ERC Ingolstadt was promoted to the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in 2002 after three consecutive years of playing in the championship finals of Germany's second-tier hockey league, the 2.Bundesliga.

Other well-known NHL alumni include goaltender Jimmy Waite, Yves Sarault, Patric Hörnqvist and Jason Holland.

[1] ERC Ingolstadt won its first and only DEL championship in 2014 as an overwhelming underdog entering the playoffs.

After finishing in ninth place in the regular season, the Panthers knocked out the three-time defending league champions Eisbären Berlin in overtime of the final game of the playoff qualification round.

By virtue of winning the DEL championship, ERC Ingolstadt was invited to play in the 2014–15 Champions Hockey League.