Latvian Hockey Higher League

The Latvian Hockey Higher League (Latvian: Latvijas Virslīgas hokeja čempionāts), also known as the Optibet Hockey League (Latvian: Optibet hokeja līga) since 2017 due to sponsorship by Optibet, is the top tier league of ice hockey in Latvia. The league is competed by nine teams from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.[1][2] Previously it was also known as the Latvian Open Hockey Championships (Latvijas atklātais čempionāts hokejā) and the Samsung Premier League (Samsung Premjerlīga) from 2006 to 2008. The league was established in 1931.

Optibet Hockey League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023–24 Latvian Hockey League season
SportIce hockey
Founded1931
No. of teams9
CountriesEstonia, Latvia, Lithuania
Most recent
champion(s)
HK Zemgale/LLU (2nd title)
(2022–23)
Most titlesHK Liepājas Metalurgs
(7 titles)
Official websitelhf.lv/lv/ohal

HK Liepājas Metalurgs, which played in the league between 1999 and 2013, has been the most successful team of the tournament, having won seven titles.

A number of players who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) have played in the league, including Latvians Kaspars Astašenko, Uvis Balinskis, Helmuts Balderis, Oskars Bārtulis, Kaspars Daugaviņš, Kristers Gudļevskis, Viktors Ignatjevs, Artūrs Irbe, Raitis Ivanāns, Mārtiņš Karsums, Aleksandrs Kerčs, Matīss Kivlenieks, Artūrs Kulda, Kārlis Skrastiņš, Pēteris Skudra, Jānis Sprukts, Artūrs Šilovs, as well as imports Darby Hendrickson, Konstantin Pushkaryov, Rob Schremp.

Teams

Teams in 2023–24

Team City Arena Capacity Affiliate(s) Founded Joined
7bet-Hockey Punks Lithuania Vilnius Pramogų Arena 2,500 2010 2022
Airwell Energija Elektrėnai Elektrėnai Ice Palace 2,000 1977 2022
HS Rīga Latvia Riga Riga Hockey Hall 300 HS Riga 17 (JAHL) 1999 2015
Kaunas City Kaunas Kaunas Ice Arena 2021 2022
Kurbads Riga Kurbads Ice Hall 1996 2013
Mogo/LSPA Riga Mogo Ice Hall 600 HK Mārupe (JAHL) 2014
Panter Estonia Tallinn Škoda Ice Hall 500 2001 2023
Prizma Riga Volvo Sports Centre 1,000 HK Prizma Riga-2 (JAHL) 1996
Zemgale/LBTU Jelgava Jelgava Ice Hall 2,360 HK Zemgale Juniors (JAHL) 2001

Former teams

Team City Joined Left League titles
ASK Rīga Riga 1931 1940 5
LSB Rīga Riga 1931 1940 0
RFK Rīga Riga 1931 1936 0
Unions Rīga Riga 1931 1939 2
US Rīga Riga 1931 1942 3
Dinamo Rīga (original) Riga 1940 1941 1
Sāga Ķekava Ķekava 1991 1996 1
Pārdaugava Rīga Riga 1991 1995 2
Essamika Ogre Ogre 1992 2000 1
Juniors Rīga Riga 1992 2000 0
Nik's Brih Rīga Riga 1992 2000 3
Alianse Rīga Riga 1994 1996 1
Lido/Nafta Rīga Riga 1994 2001 0
HK Liepājas Metalurgs Liepāja 1999 2013 7
HK Rīga 2000 Riga 2000 2009 5
Vilki/OP Rīga Riga 2000 2006 0
ASK/Ogre Ogre 2003 2011 0
DHK Latgale Daugavpils 2005 2012 0
HK Ozolnieki/Monarhs Ozolnieki 2008 2014 0
Dinamo Juniors Rīga Riga 2010 2014 1
HK SMScredit.lv Riga 2012 2013 1
HK Dinaburga Daugavpils 2013
2019
2014
2023
0
HK Liepāja Liepāja 2014 2022 1
HK Lido Riga 2017 2019 0
HK Olimp/Venta 2002 Riga 2019 2022 1
Dinamo Riga Riga 2022 2023 0

League champions

Titles by team

Titles Club Years
7 Liepājas Metalurgs 2000, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012
5 ASK Rīga 1934, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939
5 HK Riga 2000 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
3 US Rīga 1937, 1940, 1942
3 HK Nik's Brih Riga 1995, 1998, 1999
2 Unions Rīga 1932, 1933
2 HK Pardaugava Riga 1993, 1994
2 HK Kurbads 2017, 2018
2 HK Mogo 2015, 2019
2 HK Zemgale/LLU 2022, 2023
1 Dinamo Riga 1941
1 HK Sāga Ķekava Riga 1992
1 Alianse Riga 1996
1 LB/Essamika 1997
1 Dinamo-Juniors Riga 2010
1 SMScredit.lv Riga 2013
1 HS Rīga/Prizma 2014
1 HK Liepāja 2016
1 HK Olimp/Venta 2002 2021

References

  1. "Optibet Hokeja Līgā sacentīsies visu trīs Baltijas valstu komandas". LHF.lv (in Latvian). 11 July 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  2. Suveizda, Agris (11 July 2023). ""Kurbads" atgriežas, klāt arī igauņi – OHL apstiprina deviņu komandu dalību". Sportacentrs.com (in Latvian). Retrieved 11 September 2023.
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