List of ice hockey leagues
This is a list of ice hockey leagues, both professional and amateur, from around the world; parentheses denote year of establishment and, where applicable, year of disestablishment.
North America
Major professional
- National Hockey League (1917)
Minor professional
- Note: There is no official classification system for minor professional hockey leagues, and appellations such as "AAA," "AA" or "A" leagues are not generally acknowledged by hockey authorities. The AHL is the most highly-ranked minor league. The ECHL, UHL, and CHL are on the next tier below and act as feeders to the AHL, with the ECHL being the greatest of the three "equals" due to its more official ties to the NHL. The UHL would be considered second to the ECHL and slightly above the CHL due to higher allowance of veteran players and a higher salary cap. The SPHL in turn is a feeder to the ECHL, UHL and CHL. This teir is followed by several lower-grade and semi-pro leagues.
- American Hockey League (1936)
- ECHL (1988 as East Coast Hockey League)
- United Hockey League (1991 as Colonial Hockey League)
- Central Hockey League (1992)
- Southern Professional Hockey League (2004)
- Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey (2004)
- North Eastern Hockey League (2003)(restarting for 2006)
rookie/development leagues
- Canadian Elite Hockey League (2005)
Proposed leagues
- Michigan Hockey League (2006)[1]
Amateur
Junior
Major junior
- Canadian Hockey League (governing authority)
- Ontario Hockey League (1980)
- Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (1969)
- Western Hockey League (1966)
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Junior A
- Canadian Junior A Hockey League (governing authority)
- Alberta Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Atlantic Junior Hockey League (United States) "Tier III"
- British Columbia Hockey League (Canada)
- Central Junior A Hockey League (Canada)
- Eastern Junior Hockey League (United States) "Tier III"
- Ligue de Hockey Junior AAA Quebec (Canada)
- Manitoba Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Maritime Junior A Hockey League (1967 as Metro Valley Junior Hockey League, became a junior A league in 1977) (Canada)
- North American Hockey League (2003) (United States) "Tier II"
- Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OHA) (Canada) absorbed Metro Junior A Hockey League
- Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (1956) (Canada)
- Superior International Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- United States Hockey League (1979) (United States) "Tier I"
Independent Junior A Leagues
Junior B
- Atlantic Metropolitan Hockey League (United States)
- America East Hockey League (United States)
- Calgary Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Capital Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Central States Hockey League (United States)
- Central/West Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Continental Hockey Association Premier Division (United States)
- Eastern Ontario Junior B Hockey League (Canada)
- Empire Junior B Hockey League (United States)
- Golden Horseshoe Junior B Hockey League (OHA) (Canada)
- Heritage Junior B Hockey League (Canada)
- Island Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Keystone Junior Hockey League formerly Manitoba Junior B Hockey League (Canada)
- Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Ligue de Hockey de La Capitale (Canada)
- Ligue de Hockey Junior AA Bas St-Laurent (Canada)
- Ligue de Hockey Junior AA Beauce-Bellechasse (Canada)
- Ligue de Hockey Junior AA Estrie-Mauricie (Canada)
- Ligue de Hockey Junior AA Lac St-Louis (Canada)
- Ligue de Hockey Junior AA Laurentides-Lanaudière (Canada)
- Ligue de Hockey Junior AA Richelieu (Canada)
- Ligue de Hockey Junior AA Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean (Canada)
- Midwestern Junior B Hockey League (OHA) (Canada)
- Minnesota Junior Hockey League (United States
- North Eastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League (Canada)
- North Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League (Canada)
- Northern Pacific Hockey League (United States)
