2015–16 EIHL season

The 2015–16 Elite Ice Hockey League season was the 13th season of the Elite Ice Hockey League. The regular season began in September 2015 and ended in March 2016.

2015–16 EIHL season
League	Elite Ice Hockey League
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	September – March
Regular season
League	Sheffield Steelers
Top scorer	Joey Martin, Cardiff Devils
Challenge Cup
Champions	Nottingham Panthers
Conference
Erhardt champions	Sheffield Steelers
Erhardt runners-up	Cardiff Devils
Gardiner champions	Braehead Clan
Gardiner runners-up	Fife Flyers
Playoffs
Champions	Nottingham Panthers
Runners-up	Coventry Blaze

On 30 April 2014, the Elite League had announced changes to the import rules which would apply to the 2015-16 season: the number of non British-trained players would rise from 12 to 13, while the number of work-permit players would remain at 11.

Teams

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).

The season was marked by the disappearance of the Hull Stingrays, who were replaced by the Manchester Phoenix, the first top-level team to play in the city since Manchester Storm folded in 2002-03.

Conference champions Sheffield Steelers and Braehead Clan took first and third spot in the league, but, in a repeat of the previous season, neither side could continue their success in the playoffs, which was won by Nottingham Panthers, who beat Coventry Blaze 2-0 in the final.

The Challenge Cup was also won by the Panthers who beat the Cardiff Devils in a 1-0 overtime win.

Erhardt Conference

TEAM	CITY/TOWN	ARENA	CAPACITY
Belfast Giants	Belfast	SSE Arena Belfast	7,200
Cardiff Devils	Cardiff	Cardiff Arena	2,500
Coventry Blaze	Coventry	SkyDome Arena	3,000
Nottingham Panthers	Nottingham	National Ice Centre	7,500
Sheffield Steelers	Sheffield	Motorpoint Arena	8,500

Gardiner Conference

TEAM	CITY/TOWN	ARENA	CAPACITY
Braehead Clan	Glasgow	Braehead Arena	4,000
Dundee Stars	Dundee	Dundee Ice Arena	2,400
Edinburgh Capitals	Edinburgh	Murrayfield Ice Rink	3,700
Fife Flyers	Kirkcaldy	Fife Ice Arena	3,525
Manchester Storm	Altrincham	Altrincham Ice Dome	2,000

Standings

Overall

Pos	Team	Pld	W	OTW	OTL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sheffield Steelers (Q)	52	27	7	4	14	190	161	29	72	Regular season champions Qualification to playoffs
2	Cardiff Devils (Q)	52	27	6	4	15	179	139	40	70	Qualification to playoffs
3	Braehead Clan (Q)	52	28	2	7	15	185	145	40	67
4	Belfast Giants (Q)	52	24	7	4	17	184	148	36	66
5	Nottingham Panthers (Q)	52	24	6	2	20	185	152	33	62
6	Fife Flyers (Q)	52	21	5	3	23	171	164	7	55
7	Dundee Stars (Q)	52	19	3	11	19	200	196	4	55
8	Coventry Blaze (Q)	52	18	6	3	25	160	177	−17	51
9	Manchester Storm	52	19	1	4	28	189	227	−38	44
10	Edinburgh Capitals	52	6	4	5	37	153	287	−134	25

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

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	Cardiff Devils	32	17	3	2	10	111	88	23	42	Conference champions
2	Sheffield Steelers	32	16	2	2	12	99	102	−3	38
3	Belfast Giants	32	12	3	4	13	99	99	0	34
4	Nottingham Panthers	32	13	1	2	16	102	102	0	30
5	Coventry Blaze	32	10	3	2	17	88	108	−20	28

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

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	20	1	1	10	125	86	39	43	Conference champions
2	Fife Flyers	32	16	5	1	10	124	97	27	43
3	Dundee Stars	32	16	2	3	11	142	106	36	39
4	Manchester Storm	32	15	1	2	14	140	140	0	34
5	Edinburgh Capitals	32	3	1	3	25	89	191	−102	11

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

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