Red Bull Munich are a relatively new player on the German hockey scene, but hockey in the city goes back to the early 20th century. Since Red Bull took over in 2012, the newest club has risen to the top of the DEL, where they intend to stay.

by Jens Rohra

When you think about Munich the first sport which comes into your mind is football, but most people don´t know that since the beginning of the 20th century Munich has also had a couple of ice hockey teams. The first one was the MTV München 1879, who won the German ice hockey championship in 1922. The city had its most success in terms of hockey in the 1990s when two different Munich teams won the German championship.

Down and then up again

After winning the championship in the year 2000, the ice hockey scene Munich went downhill. The Munich Barons were sold and moved to Hamburg, where they became the Hamburg Freezers. 

But amidst the ashes of the Barons, a club had already been born to take their place. What began as a recreational team on 19 January 1998 under the name of EC98 (Eishockey-Club98), would soon evolve into a professional club which is known today as the EHC Red Bull Munich. EHC Munich won the German Ice Hockey Cup in 2010 and, the same year, earned a promotion into the DEL, the top ice hockey league in Germany.

EHC Munich in the DEL: blessing and curse 

As the club took its place in the DEL, many in the German ice hockey community were doubtful whether they could establish themselves there in the long run. But despite all the critics, EHC Munich have managed to hold their own in the league. In their first season they earned a measure of respect by finishing 8th place out of 14 teams, which led them into the quarter-finals, where they were defeated by Kölner Haie in three straight games. Head coach Pat Cortina and general manager Christian Winkler had built a competitive team with the lowest payroll in the league. 

The next season was more challenging, however, and at the end the City of Munich announced its intention to stop funding the club. This could have, once again, meant the end of hockey in the Bavarian capital, which upset the team's fans greatly. They organized demonstrations and even a march through the city, which came to a stop right in front of the Munich City Hall in an attempt to make local politicians change their minds because “Ice hockey in Munich shouldn´t die.”

Rescue by Red Bull and rebuilding the team

The march and those demonstrations somehow worked. It was not in the way the fans expected it but it was enough to keep the team in Munich. The gigantic Red Bull empire took over the club and extended their engagement in sports. Although the first season under the direction of Red Bull was a struggle, everyone associated with the club was confident that they would have a great future. Only some groups of fans were skeptical and feared the loss of tradition, but they were probably aware that the association with Red Bull was probably the only way to keep professional hockey alive in Munich. 

After so many low years, hockey in Munich was about to prosper as it never had before. In the 2014–15 season, Red Bull Munich was a solid contender for the German championship, finishing 2nd in the regular season. Even though they fell in their quarter-final series, it was by far the team's most successful season so far, and it allowed the team to qualify for the Champions Hockey League.

The following year, they completed their ascent. This time they finished 1st in the regular season after a tight race with Eisbären Berlin and the Iserlohn Roosters. This time they didn't stumble in the playoffs, either, defeating the Straubing Tigers and Kölner Haie to get to the DEL Finals, where they swept Grizzlys Wolfsburg in four straight games. They were led in goal by David Leggio, who played in all 14 playoff games and recorded a 1.76 goals-against average and a save percentage of .930. Offensively they were led by an amazing 16 points in 13 games by Steve Pinizzotto, in addition to the team's usual scorers which include Keith Aucoin, youngster Dominik Kahun, great Dane Mads Christensen and veteran captain Michael Wolf. 

Team facts

CHL seasons

2015–16: 1st in Group H, Round of 32

Click here for current information about the club.

NOTE: This article has been updated since its original publication.