2025–26 EIHL season
| 2025–26 EIHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | Elite Ice Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration |
|
| Regular season | |
| Challenge Cup | |
| Winners | Nottingham Panthers (9th title) |
| Runners-up | Coventry Blaze |
| Playoffs | |
The 2025–26 EIHL season is the 22nd season of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), the highest level of domestic ice hockey played in the United Kingdom. The league is running three separate competitions to be played between 13 September 2025 and 19 April 2026.[1] The Belfast Giants were the defending League Championship and Challenge Cup winners, while the Nottingham Panthers were the defending playoff champions.
The Panthers won a record-extending ninth Challenge Cup title, and their first for a decade, defeating the Coventry Blaze 3–2 through Didrik Henbrant's overtime goal.[2]
Teams
The same ten teams that competed in the 2024–25 EIHL season will compete in the 2025–26 season.
| Team | City/Town | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast Giants | Belfast | SSE Arena Belfast | 8,700 |
| Cardiff Devils | Cardiff | Vindico Arena | 3,110 |
| Coventry Blaze | Coventry | Planet Ice Coventry | 3,000 |
| Dundee Stars | Dundee | Dundee Ice Arena | 2,700 |
| Fife Flyers | Kirkcaldy | Fife Ice Arena | 3,525 |
| Glasgow Clan | Glasgow | Braehead Arena | 4,000 |
| Guildford Flames | Guildford | Guildford Spectrum | 2,200 |
| Manchester Storm | Altrincham | Planet Ice Altrincham | 2,440 |
| Nottingham Panthers | Nottingham | Motorpoint Arena Nottingham | 7,500 |
| Sheffield Steelers | Sheffield | Utilita Arena Sheffield | 9,300 |
Regular season
League standings
Each team will play 54 games, playing each of the other nine teams six times: three times on home ice, and three times away from home. Points will be awarded for each game: two points for all victories, regardless of whether it is in regulation time or after overtime or game-winning shots, one point for losing in overtime or game-winning shots, and zero points for losing in regulation time. At the end of the regular season, the team that finishes with the most points will be crowned league champions and is expected to qualify for the 2026–27 Champions Hockey League. The top eight teams will qualify for the playoffs.[3]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belfast Giants (Q) | 48 | 31 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 182 | 99 | +83 | 76 | Qualification to playoffs |
| 2 | Nottingham Panthers (Q) | 49 | 24 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 174 | 129 | +45 | 68 | |
| 3 | Cardiff Devils (Q) | 49 | 26 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 176 | 114 | +62 | 67 | |
| 4 | Sheffield Steelers (Q) | 49 | 24 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 178 | 122 | +56 | 66 | |
| 5 | Manchester Storm (Q) | 48 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 147 | 134 | +13 | 59 | |
| 6 | Guildford Flames (Q) | 50 | 20 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 152 | 145 | +7 | 56 | |
| 7 | Coventry Blaze (Q) | 49 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 148 | 155 | −7 | 53 | |
| 8 | Glasgow Clan (Q) | 49 | 17 | 4 | 9 | 19 | 132 | 151 | −19 | 51 | |
| 9 | Dundee Stars | 49 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 34 | 111 | 230 | −119 | 27 | |
| 10 | Fife Flyers | 50 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 110 | 231 | −121 | 24 |
Rules for classification:
- In-season: 1) Points; 2) Fewest games played; end of season criteria as below.
- End of season: 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) Goal difference; 9) Fewest penalty minutes; 10) Drawing of lots.
(Q) Qualified to the phase indicated
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup was split into two stages: an initial group stage where the league's ten teams were divided into two groups based on geographical distance – one group of six teams (Group A) and a group of four teams (Group B).[4] The teams in Group A (the five English teams and the Cardiff Devils) played each of the other teams twice for a total of ten games, while the teams in Group B (the three Scottish teams and the Belfast Giants) played each of the other teams four times for a total of twelve games.
The top two teams in Group A and the winners of Group B qualified for the semi-finals. The runners-up in Group B faced the third-placed team in Group A in a semi-final playoff game held at the arena of the team with a higher group stage points percentage to determine the final semi-finalist.[5]
Group stage
Group A
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheffield Steelers | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 32 | 21 | +11 | 15 | Qualification to semi-finals |
| 2 | Coventry Blaze | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 31 | −2 | 13 | |
| 3 | Nottingham Panthers | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 33 | 31 | +2 | 12[a] | Qualification to play-in match |
| 4 | Cardiff Devils | 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 29 | 24 | +5 | 12[a] | |
| 5 | Manchester Storm | 10 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 28 | 34 | −6 | 8 | |
| 6 | Guildford Flames | 10 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 38 | −10 | 7 |
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) Goal difference; 9) Fewest penalty minutes; 10) Drawing of lots.
Notes:
Group B
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belfast Giants | 12 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 48 | 31 | +17 | 17 | Qualification to semi-finals |
| 2 | Glasgow Clan | 12 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 38 | 30 | +8 | 16 | Qualification to play-in match |
| 3 | Dundee Stars | 12 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 43 | 46 | −3 | 13 | |
| 4 | Fife Flyers | 12 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 24 | 46 | −22 | 8 |
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) Goal difference; 9) Fewest penalty minutes; 10) Drawing of lots.
