The 2023–24 EIHL season was the 20th anniversary season of the Elite Ice Hockey League. The regular season commenced on 23 September 2023, and the final match day was on 7 April 2024; the playoff quarter-finals were held over the weekend of 14 April and the Playoff final weekend was held the following weekend.[1]
The Sheffield Steelers won their sixth league title – and first since 2015–16[2] – having opened up an unassailable 14-point lead over the Cardiff Devils with a 7–3 victory over the Guildford Flames on 24 March 2024. The Steelers had also won the Challenge Cup 11 days earlier, beating the Flames 3–1 in the final.[3] The Steelers ultimately completed their first Grand Slam in the EIHL era, defeating the Belfast Giants 3–1 in the playoff final.[4]
The season was marred by the death of Nottingham Panthers forward Adam Johnson during a Challenge Cup match between the Panthers and the Sheffield Steelers,[5] held on 28 October, at the Sheffield Arena.[6] Johnson had suffered a cut to his neck by the blade of a skate,[7] and received emergency treatment on the ice before being transferred to the Northern General Hospital, but died from his injuries.[6] The EIHL postponed all scheduled matches for the following day, 29 October,[8] and subsequent matches on 31 October and 1 November were also postponed.[9][10] Teams returned to action on 4 November, with the exception of Sheffield and Nottingham,[10] who returned to the ice a week and two weeks later.
Teams
The same ten teams that competed in 2022–23 competed in the 2023–24 season.
Each team played 54 games, playing each of the other nine teams six times: three times on home ice, and three times away from home.[11] Points were awarded for each game, where two points were awarded for all victories, regardless of whether it was in regulation time or after overtime or game-winning shots. One point was awarded 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 finished with the most points was crowned the league champion, and qualified for the 2024–25 Champions Hockey League. The top eight teams qualified for the playoffs.
Source: Elite League 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. (C) Champion
Statistics
Scoring leaders
The following players led the league in points, at the conclusion of the regular season.[12] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.
The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average, provided that they have played at least 40% of their team's minutes, at the conclusion of the regular season.[13]
In the two-legged quarter-finals, the highest-ranked team met the lowest-ranked team, the second-highest-ranked team met the second-lowest-ranked team and so forth. The winners of each tie was determined by aggregate scoring over the two games. In the semi-finals, the highest remaining seed was matched against the lowest remaining seed, with the other two teams facing off. The winners of the semi-finals progressed to the Final, with the losers playing in the third-place match.
The following players led the league in points, at the conclusion of the playoffs.[15] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.
The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average, provided that they have played at least 40% of their team's minutes, at the conclusion of the playoffs.[16]
The Challenge Cup was split into two stages: an initial group stage where the league's ten teams were divided into three groups based on geographical distance – one group of four teams (Group A) and two groups of three teams (Groups B and C). The three group winners, along with the five best remaining teams on win percentage qualified for the knockout stage. The quarter-finals and semi-finals were held over two legs, with a one-off final.[17]
Source: Elite League 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.
Source: Elite League 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.
Group C
Following the death of Adam Johnson, the Nottingham Panthers withdrew from the Challenge Cup on 8 November 2023.[18] The game between the Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham, which was being led 2–1 by Sheffield at the time of its abandonment, was not considered in the standings or for potential tie-breaking scenarios between Sheffield and the Belfast Giants.[19]
Source: Elite League 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.
Following the conclusion of the league phase of the Challenge Cup, the quarter-final matchups (except for Belfast–Coventry) were determined on 29 November 2023.[21] The Belfast–Coventry game dates were confirmed two days later.[22]
The game dates for the Sheffield–Coventry matchup were confirmed on 21 December 2023, with the Guildford–Glasgow matchup dates not confirmed until 4 January 2024.[23][24]
The following players led the league in points, at the conclusion of the Challenge Cup.[26] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.
The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average, provided that they have played at least 40% of their team's minutes, at the conclusion of the Challenge Cup.[27]
^Morrone is credited by the EIHL as having played 20 minutes in the game against the Nottingham Panthers on 28 October, despite 33:47 having been played.[28]
^Kielly is credited by the EIHL as having played 5 games, with an appearance of 32:18 – in relief of Antti Karjalainen – against the Dundee Stars on 12 November missing.[29][30]
^"Report: Dundee Stars 6 Glasgow Clan 2". Glasgow Clan. 12 November 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2023. James Phelan then doubled Dundee's lead almost instantly with a slot drive and back hand finish before Jake Kielly replaced Karjalainen in the Clan net.
