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List of ice hockey leagues facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This is a list of ice hockey leagues from all over the world! These leagues are where players compete in ice hockey, whether they play for money (professional) or just for fun (amateur). The years in parentheses show when a league started and, if it's no longer around, when it stopped.

Ice Hockey Leagues in North America

North America is a huge place for ice hockey, with many different leagues for players of all ages and skill levels.

Men's Leagues

Top Professional Leagues

  • National Hockey League (1917): This is the biggest and most famous ice hockey league in the world! Teams from Canada and the United States play here.

Minor Professional Leagues

These leagues are a step below the very top, but players still get paid.

  • American Hockey League (1936): Teams from the United States and Canada.
  • ECHL (1988): This league used to be called the East Coast Hockey League. Teams are from the United States and Canada.
  • SPHL (2004): This is the Southern Professional Hockey League, with teams in the United States.
  • Federal Prospects Hockey League (2010): Another league with teams in the United States.

Semi-Professional Leagues

In these leagues, some players might get paid, but it's not usually their main job.

Junior Hockey Leagues

Junior hockey is for younger players, usually teenagers, who are still developing their skills before possibly going pro or playing in college.

Main article: Junior ice hockey
Major Junior Hockey

Some people even consider this level professional because players get a small payment.

Junior A Hockey

This level is a step below Major Junior, but still very competitive.

  • USA Hockey Junior Leagues:
    • United States Hockey League (1979): This is the top Tier I junior league in the U.S.
    • North American Hockey League (1975): A strong Tier II league.
    • North American 3 Hockey League (1970): This Tier III league was once called the Central States Hockey League.
Independent Junior Leagues

These leagues operate on their own.

Junior B Hockey

This level is still competitive but often focuses more on local talent.

  • Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League
  • New Brunswick Junior B Hockey League
  • Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League
Junior C Hockey

This level is often for local players who want to keep playing competitive hockey.

  • Provincial Junior Hockey League (2016-17): This league brought together many smaller Junior C leagues in Southern Ontario.

College Hockey Leagues

College hockey is very popular, especially in the United States and Canada, where players can get an education while playing.

Main article: College ice hockey
U Sports Hockey (Canada)
  • U Sports (Canada): This is the main organization for university sports in Canada.
    • Atlantic University Sport
    • Canada West Universities Athletic Association
    • Ontario University Athletics
NCAA Hockey (United States)
ACHA and AAU College Hockey (United States and Canada)
  • American Collegiate Hockey Association (United States; Canada): This group organizes club hockey teams at colleges and universities.

Women's Leagues

Professional Women's Hockey

  • Professional Women's Hockey League (2023): This is a new top professional league for women's hockey.

Amateur Women's Hockey

  • Mid-Atlantic Women's Hockey League (1975)

Junior and Youth Women's Hockey

  • BC Elite Hockey League (2007)
  • Junior Women's Hockey League (2007)
  • Ontario Women's Hockey League (2004)

College Women's Hockey

NCAA (United States)
U Sports (Canada)
Main article: U Sports women's ice hockey
  • U Sports (1998):
    • Atlantic University Sport
    • Canada West Universities Athletic Association
    • Ontario University Athletics
ACHA and AAU Women's Hockey
  • American Collegiate Hockey Association (Canada, United States):
    • Division 1:
      • Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association
      • Eastern Collegiate Women's Hockey League
      • Western Women's Collegiate Hockey League

Senior Hockey Leagues

These leagues are for adult players, often after their college or junior careers.

Leagues in Canada

  • Alberta:
    • Allan Cup Hockey West
  • Ontario:
    • Allan Cup Hockey (1953)
    • WOAA Senior AA Hockey League (1948)
  • Quebec:
    • Ligue de hockey senior AAA du Québec

Leagues in the United States

  • Great Lakes Hockey League (1937)

School and Youth Hockey Leagues

These leagues are for younger players, including high school teams.

  • Ontario Minor Hockey Association
  • Greater Toronto Hockey League

High School Hockey

Many high schools have their own hockey teams.

  • Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
  • Minnesota State High School League boys hockey
  • Mid-States Club Hockey Association (Missouri)
  • New York high school hockey

Leagues That No Longer Exist

Over the years, many hockey leagues have come and gone. Here are some of them:

  • All-American Hockey League (1987–1988)
  • American Hockey Association (1926–1942)
  • Canadian Women's Hockey League (2007–2019): A major professional women's league that unfortunately stopped operating.
  • Central Hockey League (1992–2014)
  • Colored Hockey League (1895–1925): This was an important league for Black players in Canada.
  • Eastern Hockey League (1954–1973)
  • International Hockey League (1945–2001)
  • National Women's Hockey League (1999-2007)
  • Premier Hockey Federation (2015–2023): This was a professional women's league that later became part of the new Professional Women's Hockey League.
  • Western Hockey League (1952–1974)
  • World Hockey Association (1972–1979): This league was a big rival to the NHL for a while.

Ice Hockey Leagues in South America

  • Brazilian Ice Hockey Championship (2008–2010): A league in Brazil.

Ice Hockey Leagues in Africa

  • South Africa:
    • Gauteng Premier Hockey League (around 2005)
    • Western Province Ice Hockey League (around 2002)

Ice Hockey Leagues in Asia

Multinational Leagues

These leagues have teams from more than one country.

  • Asia League Ice Hockey (2003): A professional league with teams from Japan and South Korea. Teams from China and Russia have also played in the past.
  • Kuwait Ice Hockey League (around 2016): Teams from Bahrain and Kuwait.

