Polen - Ekstraliga
TKH Torun
Zaglebie Sosnowiec
PKH Gdansk
SMS PZHL U20
PZHL U23
Wikipedia - 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.
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.
De Poolse Ekstraliga is de hoogste ijshockeycompetitie in Polen. De competitie werd opgericht in 1927 en heeft een rijke geschiedenis. De Ekstraliga wordt gespeeld door 10 teams die elk 40 wedstrijden spelen in een reguliere competitie. De beste 8 teams plaatsen zich voor de play-offs, die worden gespeeld in een best-of-seven format.
Het meest succesvolle team in de geschiedenis van de Ekstraliga is Unia Oświęcim, dat 14 keer kampioen is geworden. Andere succesvolle teams zijn GKS Katowice, Podhale Nowy Targ en JKH GKS Jastrzębie.
De Ekstraliga staat bekend om zijn snelle en fysieke spel. De competitie trekt veel fans en is een belangrijke kernsport in Polen.