End for EHC Dortmund but not for Dortmund hockey

It was a sad end to a club who was on the up and up, making some great progress over the last 10 years after they club hit bankruptcy in the 1990. Slowly but surely, the club was making improvements, in 2007 they become Regionalliga Champions, again in 2008 but once again failed to make the jump up to Oberliga. Finally, for the third year, EHC Dortmund becomes Regionalliga Champions and this time, gain promotion up to Oberliga where they fall into Oberliga West region. Right away the club makes a big impact, becoming the Oberliga West Champions in 2010 and in 2011, even just last season the club finished the first phase out on top of the Group before finishing 4th in the Qualification Round.

However, the 2011/2012 season would be the end of the line for a club who was making good progress, this past season the club on the ice was unable to improve on its results last year, they finished 8th and then 8th again in the Qualification Round. Off the ice the club was plagued with rumours of unable to pay its bills, not being able to bring in any kind of new players and the current players who returned, where already looking to find a new club. By the start of May, according to reports the clubs owes the backed player wages of 6,000 euros and this is only the start, the total owed in total could reach well into the six figures. Even though the clubs head coach Sikorski has stuck by the club till the very end and was hoping for a happy ending, he has now had the unpleasurable thing of suing the club for backed wages.

This marks the final end to EHC Dortmund, the club has since gone under however not all was lost for ice hockey in Dortmund. On 28.April, some of the members from EHC Dortmund created a brand new club named Eisadler Dortmund who brings together the youth organizations from EHC. The club of course will not be able to take over for EHC Dortmund, they will have to start from the bottom in NRW-Liga (Nordrhein-Westfalen-Liga) and work their way up the latter once again. Ice hockey in Dortmund was able to withstain the setbacks of EHC Dortmund and making amazing progress, Eisadler Dortmund should be able to do the same.

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