Eislaufverein Landshut | |
---|---|
City | Landshut, Bavaria, Germany |
League | DEL 2 |
Founded | 1948 |
Home arena | Eisstadion am Gutenbergweg (capacity: 4750 [after stadium renovation]) |
Colours | Red, white |
General manager | Ralf Hantschke |
Head coach | Leif Carlsson |
Captain | Stephan Kronthaler |
Website | www www |
Franchise history | |
1948–2002 | Eislaufverein Landshut |
2002–2013 | Landshut Cannibals |
2013–2015 | EVL Landshut Eishockey |
2015–present | Eislaufverein Landshut |
EV Landshut, also known as EVL Landshut Eishockey and formerly known as the Landshut Cannibals, are a professional ice hockey team based in Landshut, Bavaria, Germany. They currently play in Deutsche Eishockey Liga 2,[1] the second level of ice hockey in Germany. They were promoted from the third-tier Oberliga[2] in 2019 after winning the Oberliga finals against the Tilburg Trappers.[3]
The team was founded in 1948 as Eislaufverein Landshut (EVL), but since 2002 the professional operations have been incorporated as a separate entity. From 2002 to 2013 the professional team was competing as the Landshut Cannibals; in 2013 the name was changed back to EVL Landshut Eishockey to more closely reflect the tradition and history of the team. There is close cooperation with the not-for-profit EVL, which is still responsible for non-professional sporting competitions, i.e. junior hockey and figure skating. From 1963 to 1994 the team was a participant in the Ice hockey Bundesliga, and was a founder member of the DEL. The team won the West German National Championship in 1970 and 1983.[4]
The home arena of the Landshut Cannibals is the Eisstadion am Gutenbergweg, where they have played since 1957, after leaving tentative other locations. The arena has since been renovated several times, last in 2021, and currently holds 4,448 people. Landshut's player development program is counted among the best in Germany, producing numerous well-known hockey players such as “Germany’s hockey player of the century” Erich Kühnhackl, Gerd Truntschka (All-Star at the 1987 World Ice Hockey Championships) and longtime NHL players Marco Sturm (Washington Capitals), Christoph Schubert (Atlanta Thrashers), Tobias Rieder and double Stanley Cup winner Tom Kühnhackl (Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders).