SHL vs DEL

In these two leagues, you have two of the strongest hockey leagues in all of Europe. Head to head, you may get some people giving the SHL the slight nod, but in our scouting, we call this a coin flip based on how strong the level is in each. To give readers a sense, you could place top teams in each league against an NHL club in exhibition and you'd likely see a strong match. Where these two leagues compare in their high caliber, they differ in the style of hockey. Though the DEL is a highly skilled league, the game is a bit more physical and hard nosed in terms of how it's played when comparing it to the SHL. In all, these are two great leagues in their own right.

The level of players in DEL is high. In years past, DEL clubs have held their own in exhibition games versus NHL clubs. Rosters are made up of a blend of German nationals and a select number of international imports who range from ex-AHL/NHL players and top level European players. This added strength of imports throughout the league definitely contributes to the high skill level combined with strong German players.