The 2014–15 Elite Ice Hockey League season is the 12th season of the Elite Ice Hockey League. The regular season begins early September and will end in March.

2014–15 EIHL season
LeagueElite Ice Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationSeptember - March
Regular season
LeagueSheffield Steelers
Top scorerMathieu Roy, Sheffield Steelers
Challenge Cup
ChampionsCardiff Devils
Conference
Erhardt championsNottingham Panthers
  Erhardt runners-upSheffield Steelers
Gardiner championsBraehead Clan
  Gardiner runners-upFife Flyers
Playoffs
ChampionsCoventry Blaze
  Runners-upSheffield Steelers
EIHL seasons

On 30 April 2014, the Elite League announced changes to the import rules, as from the 2014–15 season, the number of non British-trained players would rise from 11 to 12, while the number of work-permit players would remain at 11. The number of non British-trained players would then rise to 13 in season 2015-16 and 14 in season 2016-17, with the number of work-permit players again remaining at 11.

The EIHL lost some top British players such as Jonathan Weaver and Danny Meyers along with Matt Towe and Sam Zajac to the EPIHL, the first team to take advantage of the rule changes was the Steelers with them announcing the signing of British/Canadian Rod Sarich.

Teams

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The ten teams were split into two conferences. Teams played the sides in their conferences four times, home and away (32 games), and played the sides in the other conferences twice, home and away (20 games).

Conference champions Braehead Clan and Sheffield Steelers took the top two spots in the league, but neither side could continue their success in the playoffs, which was won by Coventry Blaze, who beat the Steelers 4-2 in the final.[1]

The Challenge Cup went to the Cardiff Devils, with the Steelers again finishing runners-up, losing 2-1. [2]

Standings

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Overall

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Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Sheffield Steelers (Q) 52 30 5 4 13 193 134 +59 74 Regular season champions
Qualification to playoffs
2 Braehead Clan (Q) 52 33 2 3 14 190 136 +54 73 Qualification to playoffs
3 Cardiff Devils (Q) 52 29 5 4 14 210 151 +59 72
4 Nottingham Panthers (Q) 52 23 6 7 16 166 141 +25 65
5 Belfast Giants (Q) 52 25 2 6 19 177 148 +29 60
6 Coventry Blaze (Q) 52 17 7 3 25 127 145 −18 51
7 Hull Stingrays (Q) 52 16 4 9 23 154 192 −38 49
8 Fife Flyers (Q) 52 18 4 3 27 170 180 −10 47
9 Edinburgh Capitals 52 13 7 6 26 135 215 −80 46
10 Dundee Stars 52 6 8 5 33 123 203 −80 33
Source: EIHL
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) Drawing of lots.

Erhardt Conference

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Only intra-conference games counted towards the Erhardt Conference standings. Each team played the other four teams in the Conference eight times, for a total of 32 matches.

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Nottingham Panthers 32 13 5 4 10 94 81 +13 40 Conference champions
2 Sheffield Steelers 32 15 3 3 11 97 94 +3 39
3 Cardiff Devils 32 17 1 2 12 114 103 +11 38
4 Belfast Giants 32 13 2 4 13 97 94 +3 34
5 Coventry Blaze 32 8 3 1 20 75 105 −30 23
Source: EIHL
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) Drawing of lots.

Gardiner Conference

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Only intra-conference games counted towards the Gardiner Conference standings. Each team played the other four teams in the Conference eight times, for a total of 32 matches.

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Braehead Clan 32 25 1 1 5 135 69 +66 53 Conference champions
2 Fife Flyers 32 15 2 1 14 120 102 +18 35
3 Hull Stingrays 32 11 3 5 13 104 123 −19 33
4 Edinburgh Capitals 32 10 4 4 14 87 119 −32 32
5 Dundee Stars 32 4 5 4 19 84 117 −33 22
Source: EIHL
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) Drawing of lots.

League Officials

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Position Name
Chairman Tony Smith
Media Representative Chris Ellis
Head of Discipline Moray Hansen
Head Referee Mick Hicks

Match Officials

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Referees: Tom Darnell, Mike Hicks, James Ashton, Jonny Liptrott, Dean Smith, Neil Wilson and Stefan Hogarth.

Linesmen: Scott Dalgleish, Andrew Dalton, Ally Flockhart, Pavel Halas, James Kavanagh, Sam Motton, Gordon Pirry, Danny Beresford, Matt Rose, Luke Palmer, Paul Brooks, Paul Staniforth and Lee Young.

References

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  1. ^ "Blaze beat Steelers in play-off final". BBC Sport.
  2. ^ "Devils beat Steelers in Cup final". BBC Sport.