New Zealand Premier Hockey League
The Premier Hockey League is a field hockey competition organised by Hockey New Zealand.
| Formerly | New Zealand National Hockey League |
|---|---|
| Sport | Field hockey |
| Founded | 2020 |
| No. of teams | 4 |
| Country |  New Zealand |
| Continent | Oceania (OHF) |
| Most recent champion(s) | Central Falcons (M & W) |
| Official website | blacksticksnz.co.nz |
The competition serves as New Zealand's premier domestic hockey league, helping unearth future talent for selection to the country's national teams; the Vantage Black Sticks.
The Central Falcons were the inaugural tournament champions in both the men's and women's editions, taking out the 2020 titles.[1][2]
History
The Premier Hockey League was founded in 2020. The tournament was formed as a response to Hockey New Zealand needing to provide their top players elite-level hockey, with the Black Sticks being unable to travel due to the country's COVID restrictions.
In 2020, it was confirmed that the league had secured a major partnership with Sentinel Homes, with naming rights also afforded to the company, forming the Sentinel Homes Premier Hockey League.[3][4]
Men's tournament
Summaries
| Year | Hosts | Gold Medal Match | Third and Fourth | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champions | Score | Runners-up | 3rd place | Score | 4th place | ||||
| 2020 | Hamilton, New Zealand |
Central Falcons | 1–1 (1–0 pen.) |
Southern Alpiners | Hauraki Mavericks | 4–1 | Northern Tridents | ||
| 2021 | TBD | ||||||||
Women's tournament
Summaries
| Year | Hosts | Gold Medal Match | Third and Fourth | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champions | Score | Runners-up | 3rd place | Score | 4th place | ||||
| 2020 | Hamilton, New Zealand |
Central Falcons | 3–1 | Northern Tridents | Hauraki Mavericks | 1–0 | Southern Alpiners | ||
| 2021 | TBD | ||||||||
Awards
In both the men's and women's competitions, Hockey New Zealand presents a most valuable player (MVP) award at the conclusion of the tournament. The name of each trophy comes from that of past Black Sticks players. The men's trophy is named after father and son, Jeff and Ryan Archibald, forming the Archibald Trophy, while the women's trophy is named after Suzie Muirhead.[5]
Winners of both the Archibald and Muirhead trophies are listed below.
| Most Valuable Player Trophies | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Archibald Trophy | Muirhead Trophy | ||||||
| 2020 | Jacob Smith (Falcons) | Stacey Michelsen (Tridents) | ||||||
References
- "Keepers play star roles as Central Falcons claim premier hockey title in shootout thriller". stuff.co.nz. stuff. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- "Central Falcons fly away with hockey Premier League title". nzherald.co.nz. New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- "WE'RE PROUD SPONSORS OF THE PREMIER HOCKEY LEAGUE". sentinelhomes.co.nz. Sentinel Homes. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- "NEW PREMIER HOCKEY LEAGUE UNDERWAY NEXT MONTH". hockeynz.co.nz. Hockey New Zealand. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- "Past inspires the present at New Zealand's PHL". fih.ch. International Hockey Federation. Retrieved 10 March 2021.