The question of whether promotion and relegation should exist between the two leagues, the DEL and DEL2, has divided German ice hockey for years but the two leagues have finally come to an agreement.

"I'm overjoyed that both independent professional leagues eventually found a way," said German Ice Hockey Association President Franz Reindl.

"This is absolutely phenomenal for our sport.

"All hockey fans can now look forward to transmissibility through all leagues.

"This will also strengthen the sports and infrastructure."

Promotion and relegation has not featured in the top two leagues since 2006, when the Kassel Huskies became the last team to be relegated from the DEL after finishing last.

They were replaced by the Staubing Tigers and ever since no team from the DEL2 has had the chance to go up, unless a team in the league above went bankrupt.

The decision to end the system of movement between the leagues has received criticism ever since.

Playing a second-tier league without the possibility for promotion became known as "playing for the golden pineapple", meaning a prize of little meaning.

The two leagues came close to an agreement every year between 2012 and 2015 but each time talks fell though, twice because the arena in which one of the DEL2 clubs played in was deemed unacceptable and once because a club was not deemed sufficiently stable financially.

The 2020-2021 season could now become the first in 15 years where teams in the DEL have to battle it out to avoid relegation.

"We are glad to eventually present a joint result after not easy but always constructive negotiations," said DEL2 chairman Peter Merten.

"The winner of this agreement is German ice hockey because like in all other sports promotion and relegation will add to the excitement in our sport too.

"This offers the DEL2 clubs not only perspectives on the ice but also financially."

The agreement has reportedly not yet been formalised in writing, but DEL chief executive Gernot Tripcke confirmed the essentials.

"The last-ranked team of the DEL regular season will be relegated, the champion of the DEL2 will be promoted," he said.

"We are relieved that the endless discussion is away."

To be promoted from the DEL2 teams will have to do more than just win the league, however.

The clubs will have to have an arena with a capacity of at least 4,500 and deposit a bank guarantee.

German ice hockey is currently on a high after the country's shock men's Olympic silver medal at Pyeongchang 2018.