- Northwest Junior Hockey League (Alberta) (Canada)
- Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Pacific International Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Prairie Junior Hockey League formerly South Saskatchewan Junior B Hockey League (Canada)
- St. John's Junior B Hockey League (Canada)
- Thunder Bay Junior B Hockey League (Canada)
- Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Western Junior B Hockey League (OHA) (Canada)
- Western States Hockey League (United States)
Junior C
- Calgary Junior C Hockey League (Canada)
- Central Junior C Hockey League (OHA) (Canada)
- Continental Hockey Association (United States) Link
- Eastern Ontario Junior C Hockey League (Canada)
- Empire Junior C Hockey League (OHA) (Canada)
- Georgian Mid-Ontario Junior C Hockey League (OHA) (Canada)
- Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League (OHA) (Canada)
- Hanover Tache Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Ligue de Hockey Junior A Bois Francs (Canada)*
- Ligue de Hockey Junior A Rive-Sud (Canada)*
- Manitoba Major Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- New Brunswick Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Niagara Junior C Hockey League (OHA) (Canada)
- Noralta Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Nova Scotia Junior C Hockey League (Canada)
- Prince Edward Island Minor Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Saskatchewan Junior C Hockey League (Canada)
- Western Junior C Hockey League (OHA) (Canada)
(*) Quebec Junior "A" is equal to Ontario Junior "C"
Junior Development
- Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League (OHA) (Canada)
- Mid-Atlantic Junior Development Hockey League (United States) Link
College
- American Collegiate Hockey Association (United States, club
- Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (Canada)
- Canadian Interuniversity Sport (Canada, varsity)
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (United States)
- Atlantic Hockey (Division I)
- Central Collegiate Hockey Association (Division I)
- College Hockey America (Division I)
- ECAC Hockey League (Division I)
- Hockey East (Division I)
- Western Collegiate Hockey Association (Division I)
- Eastern College Athletic Conference East (Division III)
- Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast (Division III)
- Eastern College Athletic Conference West (Division III)
- Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association (Division III)
- Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division III)
- Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (Division III)
- New England Small College Athletic Conference (Division III)
- State University of New York Athletic Conference (Division III)
Junior College
- National Junior College Athletic Association (United States)
Youth
- Alliance Hockey Ontario "AAA"
- Capital Beltway Hockey League (CBHL) (1981)
- Delaware Valley Hockey League
- Eastern AAA Hockey League Ontario "AAA"
- Greater Toronto Hockey League (1911)
- Metropolitan Boston Hockey League
- Midwest Elite Hockey League
- Missouri Youth Hockey League
- New Jersey Youth Hockey League
- Ontario Minor Hockey Association Ontario "AAA" through "D"
- Ottawa District Hockey Association Ontario "AAA" through "D"
- South-Central Triple A Hockey League Ontario "AAA"
- Western Ontario Athletic Association Ontario "BB" through "D"
Women
- National Women's Hockey League (1999)
- Western Women's Hockey League (2004-06; merged with NWHL)
Senior
Sanctioned by Hockey Canada or USA Hockey
- Big 6 Hockey League (Saskatchewan Sr. AAA)
- Chinook Hockey League (Alberta Sr. AAA)
- Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League (Ontario Sr. AAA)
- Highway Hockey League (Saskatchewan Sr. AAA)
- Ligue Centrale de Hockey (LCH) (Quebec Sr. AAA) (1990)
- Ligue Hockey Senior AAA Nord-Est du Quebec Federee (Quebec Sr. AAA)
- Major League Hockey (Ontario Sr. AAA) (1953)
- North Peace Hockey League (Alberta Sr. AAA)
- Western Ontario Athletic Association Senior Hockey League (Ontario Sr. AA and A) (1948)
Unsanctioned
- Adult Hockey Association (Beginner thru Advanced Rec)
- Friday Afternoon Hockey League- Oshawa, Ontario Canada (1982)
- Hockey North America (1980)