Leagues in Specific Asian Countries

China

  • Chinese Ice Hockey Championship (1953)
  • Chinese Women's Ice Hockey League (2023)

Hong Kong

  • China Ice Hockey League Hong Kong (2011)
  • Hong Kong Ice Hockey League (around 1997)

India

  • Indian Ice Hockey Championship (around 2005)

Israel

  • Israel Elite Hockey League (2020)
  • Israeli League (1990)

Japan

  • All-Japan Championship (1930): An amateur tournament.
  • Women's Japan Ice Hockey League (2012)
  • Defunct: Japan Ice Hockey League (1966–2004): This league was replaced by the Asia League.

Philippines

  • Philippine Hockey League
  • Manila Ice Hockey League

Thailand

  • Thai World Hockey League

United Arab Emirates

  • Emirates Ice Hockey League

Ice Hockey Leagues in Eurasia

These leagues have teams from countries that are considered part of both Europe and Asia.

  • European Women's Hockey League (2004): A semi-professional league with teams from many countries like Austria, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland, and Slovakia.
  • Kontinental Hockey League (2008): This is a major professional league with teams from Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, and Russia. It's one of the top leagues in the world.
  • Supreme Hockey League: Teams from China, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan.

Ice Hockey Leagues in Europe

Europe has a long history of ice hockey with many strong leagues.

Multinational Leagues

  • Alps Hockey League (2016): Teams from Austria, Italy, and Slovenia.
  • BeNe League (2015): Teams from Belgium and the Netherlands.
  • Champions Hockey League (2013): This is a special tournament where the best teams from different European leagues compete.
  • ICE Hockey League (2005): Teams from Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Slovenia.

Leagues in Specific European Countries

Austria

  • ICE Hockey League (1923): This league used to only have Austrian teams but now includes teams from other countries too.
  • Austrian Oberliga (1968)

Belarus

  • Belarusian Extraleague (1993)

Czech Republic

  • Czech Extraliga (1993): This is the top league in the Czech Republic, following the old Czechoslovak league.
  • Chance Liga (1993)

Denmark

  • Metal Ligaen (1954): The top men's league.
  • KvindeLigaen (1989): The top women's league.

Finland

  • Liiga (1975): The top men's league in Finland.
  • Mestis (2000)
  • Naisten Liiga (1982): The top women's league.

France

  • Ligue Magnus (1906): The top men's league.
  • FFHG Féminin Élite (1986): The top women's league.

Germany

  • Deutsche Eishockey Liga (1994): The top professional men's league in Germany.
  • DEL2 (2013): A minor professional league.
  • German Women's Ice Hockey League (1988): The top women's league.

Hungary

  • OB I Bajnokság (1937)

Iceland

  • Icelandic Men's Hockey League (1991)
  • Icelandic Women's Hockey League (2000)

Italy

  • Italian Hockey League - Serie A (1925): A semi-professional league.
  • Italian Hockey League Women (1990): The top women's league.

Latvia

  • Latvian Hockey Higher League (1931)

Norway

  • EliteHockey Ligaen (1934): The top league in Norway.

Poland

  • Polska Hokej Liga (2013): The top league in Poland.

Romania

  • Romanian Hockey League (1925)

Russia

  • Kontinental Hockey League (2008): A major professional league with teams from Russia and other countries.
  • Supreme Hockey League (2010): A minor professional league.
  • Zhenskaya Hockey League (2015): The top women's league.

Slovakia

  • Slovak Extraliga (1993): The top league in Slovakia.
  • Slovak Women's Extraliga (1991): The top women's league.

Slovenia

  • Slovenian Ice Hockey League (1991)

Spain

  • Liga Nacional de Hockey Hielo (1972): The top men's league.
  • Liga Nacional de Hockey Hielo Femenino (2007): The top women's league.

Sweden

  • Swedish Hockey League (1975): The top professional men's league in Sweden.
  • HockeyAllsvenskan (1999): A minor professional league.
  • Swedish Women's Hockey League (2007): The top women's league.

Switzerland

  • National League (1908): The top professional men's league.
  • Swiss League (1947): Another professional league.
  • Women's League (1986): The top women's league.

Turkey

  • Turkish Ice Hockey Super League (1993): The top men's league.
  • Turkish Women's Ice Hockey League (2007): The top women's league.

Ukraine

  • Ukrainian Hockey Championship (1992)

United Kingdom

  • Elite Ice Hockey League (2003): The top professional men's league.
  • National Ice Hockey League (1996): A semi-professional and amateur league.
  • WNIHL Elite Division (2015): The top women's league.
  • British Universities Ice Hockey Association (2003): For university teams.

Ice Hockey Leagues in Oceania

Australia

  • National Hockey Super League (2021): A professional men's league.
  • Australian Ice Hockey League (2000): A semi-professional and amateur league.
  • Australian Junior Ice Hockey League (2012): For junior players.
  • Australian Women's Ice Hockey League (2005): The top women's league.

New Zealand

  • New Zealand Ice Hockey League (2005): The top men's league.
  • New Zealand Women's Ice Hockey League (2014): The top women's league.

Disabled Hockey Leagues

These leagues are for players with disabilities, showing that hockey is for everyone!

  • American Amputee Hockey Association
  • American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association
  • Ice sledge hockey

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Anexo:Competiciones de hockey sobre hielo por país para niños

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