2015–16 EIHL season

2015–16 EIHL season
LeagueElite Ice Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationSeptember – March
Regular season
LeagueSheffield Steelers
Top scorerJoey Martin, Cardiff Devils
Challenge Cup
ChampionsNottingham Panthers
Conference
Erhardt championsSheffield Steelers
  Erhardt runners-upCardiff Devils
Gardiner championsBraehead Clan
  Gardiner runners-upFife Flyers
Playoffs
ChampionsNottingham Panthers
  Runners-upCoventry Blaze
EIHL seasons

The 2015–16 Elite Ice Hockey League season was the 13th season of the Elite Ice Hockey League. The regular season began in September 2015 and ended in March 2016.

On 30 April 2014, the Elite League had announced changes to the import rules which would apply to the 2015-16 season: the number of non British-trained players would rise from 12 to 13, while the number of work-permit players would remain at 11. [1] [2]

Teams

The ten teams were split into two conferences. Teams played the sides in their conferences four times, home and away (32 games), and played the sides in the other conferences twice, home and away (20 games).

The season was marked by the disappearance of the Hull Stingrays, who were replaced by the Manchester Phoenix, the first top-level team to play in the city since Manchester Storm folded in 2002-03.

Conference champions Sheffield Steelers and Braehead Clan took first and third spot in the league, but, in a repeat of the previous season, neither side could continue their success in the playoffs, which was won by Nottingham Panthers, who beat Coventry Blaze 2-0 in the final.[3]

The Challenge Cup was also won by the Panthers who beat the Cardiff Devils in a 1-0 overtime win. [4]

Standings

Overall

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Sheffield Steelers (Q) 52 27 7 4 14 190 161 +29 72 Regular season champions
Qualification to playoffs
2 Cardiff Devils (Q) 52 27 6 4 15 179 139 +40 70 Qualification to playoffs
3 Braehead Clan (Q) 52 28 2 7 15 185 145 +40 67
4 Belfast Giants (Q) 52 24 7 4 17 184 148 +36 66
5 Nottingham Panthers (Q) 52 24 6 2 20 185 152 +33 62
6 Fife Flyers (Q) 52 21 5 3 23 171 164 +7 55
7 Dundee Stars (Q) 52 19 3 11 19 200 196 +4 55
8 Coventry Blaze (Q) 52 18 6 3 25 160 177 −17 51
9 Manchester Storm 52 19 1 4 28 189 227 −38 44
10 Edinburgh Capitals 52 6 4 5 37 153 287 −134 25
Source: EIHL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Games won in regulation time; 3) Number of games won; 4) Head-to-head results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 5) Fewest regulation losses; 6) Away game results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 7) Goals scored; 8) Drawing of lots.

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.

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Cardiff Devils 32 17 3 2 10 111 88 +23 42 Conference champions
2 Sheffield Steelers 32 16 2 2 12 99 102 −3 38
3 Belfast Giants 32 12 3 4 13 99 99 0 34
4 Nottingham Panthers 32 13 1 2 16 102 102 0 30
5 Coventry Blaze 32 10 3 2 17 88 108 −20 28
Source: EIHL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Games won in regulation time; 3) Number of games won; 4) Head-to-head results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 5) Fewest regulation losses; 6) Away game results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 7) Goals scored; 8) Drawing of lots.

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.

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Braehead Clan 32 20 1 1 10 125 86 +39 43 Conference champions
2 Fife Flyers 32 16 5 1 10 124 97 +27 43
3 Dundee Stars 32 16 2 3 11 142 106 +36 39
4 Manchester Storm 32 15 1 2 14 140 140 0 34
5 Edinburgh Capitals 32 3 1 3 25 89 191 −102 11
Source: EIHL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Games won in regulation time; 3) Number of games won; 4) Head-to-head results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 5) Fewest regulation losses; 6) Away game results, ranked by criteria 1 to 3; 7) Goals scored; 8) Drawing of lots.

League Officials

Position Name
Chairman Tony Smith
Media Representative Chris Ellis
Head of Discipline Moray Hansen
Head Referee Mick Hicks

References

  1. ^ "NEWS: EIHL RULE CHANGES". braeheadclan.com. 30 April 2014. Archived from the original on 21 September 2017. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
  2. ^ "EIHL Rules Changes ahead of 2014/15". britishicehockey.co.uk. 30 Apr 2014.
  3. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "EIHL Play-off Final 2016 - Nottingham Panthers v Coventry Blaze - Extended Highlights". YouTube.
  4. ^ "EIHL Challenge Cup Final 2016 - Nottingham Panthers v Cardiff Devils - Full match". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-05.