Defunct leagues
- All-American Hockey League (1987–1988)
- Amateur Hockey Association (1893–1898)
- American Hockey Association (1926–1942)
- Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1981–1987, 2002–2003)
- California Hockey League (1928–1933)
- Canadian Amateur Hockey League (1899–1905)
- Canadian-American Hockey League (1926–1936)
- Canadian Hockey Association (1909–1910)
- Canadian Professional Hockey League (1926–1930)
- Central Hockey League (1969–1984)
- Central Professional Hockey League (1963–1969)
- Continental Elite Hockey League (2001 - 2004)
- Continental Hockey League (1972–1987)-became All-American Hockey League
- Continental Senior A Hockey League (1972–1980)
- Eastern Amateur Hockey League (1933–1934, 1935–1948, 1949–1953)
- Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (1905–1909)
- Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey League (1906–1909)
- Eastern Hockey League (1934–1935, 1954–1973, 1979–1981)
- Eastern Professional Hockey League (1914–1915, 1959–1963)
- Federal Amateur Hockey League (1904–1906)
- Gulf Coast Hockey League (2001-2002)
- International-American Hockey League (1936–1941)-became American Hockey League
- International Independent Hockey League (2003)
- International Hockey League (1929-36)
- International Hockey League (1945–2001)
- International Professional Hockey League (1904–1907)
- Interprovincial Professional Hockey League (1910–1911)
- Ligue de Hockey Junior de Montréal (?-2005)
- Manitoba Professional Hockey League (1907–1909)
- Maritime Major Hockey League (1950–1954)
- Maritime Professional Hockey League (1911–1914)
- Metro Junior A Hockey League (1991–1998) -merged with Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
- National Hockey Association (1909–1917)
- North Eastern Hockey League (2003–2004)
- North American Hockey League (1973–1977)
- North of Superior Junior B Hockey League (Canada)
- North West Hockey League (1933–1936)
- Northwest Junior Hockey League (Manitoba) (Canada)
- Okanagan Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Ontario Professional Hockey League (1907–1911, 1930–1931)
- Original Stars Hockey League (2004)
- Pacific Coast Hockey Association (1911–1924)
- Pacific Coast Hockey League (1928–1931, 1936–1941, 1945–1952)
- Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League (Canada)
- Pacific Hockey League (1977–1979)
- Peace Cariboo Junior Hockey League (Western Canada)
- Prairie Hockey League (1926–1928)
- Quebec Hockey League (1952–1959)
- Quebec Senior Hockey League (1945–1952)
- Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (British Columbia, Canada)
- South East Hockey League (2003-2004)
- Southern Hockey League (1973–1977)
- Southern Hockey League (1995–1996)
- Southern Ontario Junior A Hockey League (1972-1976) -merged with Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League
- Sunshine Hockey League (1992–1995)
- Tri-State Hockey League (1932–1933)
- Tropical Hockey League (1938–1939)
- United States Hockey League (1945–1951)
- Western Canada Hockey League (1921–1925, 1932–1933)
- Western Canada Senior Hockey League (1945–1951)
- West Coast Hockey League (1995–2003)
- Western Hockey League (professional) (1925–1926)
- Western Hockey League (minor pro) (1952–1975)
- Western Professional Hockey League (1996–2001)
- World Hockey Association (1972–1979)
- World Hockey Association 2 (2003–2004)
List of leagues and teams
Asia
Europe
- European Hockey League (1996-2000)
Austria
Belarus
Czech Republic
- Czech Extra League (1993)
Denmark
Estonia
Germany
Finland
- SM-liiga (Finland) (1975)
- Mestis (renamed in 2000)
- Suomi-sarja
France
Hungary
Italy
Latvia
The Netherlands
Republic of Ireland
Russia
- Russian Hockey Super League (1962)
Slovakia
Spain
Sweden
- Swedish Elite League (1975)
Switzerland
- Switzerland National League (1908)
United Kingdom
- Elite Ice Hockey League (2003-)
- English Premier Ice Hockey League (1997-)
- English National Hockey League (1996-)
- Scottish National League
- British University Ice Hockey Association Cup (2000-)
Defunct Leagues
- British National League (1954 - 1960)
- British National League (1996-2005)
- Ice Hockey Superleague (1996-2003)
- British Hockey League (1982-1996)