In the 1983–84 season the EV Landshut only lost the finals against the Kölner EC and were runners-up. In the following years the club faced increasing financial troubles as did most Bavarian hockey strongholds. Depts totalled 2.7 mil. D-Mark. This was because Landshut's junior player education was expensive, and the well-educated players would be contracted by wealthy large city-clubs Despite signing a few well-known players like Tom Roulston, Matti Hagman and Tom O'Regan between 1984 and 1989 the club was not able to come through the quarterfinals. The preliminary standings declined from fourth to eighth, before the team missed the playoff qualification in the 1989-90 preliminaries. The relegation round was finished on the first rank. The 1990-91 preliminaries were also completed only on the ninth rank, but in the playdowns the EVL knocked out the EHC Dynamo Berlin. In the following season the squad finally hit rock bottom: Losing all relegation games, the EVL owed its participation in the Bundesliga the baize table (two contrahents resigned). After managing the 1992-93 relegation round, Landshut's management decided to invest in a punchy lineup to play for the championship, but was knocked out in the quarterfinals.