After the points record in the main round: The Kölner Haie and the great longing for the title

As of: March 24, 2026 • 1:34 p.m

After the outstanding DEL main round, Cologne is hoping for its first championship title in 24 years. But caution is advised in the playoffs – in the quarterfinals the KEC will first face the Schwenninger Wild Wings.

It’s been a long time since the Cologne fans went into the DEL playoffs with such euphoria as they did this year. That’s because the fans feel the chance of winning the title is great – after all, the Haie completed an extremely strong main round. Schwenningen is now waiting as an opponent in the playoff quarter-finals.

Cologne for the first time Main round winner for 26 years

Actually, the Schwenninger Wild Wings should only be the first stopover on the way to the longed-for championship trophy. The last time it was allowed to be raised was in Cologne in 2002. It’s been two years longer since the KEC finished first in the main round of the DEL.

But this season everything seems to be going well: With 116 points, the KEC set the DEL points record after the main roundn and at times acted so dominantly that the Germans Ice hockey-Interested people had to ask: Who is actually supposed to stop these sharks?

Playoffs often with surprises

Towards the end of the main round, the Cologne team weakened a bit again, but they were still far enough to take first place. But be careful! The playoffs usually write their own history.

Who would know that better than the KEC? The people of Cologne have already experienced too much in their traditional history. In 2014, for example, ERC Ingolstadt, which was only ninth after the main round, eliminated all the favorites one after the other – including Cologne in a dramatic final series.

Last season, the KEC itself almost experienced its playoff dream when it came from sixth place and played its way through to the final. There, however, Cologne lost to the Eisbären Berlin and their title dream ended shortly before the goal.

Sports director Baldys: “We will prepare well”

Sports director Matthias Baldys warned in the Kölnische Rundschau not to think further than the quarter-final against Schwenningen: “Schwenningen gained momentum in the short series against Wolfsburg with their home win and deserved to win in the end. We will prepare well for the opponent.”

The KEC has to watch out especially for top scorer Alexander Karachun, Schwenningen’s most successful goalscorer with 21 goals in the main round and in the three playoff duels against Wolfsburg – the “Swans” won the series 2-1 – and has already been successful three times. The Wild Wings also have one of the best DEL goalkeepers, Joacim Ericson. Its catch rate is an outstanding 91 percent.

Sharks rely on their strengths

Nevertheless: The sharks are the big favorites. They had the best power play in the main round, the best offense and had the DEL coach and player of the year in Kari Jalonen and goalkeeper Janne Juvonen.

The latter in particular impressed with his calm and responsiveness. The German national coach Harold Kreis said about him: “As a defender, I would have always liked to play with such a calm, introverted goalie. He gives those in front of him a good feeling.”

For example, Kreis knows a top goalkeeper like Philipp Grubauer from the DEB squad, after all an NHL goalkeeper for Seattle.

Wins in the main round against Wild Wings

Juvonen and his catching skills will definitely depend on Juvonen and his catching skills in all playoff games – without him, Cologne would not have been so dominant, all experts agree on that. The Haie are at least familiar with victories against Schwenningen – the KEC won all four main round games.

The Haie scored a clear 4:1 twice against Schwenningen, but the last two games were close with 6:5 and 3:2. Nevertheless, the successes of the main round are perhaps a good omen that the euphoria in Cologne will last even longer. And perhaps the championship title will return to the Rhine after a long time.

Our sources:

Broadcast: wdr.de, “The Kölner Haie are the big favorites in the playoffs,” March 24, 2026 1:33 p.m