Knockout stage
Bracket
|
|
| |||||||||||||
| 1 | Sheffield Steelers | 0 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||
| B2 | Glasgow Clan | 1 | 4 | Nottingham Panthers | 3 | 2 | 5 | ||||||||
| A3 | Nottingham Panthers | 4 | 4 | Nottingham Panthers | 3 | ||||||||||
| 3 | Coventry Blaze | 2 | |||||||||||||
| 2 | Belfast Giants | 2 | 3 | 5 | |||||||||||
| 3 | Coventry Blaze | 3 | 6 | 9 | |||||||||||
Play-in match
| 17 December 2025 19:30 | Glasgow Clan | 1–4 (0–0, 1–2, 0–2) | Nottingham Panthers | Braehead Arena Attendance: 2,323 |
| Game reference | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sami Aittokallio | Goalies | Kevin Carr | Referees: Andy Dalton Daniel Ferguson Linesmen: Scott Rodger James Nelson | ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| 2 min | Penalties | 8 min | |||||||||||||||
| 28 | Shots | 24 | |||||||||||||||
Semi-finals
In a change for the 2025–26 season, the semi-final matchups were determined on win percentage from the group stage – between both group winners (the Sheffield Steelers and the Belfast Giants) for the number one and two seeds, and the remaining two teams (the Coventry Blaze and the Nottingham Panthers) for the number three and four seeds.[6][7]
(1) Sheffield Steelers vs. (4) Nottingham Panthers
| 18 February 2026 | Nottingham Panthers | 3–0 | Sheffield Steelers | Motorpoint Arena Nottingham | Recap | |||
|
First period | No scoring | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Kevin Carr (26 shots / 26 saves) | Goalie stats | Matt Greenfield (17 shots / 14 saves) | ||||||
| 25 February 2026 | Sheffield Steelers | 4–2 | OT | Nottingham Panthers | Utilita Arena Sheffield | Recap | ||
| Mikko Juusola (SHG) – 6:46 | First period | 7:06 – Matt Marcinew (PPG) | ||||||
|
Second period | No scoring | ||||||
| Mitchell Balmas (PPG) – 1:56 | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| No scoring | First overtime period | 0:25 – Bryan Lemos | ||||||
| Matt Greenfield (26 shots / 24 saves) | Goalie stats | Kevin Carr (40 shots / 36 saves) | ||||||
| Nottingham Panthers win 5–4 on aggregate. | |
(2) Belfast Giants vs. (3) Coventry Blaze
The second leg, initially scheduled for 18 February, was postponed as a result of the Blaze being unable to travel to Belfast.[8] The game was rescheduled to 4 March.[9]
| 11 February 2026 | Coventry Blaze | 3–2 | Belfast Giants | Coventry Skydome | Recap | |||
|
First period | 8:41 – Ben Lake | ||||||
| Grayson Constable – 16:57 | Second period | 9:46 – Scott Conway | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Mat Robson (44 shots / 42 saves) | Goalie stats | Alexis Gravel (18 shots / 15 saves) | ||||||
| 4 March 2026 | Belfast Giants | 3–6 | Coventry Blaze | SSE Arena Belfast | Recap | |||
| Carsen Twarynski – 10:42 | First period | 17:36 – Matthew Gleason | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period |
| ||||||
|
Third period |
| ||||||
| Jake Kupsky (24 shots / 20 saves) | Goalie stats | Mat Robson (48 shots / 45 saves) | ||||||
| Coventry Blaze win 9–5 on aggregate. | |
Final
As the highest remaining seed, the Coventry Blaze were scheduled to have home advantage for the final against the Nottingham Panthers. However, as the Coventry Skydome did not meet league requirements for the final, it was instead played at Motorpoint Arena Nottingham.[10]
| 18 March 2026 19:30 | Coventry Blaze | 2–3 (OT) (0–0, 1–1, 1–1, 0–1) | Nottingham Panthers | Motorpoint Arena Nottingham Attendance: 6,287 |
| Game reference | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mat Robson | Goalies | Kevin Carr | Referees: Tom Pering Joe Sewell Linesmen: Danny Beresford Rob Pullar | ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| 4 min | Penalties | 4 min | |||||||||||||||
| 31 | Shots | 42 | |||||||||||||||
References
- ^ "Gamecentre". EIHL. Retrieved 2025-07-11.
- ^ Aloia, Andrew; Gadsby, Chris (19 March 2026). "Panthers 'embrace' Challenge Cup win - Stewart". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ "Standings 2025/2026 Elite Ice Hockey League". EIHL. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ Crow, Allan (13 May 2024). "EIHL's new Challenge Cup format revealed after fans' survey criticism – and it still feels clunky". Fife Free Press. National World. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ "Elimination Game scheduled for 17 December". Elite Ice Hockey League. Pendulum Management. 10 November 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "Tweak to Challenge Cup knockout stages". Elite Ice Hockey League. Pendulum Management. 26 August 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "Line-up for Challenge Cup Semi-Finals". Elite Ice Hockey League. Pendulum Management. 17 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "Giants v Coventry postponed after flight cancellation". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 February 2026. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
- ^ "Giants vs. Blaze re-arranged". Elite Ice Hockey League. Pendulum Management. 19 February 2026. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
- ^ James, Luke (3 March 2026). "Elite League introduces Challenge Cup final arena requirements on semi-final eve". British Ice Hockey. Retrieved 14 March 2026.