey team in Oberhausen, Germany. They played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga from 1998-2002.The club was founded in 1997, and folded in 2007.-Season-by-season record:...	28	9	3	1	16	81:103	22
14.	Augsburger Panther Augsburger Panther The Augsburger Panther are a professional ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The team is based in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany. They play their home games at the Curt Frenzel Stadion....	28	10	0	2	16	78:107	22
15.	Starbulls Rosenheim Starbulls Rosenheim Starbulls Rosenheim is an ice hockey team from Germany. The team joined SB/DJK Rosenheim in 1979, after EV Rosenheim had folded, and in 1994 the team adopted their current name.The team played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga from 1995-2000...	28	3	1	0	24	70:138	7
16.	Kaufbeurer Adler ESV Kaufbeuren ESV Kaufbeuren is an ice hockey team in Kaufbeuren, Germany. They play in the Oberliga, the third level of ice hockey in Germany.The club was founded in 1946. In 2007, they were relegated to the Oberliga....	disqualified

GP = Games, W = Win, T = Tie, L = Loss, OTL = Overtime loss, GF:GA = Goals For : Goals Against

    = Continue play for playoff spots,     = Continue qualifications for last 2 playoff spots,     = Disqualified

Phase II - "Meisterrunde"

	Team	GP	W	T	L	OTL	GF:GA	Points
1.	Eisbären Berlin Eisbären Berlin ' are a professional ice hockey team based in Berlin, Germany. The team competes in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga , the highest level of play in professional German ice hockey and is also one of the league's founding members...	48	27	6	1	14	179:139	61
2.	Frankfurt Lions Frankfurt Lions The Frankfurt Lions were a professional men's ice hockey club from Frankfurt, Germany that played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The club ceased operations in 2010 due to financial difficulty.-History:...	48	27	6	1	14	160:126	61
3.	Kölner Haie Kölner Haie The Kölner Haie are an ice hockey club based in Cologne, Germany that plays in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The team was one of the founding members of the DEL.The team colours are red and white....	48	26	6	2	14	160:1474	60
4.	Adler Mannheim Adler Mannheim Adler Mannheim are an ice hockey team of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest ice hockey league in Germany. The team is from Mannheim, a city in the north of Baden-Wurttemberg...	48	26	3	3	16	170:145	58
5.	Düsseldorfer EG DEG Metro Stars The DEG Metro Stars is a German professional ice hockey team in Düsseldorf. It was Germany's most successful hockey club for a long time and had many international players...	48	27	1	2	18	166:164	57
6.	EV Landshut Landshut Cannibals The Landshut Cannibals are a professional ice hockey team based in Landshut, Bavaria. Currently they are members of the 2nd Bundesliga. The team was founded in 1948 as Eislaufverein Landshut , but since 2002 the professional team is organised as “Landshut Cannibals”. The EVL is still responsible...	48	25	4	2	17	148:118	56

GP = Games, W = Win, T = Tie, L = Loss, OTL = Overtime loss, GF:GA = Goals For : Goals Against

Phase II

Two teams qualified for the playoff spots 7 and 8.

	Team	GP	W	T	L	OTL	GF:GA	Points
1.	Hannover Scorpions Hannover Scorpions The Hannover Scorpions are a professional ice hockey team founded in 1975 as ESC Wedemark. The team was renamed Wedemark Scorpions in 1996 after the rock band Scorpions, who also call Hanover, Lower Saxony their home. Their games are played at TUI Arena of the Expo Plaza...	44	22	6	2	14	160:142	52
2.	Berlin Capitals BSC Preussen BSC Preussen was an ice hockey team in Berlin, Germany. They played between the first and fourth level of German ice hockey from 1983-2005.-History:...	44	19	7	4	14	136:119	49
3.	Schwenninger ERC Wild Wings	44	19	5	3	17	157:148	46
4.	Kassel Huskies Kassel Huskies The Kassel Huskies were a professional ice hockey team based in Kassel, Hesse, Germany. They played the majority of their seasons in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.The club was founded as ESG Kassel in 1977 and was renamed into EC Kassel in 1987...	44	19	3	4	18	140:128	45
5.	Krefeld Pinguine Krefeld Pinguine The Krefeld Pinguine are an ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. They play in Krefeld, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany at the KönigPALAST. Founded first in 1936, the pro team became a limited liability company in 1994 and joined the top tier Deutsche Eishockey Liga...	44	18	6	1	19	126:141	43
6.	Nürnberg Ice Tigers Sinupret Ice Tigers The Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers Nürnberg are a professional ice hockey club located in Nuremberg, Germany. They play in the country's premier league, the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-History:...	44	18	4	2	20	126:141	42
7.	Augsburger Panther Augsburger Panther The Augsburger Panther are a professional ice hockey team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The team is based in Augsburg, Bavaria, Germany. They play their home games at the Curt Frenzel Stadion....	44	16	2	2	24	122:160	36
8.	Revierlöwen Oberhausen Revierlöwen Oberhausen Reiverlowen Oberhausen was an ice hockey team in Oberhausen, Germany. They played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga from 1998-2002.The club was founded in 1997, and folded in 2007.-Season-by-season record:...	44	14	4	1	25	132:184	33
9.	Starbulls Rosenheim Starbulls Rosenheim Starbulls Rosenheim is an ice hockey team from Germany. The team joined SB/DJK Rosenheim in 1979, after EV Rosenheim had folded, and in 1994 the team adopted their current name.The team played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga from 1995-2000...	44	6	3	0	35	105:204	15

