The Deutsche Eishockey Liga (German Ice Hockey League, shortname DEL) is a German professional ice hockey league that was founded in 1994. It was formed as a replacement for the Ice hockey Bundesliga and became the new top-tier league in Germany as a result. Unlike the old Bundesliga, the DEL is not under the administration of the German Ice Hockey Federation. The DEL currently has the highest number of American and Canadian players outside North America.