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Eisbären Berlin (English: Berlin Polar Bears) are a professional ice hockey team based in Berlin, Germany. They compete in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, the highest level of play in professional German ice hockey and are also one of the league's founding members. They won the DEL championship four times in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009. The franchise also captured the East German Ice Hockey Championship 15 times before reunification. The team used to play in the Berlin district of Hohenschönhausen. Since their inception, the Eisbären had played their home games at the famous "Wellblechpalast" stadium, but in autumn 2008, the team relocated to their new home arena, the O2 World. The "Wellblechpalast" is still being used as a training facility. The franchise was acquired by the Anschutz Entertainment Group in 1999.
[edit] Club history
[edit] 1954–1994: GDR and 1. Bundesliga yearsThe club was founded in 1954 within the existing SC Dynamo Berlin, the sports association of the East German Police, Volkspolizei and the secret service, MfS. They captured their first East German championship in 1966. In 1971 the league was reduced to just two teams and SC Dynamo Berlin and SG Dynamo Weißwasser made up the smallest ice hockey league in the world [1]. All together Berlin captured the East German championship 15 times [2]. In 1984, Dynamo Berlin came in third place at the European Cup of Champions [3]. Following the German reunification in 1990, SC Dynamo Berlin was incorporated into the existing German Bundesliga. The club was renamed to EHC Dynamo Berlin in 1990 [4]. In that first season in reunited Germany, both EHC Dynamo Berlin and PEV Weißwasser were assigned to the 1. Bundesliga, at the time the highest level of play in German ice hockey, but many of the more talented Eisbären players left the team to sign with other Bundesliga teams. Weißwasser was relegated to the 2. Bundesliga in 1991, Berlin in 1992. In 1992 the club was renamed again, this time to "EHC Eisbären Berlin" and also introduced the polar bear logo [5]. The Eisbären were promoted back to the 1. Bundesliga after the 1992–93 season. Due to lack of publicity and severe economic difficulties following the reunification, the club was unable afford high profile players and regularly finished at the bottom of the standings. [edit] 1994–present: DEL years The German Eishockey Bundesliga was abolished following the 1993/94 season and a new league - Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) - was created. The Eisbären are one of the league's 18 founding members. Following the Bosman ruling of 1995, the club replaced almost the entire roster with veteran European players in 1996/97 [6]. The campaign was a success and the team finished the season in third place. In 1997 the club was renamed into "EHC neue Eisbären Berlin gegr. 1997 e.V." [7]. The following season, 1997/98, the Eisbären advanced to the final round of the DEL play-offs, but lost to Adler Mannheim. The team also participated in the Continental Cup in Tampere, Finland, and finished in second place [8]. In 1998/99 Eisbären participated in the European Hockey League and finished in third place [9]. The Anschutz Entertainment Group acquired sole ownership of the Eisbären in 1999, ensuring financial stability [10]. In 2002/03 and 2003/04 the team finished the regular season in first place, but fell short of capturing the title. At hat time, the team had already become hugely popular, selling out 28 of 31 home games during the 2003/04 season [11]. In 2005/06 and 2006/07 the Eisbären were the German representative at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland [12]. In 2004/05, a season by characterised by the 2004–05 NHL lockout saw the Eisbären capture their first all-German championship. With the help of NHL veterans, such as Erik Cole, Nathan Dempsey and Olaf Kölzig, Berlin beat Mannheim in three games [13]. The team successfully defended the title in 2005/06 against the DEG Metro Stars [14]. The third DEL championship was captured in 2007/08, when the Eisbären beat Kölner Haie in the final round of the play offs. [edit] Home ArenaUntil the 2007/08 season the Eisbären played their home games at the Sportforum Hohenschönhausen complex. The corrugated tin roof of the icehockey facility gave rise to the stadium's popular name "Wellblechpalast" (English: corrugated tin palace). The standing/seating capacity of the stadium is 4695. From 2008/09 onward the Eisbären are playing their home games in the newly-built O2 World, a multi functional arena located at the Spree River with an icehockey-capacity of 14200. [edit] Team AnthemThe official song of the Eisbären Berlin is "Hey, wir wollen die Eisbären seh'n" (approximately "Yeah, We Wanna See The Polar Bears"), recorded by veteran East German band the Puhdys in 1997. The song became a popular tune in German mountain resorts during après-ski parties, and went on to appear on several winter-themed music compilations. It has also been adopted by the club's Russian namesake, HC Dynamo Moscow, and could be heard at their games during the 2008/09 season. [edit] Championship teams[edit] Deutsche Eishockey Liga 2004/05 Champions
[edit] Deutsche Eishockey Liga 2005/06 Champions
[edit] Deutsche Eishockey Liga 2007/08 Champions
[edit] Current roster
[edit] Season-by-season record
[edit] Notable PlayersNo. 21 Jiří Dopita No. 11 Sven Felski No. 19 Andrei Lomakin No. 13 Andrew McKim No. 22 Marc Fortier No. 27 Steve Walker No. 20 Denis Pederson No. 09 Erik Cole [edit] Achievements
[edit] See also[edit] External links
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