MAC Budapest has announced that it would like to participate in the MOL League starting with the 2014-15 season. A couple weeks back SAPA Fehérvár AV19 stated that they would like to run a farm team again in the league also starting in 2015.
On May 29th the league will decide if they should admit the Romanian club Galati, who finished 5th in the Romanian league, to the MOL League, they would could be the second “expansion” team for the upcoming season along with Debrecen.
What is known for sure that all seven clubs from last season will be back to battle for the league title, Dunaújváros, Ferencváros, Miskolc, Újpest, Csíkszereda, Brasov and Nové Zámky. What is also know is that Debreceni HK will be the new club guaranteeing eight teams for next season. If the league grants Galati entrance that would incerease the size of the league to nine, with a further expansion to 11 in sight for 2015-16 with Fehérvár and MAC.
There is always a chance that Vasas would reapplied after unsuccessfully trying for the 2012-13 season. Tisza Volán who played in the Serbian league the past season regularly in front of 1000 home fans could also make a move to the MOL League as well as Partizan from Serbia who in the past had stated that the MOL League is a reasonable option for the future.
Along with the current teams from Romania Steaua Bucharest could always come back to the league as well as Progym Hargita.
Igor Nemecek, president of the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation said at the U18 Division 1B world championship in Fehérvár that based on the success of MOL League winner Nové Zámky their federation would not be opposed to other Slovak teams pursuing this route as long as they still enter a team in the Slovak league system.
Right now there looks to be 8, maybe 9, teams for 2014-15 season and the potential for 11 teams in 2015-16, moving on from 2016 the possibilities are almost endless for the MOL League.
The League has changed the rules with regards to foreign players, increasing the number of imports a team can dress for a game from five to six. Also the transfer window will be closed on the last day of January 2015.
Unlike in the past six teams will be qualifying for the playoffs - instead of four - with the top two teams getting by in the first round. In the first round the number three team will play number six and four will play five.