Vienna Capitals

The Vienna Capitals were founded in 2001, after the disbandment of Wiener EV in 2000, to continue the legacy of ice hockey which has been served in the Federal capital since 1914. They began competition into the EBEL in the 2001–02 season, under coach Kurt Harand. With good performances they established themselves in mid-table and reached at the end of the regular season in fourth place. In the quarterfinals the Capitals swept the Graz 99ers 4: 0 before losing in a sweep to EHC Linz in the semifinals.

In their fourth year of competition and with Jim Boni now the head coach after the disappointment of the previous seasons and a revised squad the Capitals claimed their first Austrian title in the 2003–04 season. Behind the acquisition of Goaltender Frédéric Chabot for the position of the goalkeeper the team managed to form a tight-knit unit and ended the regular season top of the league with eight points ahead of the runner-up, the EC KAC. In the semifinals, the Capitals defeated EC VSV in four games and met EC KAC in the final. The first six games of the final series won the respective Away Team before Vienna won the seventh game 6-2 for their first league title in their history, and were the first Viennese club to win in 43 years.[1]

Logo of the Capitals from 2001 to 2011.

In the following seasons, the Capitals made repeat semi-finals appearances however a major disadvantage determined through the club committee become clear by the failures of recent years, in which the Capitals suffered a lack of developing prospects over other Bundesliga teams. Due to on one hand the infrastructure of Vienna did not allow a continuous training facility and on the other hand after the team affiliate, EHC Vienna ceased partnership, and since the 2007-08 season, the league enforced a scheme that allowed each EBEL team the commitment of only five transfer card players, and to be tilted and as a substitute for this came the so-called Points rule. With the Capitals handcuffed by the situation of a lack of available talent Capitals President, Hans Schmid, tried abolishing the rule points to the future freely undertake more players. This sparked heated discussions among the clubs from, where was also argues with the EU labor that every hockey player allows the free choice of employment, any regulation which would be illegal.

In preparation for the 2011–12 season, the Capitals competed in the 2011 European Trophy for the first time in franchise history. They would win just 1 game out of 8 to finish last in their division.

The home games of the Vienna Capitals were played to approximately 4,500 spectators at the comprehensive Albert Schultz Eishalle in Vienna's Danube city . In February 2009 it was announced that the capacity of the hall would be expanded to 7,000 spectators with a retractable roof.[2] The renovation work began after the 2008–09 season and was completed before the 2010–11 season to the cost of 40 million euros. In addition to increasing the capacity the establishment of a parking garage was built and the Schultz Eishalle video screens and VIP boxes were created.

The Capitals have been the EBEL's best drawing club in attendance, pulling in an average 4,800 throughout the years.

• Vienna Capitals Official Website (German)