Adler Mannheim
Eight-time German champion, seven-time DEL champion.
The Adler Mannheim, also known as the Mannheim Eagles, are a professional ice hockey team competing in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), Germany’s top league. The club is located in Mannheim, a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, and currently plays its home games at the SAP Arena. They moved there at the start of the 2005–06 season, ending a nearly 70-year run at the Eisstadion am Friedrichspark, which had been their home from 1938 to 2005. The team has claimed the German Championship eight times in total, with seven of those titles coming after 1994, during the DEL era. The team’s origins trace back to the Mannheimer Eis- und Rollsport-Club (MERC), founded on 19 May 1938. Their first match took place on 19 February 1939 at the new Friedrichspark Stadium, where they lost 0–11 to the reigning German champions. The following seasons brought more success, but World War II disrupted regular play. In 1942, after Mannheim qualified for the finals, the declaration of total war forced their cancellation less than a day before they were set to begin. On 5 June 1943, an air raid destroyed the Eisstadion am Friedrichspark. After the war ended in 1945, it took four more years for the club to resume play. By the 1951–52 season, they had a regular team again, though results were modest. A standout moment came with a 10–2 win over a team of American soldiers stationed near Mannheim. In 1978, MERC earned promotion to the top division of the Eishockey Bundesliga. With a tight budget, coach Heinz Weisenbach got creative, traveling to North America to recruit players of German descent. This brought Harold Kreis, Manfred "Mannix" Wolf, Roy Roedger, and Peter Ascherl into the league. The club also signed national goaltender Erich Weishaupt from Berliner SC. After finishing sixth in their debut season, they added Ron Andruff, Holger Meitinger, and national players Marcus Kuhl and Peter Obresa. Through a complex tournament format, MERC won its first German championship, sealing it with a victory in Berlin. Before their final, inconsequential home game against Cologne EC, the players famously warmed up in tailcoats and top hats. In 1994, Mannheimer ERC became a founding member of the DEL.
Quick Facts
- Team
- Adler Mannheim
- Text Colour
- black
- Founded
- 1938
- City
- Mannheim, Germany
- Arena
- SAP Arena
- Capacity
- 13,600
- League
- Deutsche Eishockey Liga
- Championships
- 8 (1980, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2015, 2019)
- Owner
- Die Adler Mannheim Eishockey Spielbetriebs GmbH + Co. KG
- Gm
- Dallas Eakins
- Captain
- Marc Michaelis
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The club was founded on 19 May 1938 as the Mannheimer Eis- und Rollsport-Club (MERC). Their first match on 19 February 1939 at the new Friedrichspark Stadium ended in a 0–11 loss to the German champion. During the Second World War, the 1942 finals were cancelled less than 24 hours before their start due to the proclamation of total war. On 5 June 1943, the Eisstadion am Friedrichspark was destroyed by an air attack. After the war ended in 1945, it took another four years before the hockey club began playing once again. In the 1951/52 season, Mannheim again had a team to play in a regular team, with a notable 10–2 victory against a team of American soldiers. In 1978, MERC achieved promotion to the first division of the Eishockey Bundesliga.
Reader's Guide
The Adler Mannheim are a founding member of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), formed in 1994, and have been the most successful team in the league's history with seven DEL championships. Their eight total German championships include one from the pre-DEL era. The team's move to SAP Arena in 2005 marked a new era, though the first season there saw them miss the playoffs for the first time in 26 years. They rebounded to win their fifth DEL championship in 2007. The club has notable connections to the NHL, hosting the San Jose Sharks in a 2010 exhibition game and entering a developmental partnership with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2011. During the 2012 NHL lockout, former players Dennis Seidenberg, Marcel Goc, Jason Pominville, and Jochen Hecht rejoined the team. The Adler won their sixth DEL championship in 2015 under head coach Geoff Ward, and their seventh in 2019 under head coach Pavel Gross, setting a new point average record of 2.23 points per game. In 2019, rookie defenseman Moritz Seider was drafted sixth overall by the Detroit Red Wings, the highest draft pick from the club.
Did You Know?
- The club's first match on 19 February 1939 ended in a 0–11 loss to the German champion.
- In 1978, coach Heinz Weisenbach recruited the first 'German-Canadians' to the Eishockey Bundesliga.
- During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the Adler added Jochen Hecht, Cristobal Huet, Yannick Tremblay, and Sven Butenschön.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Adler Mannheim?
Adler Mannheim, often called the Mannheim Eagles, is a professional ice hockey club based in Mannheim, a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The team was originally founded on 19 May 1938 under the name Mannheimer Eis- und Rollsport-Club and has since become one of the most decorated franchises in German hockey.
What league does Adler Mannheim compete in?
The Eagles play in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), which is the top-tier professional ice hockey league in Germany. They have been a mainstay of that competition since its formation in the mid-1990s.
Where does Adler Mannheim play its home games?
Since the 2005–06 season, the team has hosted its home matches at the SAP Arena in Mannheim. Before that move, they played at the Eisstadion am Friedrichpark for nearly 70 years, from 1938 through 2005.
How many German championships has Adler Mannheim won?
The club has claimed the German ice hockey title eight times in its history. Seven of those eight crowns were earned during the DEL era after 1994, making them one of the most successful teams in the modern league.
Why is Adler Mannheim important in European hockey?
As an eight-time German champion and a long-standing DEL staple, the Eagles represent one of the most storied clubs in German and broader European ice hockey. Their nearly 90-year continuous presence in the sport, from a 1938 founding to today's SAP Arena, gives them a rare depth of tradition among European clubs.
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