Munich Barons
- German Champion 2000
- German Vice Champion 2001
The Munich Barons were between 1999 and 2002 a professional ice hockey team in the Anschutz Sports & Entertainment Group, which were active in the German Ice Hockey League. Their home games carried the Barons of the Olympic Ice Sport Centre, which offers space for 6262 spectators. The biggest success was the German Championship 2000.
- 3.1 Internal club records in the DEL
- 3.2 Major Players
- 3.3 Participation of players on the DEL All-Star Game
History
After long negotiations between the Anschutz Entertainment Group, the license holder Landshut Cannibals, the ESC Munich and the Munich Olympic Park GmbH founding Munich Hockey Club GmbH was announced on 1 June 1999. The license for the German Ice Hockey League was taken over by the indebted Landshut Cannibals, the game operation should take place at the Olympic Ice Stadium. Mid-June was presented to the name and logo of the Barons. The leaders of the new Munich clubs planned in the first season the club's history with a budget of eight million marks.
Despite a slow start, the team in the first season presents sporty good and was able to take second place behind the Cologne Sharks in the main round at first with 109 points. One of the team 's best scorer internally was the German -Canadian Shane Peacock, who was the best defender of the league with 52 points scored. In the play-offs increased to the team and reached by a quarter-final victory against the Frankfurt Lions and with a 3-0 win after playing in the semi-final against the Kassel Huskies the play-off final. There, the Barons met at the Cologne Sharks, which could also defeat the Munich and surprisingly won the German Cup final in their first season in the German Ice Hockey League. Despite the sporting success, the audience remained below expectations ( Main Round: 2.800; Play-Offs: 4.900 ).
In the 2000/2001 season, Bayern occupied by the main round the third place in the standings and qualified for the second time in a row for the final round. In the play-offs the Barons once again reached the final, which they lost in a best of five series with 1:3 defeat against Adler Mannheim. Nevertheless, the audience could not be significantly increased. Due to lack of sponsors income and an expensive squad high losses were written in the following years also.
After the team finished third in the preseason after the main round, this could be won in the season 2001 /02. With a point lead over the second-placed, the eagles from Mannheim to Munich qualified despite major injury problems as first table for the play- offs. In the first round, the Barons were able to defeat their rivals from Augsburg 3-1 games and thus reached the third time in club history the semifinals. There, the team failed to the eventual champions, the Cologne Sharks. Despite a slight increase viewing figures announced on 3 June 2002, the Anschutz Group for financial reasons to move to Hamburg. So also the sponsors income had not developed satisfactorily. Despite speculation long before the sudden move came as a surprise. Since 2002, the Munich Barons play under the name Hamburg Freezers in Hamburg in the German top flight, the DEL.
Team
Major teams
German Champion 2000
German Vice - Champion 2001
Player
Internal club records in the DEL
Major Players
( Team membership and position in brackets)
- Simon Wheeldon (1999-2002, Striker )
- Christoph Schubert (2000-2002, defense)
- Johan Rosén (1999-2002, Striker )
- Boris Rousson (1999-2002, Tor)
Participation of players in the DEL All-Star Game
Some players of the Barons were nominated during their team membership for the DEL All- Star Game. This is a friendly game, which takes place every year since 1998 and compete in the most outstanding player of the German Ice Hockey League against each other.
Coach
The Munich Barons employed only one coach in its three year history. The English-born Canadian Sean Simpson was between 1999 and 2002 Head Coach of the Munich and won with the club in the season 1999/ 2000, the German Cup and reach the final or the second round of the playoffs in the next two seasons.
After the club Simpson was moved in summer 2002 to Hamburg remains committed as head coach. On 30 April 2003, he was released due to the lack of sporting success of its activities.