AUGSBURG, Germany – The German Ice Hockey Association (DEB) and the country’s top ice hockey league DEL have extended their co-operation with a new agreement valid until 2026.

The co-operation settles the relationship between the DEB as governing ice hockey body and the independent DEL and focuses on the development of ice hockey in German with the development concept POWERPLAY 26, which has the goal to make Germany a regular medal contender until 2026.

“It is a very ambitious goal but not impossible,” Franz Reindl, the DEB President and member of the IIHF Council, said after the signing of the contract during the Deutschland Cup in Augsburg. “Stability and continuity are important for our sport, both on the national and international level. The close collaboration on and off the ice makes sense and creates synergies for better marketing.”

“Together we have already started a lot. It is important to find sustainable structures in the areas where the DEB and DEL have interfaces like it is the case for the national team and youth development,” said DEL Chairman Jurgen Arnold.

The two parties are in the fourth season of the current contract and extended it long before its expiration. The agreement brings the biggest German stakeholders together and also clears the procedure for players joining the national team, international relations, transfers, officiating, youth hockey and financial support.

All 14 clubs of the DEL and the 14 DEL2 clubs have in the meantime become official members of the DEB, which facilitates the co-operation in German ice hockey.

MARTIN MERK