GP = Games, W = Win, T = Tie, L = Loss, OTL = Overtime loss, GF:GA = Goals For : Goals Against

Color code:     = Playoff     = Season end

Round 1 Playoff Qualifications

The first round of playoff qualifications was played as a best-of-five series.

	|	|	| Game	| 1	| 2	| 3	| 4	| 5
Hannover Scorpions	–	Revier Löwen Oberhausen	3:0	6:2	5:2	5:4	–	–
Berlin Capitals	–	Augsburger Panther	1:3	3:2	1:3	0:2	1:4	–
Schwenninger ERC Wild Wings	–	Nürnberg Ice Tigers	3:2	6:2	4:5 OT	5:2	2:4	6:2
Kassel Huskies	–	Krefeld Pinguine	1:3	3:5	2:5	5:3	1:2	–

OT = Overtime; SO = Shootout

Round 2 Playoff Qualifications

The second round of playoff qualifications was played as a best-of-three series.

	|	|	| Game	| 1	| 2	| 3
Hannover Scorpions	–	Augsburger Panther	2:0	4:3	5:2	–
Schwenninger ERC Wild Wings	–	Krefeld Pinguine	1:2	4:3	2:6	2:5

OT = Overtime; SO = Shootout

The Hannover Scorpions and Krefeld Pinguine qualified for the playoffs.

Playoff

The playoffs were played in a best-of-five format.

Quarterfinals

	|	|	| Game	| 1	| 2	| 3	| 4	| 5
Eisbären Berlin	–	Krefeld Pinguine	3:0	4:3 OT	4:3 n.V.	5:1	–	–
Frankfurt Lions	–	Hannover Scorpions	3:1	4:3 OT	4:1	2:4	4:2	–
Kölner Haie	–	EV Landshut	0:3	3:4 OT	1:9	4:3 SO	–	–
Adler Mannheim	–	Düsseldorfer EG	3:0	7:2	4:3	6:1	–	–

OT = Overtime; SO = Shootout

Semifinals

	|	|	| Game	| 1	| 2	| 3	| 4	| 5
Eisbären Berlin	–	EV Landshut	3:0	7:4	2:1	2:0	–	–
Frankfurt Lions	–	Adler Mannheim	0:3	2:6	1:5	3:4 SO	–	–

OT = Overtime; SO = Shootout

Finals

	|	|	| Game	| 1	| 2	| 3	| 4	| 5
Eisbären Berlin	–	Adler Mannheim	1:3	0:2	2:4	8:7	1:4	–

OT = Overtime; SO = Shootout

With the last game, the Adler Mannheim

Adler Mannheim

Adler Mannheim are an ice hockey team of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest ice hockey league in Germany. The team is from Mannheim, a city in the north of Baden-Wurttemberg...

 became repeat DEL Champion and won the German Champion title for the 3nd time in the club history.

Player awards

Category	Name	Team	Record
Most points	Mark MacKay	Schwenninger ERC Wild Wings	57 Points
Best goalie	Petr Bříza Petr Bríza Petr Bříza is a former Czech ice hockey goaltender. He played in goal on the bronze medal winning ice hockey team for Czechoslovakia at the 1992 Winter Olympics.-External links:*...	EV Landshut Landshut Cannibals The Landshut Cannibals are a professional ice hockey team based in Landshut, Bavaria. Currently they are members of the 2nd Bundesliga. The team was founded in 1948 as Eislaufverein Landshut , but since 2002 the professional team is organised as “Landshut Cannibals”. The EVL is still responsible...	2.41 Goals-Against-Average
Best defender	Marc West	Revierlöwen Oberhausen Revierlöwen Oberhausen Reiverlowen Oberhausen was an ice hockey team in Oberhausen, Germany. They played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga from 1998-2002.The club was founded in 1997, and folded in 2007.-Season-by-season record:...	42 Points