Polska Hokej Liga

The Polska Hokej Liga (PHL) is the premier ice hockey league in Poland. Previously, it was known as the I Liga or Ekstraklasa from 1926 to 1999, and the Polska Liga Hokejowa from 1999 to 2013. In 2013, it was reorganized as a limited liability company and renamed the Polska Hokej Liga. It follows a system of relegation to and promotion to/from the Polish 1. Liga.

Polska Hokej Liga
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2023–24 Polska Hokej Liga season
SportIce hockey
FoundedApril 26, 2013 (2013-04-26)
FounderPolish Ice Hockey Federation
Inaugural season2013–14
CEOMirosław Minkina
No. of teams9
CountryPoland
HeadquartersKatowice
Most recent
champion(s)		GKS Katowice (2nd title)
Most titlesGKS Tychy (4 titles)
TV partner(s)TVP Sport
Relegation toPolish 1. Liga
Related
competitions		Polish Cup
Polish 1. Liga
Official websitepolskihokej.eu

Teams from the PHL can participate in the IIHF's annual Champions Hockey League (CHL), competing for the European Trophy. Participation is based on the strength of the various leagues in Europe (excluding the European/Asian Kontinental Hockey League). Going into the 2022–23 CHL season, the PHL was ranked the No. 12 league in Europe, allowing them to send their top team to compete in the CHL.

History

The championship started in 1925-26. At first, it was a non-league system composed of regional tournaments. The tournaments had two stages. The best teams qualified to the final tournament, of which the winner was declared champion. In 1938, the Polish Ice Hockey Federation decided to reorganize the championship, by creating a league system. Those plans were abandoned due to the outbreak of World War II.

The current structure of the league began in 1955.

Teams
Teams of the 2022–23 PHL season.
Location of teams in the Upper Silesian Industrial Region
Team City Arena Capacity Founded
Comarch Cracovia Kraków Lodowisko im. Adama "Rocha" Kowalskiego 2,514 1923
Energa Toruń Toruń Tor-Tor 4,500 1922 (Original) 2010 (Current)
GKS Katowice Katowice Lodowisko Spodek Satelita 1,500 1964
GKS Tychy Tychy Stadion Zimowy w Tychach 2,535 1971
JKH GKS Jastrzębie Jastrzębie-Zdrój Jastor 1,986 1963
Podhale Nowy Targ Nowy Targ Miejska Hala Lodowa 3,500 1932 (Original) 2015 (Current)
STS Sanok Sanok Arena Sanok 3,000 1958 (Original) 2020 (Current)
Unia Oświęcim Oświęcim Hala Lodowa MOSiR 2,686 1958
Zagłębie Sosnowiec Sosnowiec Stadion Zimowy 2,125 1933 (Original) 1998 (Current)

Medalists
Season Winner 2nd place 3rd place Regular season
2013–14 KH Sanok GKS Tychy GKS Jastrzębie GKS Tychy
2014–15 GKS Tychy GKS Jastrzębie Podhale Nowy Targ GKS Jastrzębie
2015–16 Cracovia GKS Tychy Podhale Nowy Targ Cracovia
2016–17 Cracovia GKS Tychy Polonia Bytom GKS Tychy
2017–18 GKS Tychy GKS Katowice Podhale Nowy Targ GKS Tychy
2018–19 GKS Tychy Cracovia GKS Katowice GKS Katowice
2019–20 GKS Tychy Unia Oświęcim GKS Jastrzębie GKS Tychy
2020–21 GKS Jastrzębie Comarch Cracovia GKS Tychy GKS Katowice
2021–22 GKS Katowice Unia Oświęcim GKS Jastrzębie GKS Tychy
2022–23 GKS Katowice GKS Tychy Unia Oświęcim Comarch Cracovia

See also
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