This article's factual accuracy may be compromised due to out-of-date information.(May 2017) |
Sport | Ice hockey |
---|---|
Founded | 1998 (1997 as part of ENIHL) |
Inaugural season | 1998–99 (1997–98 as part of ENIHL) |
Ceased | 2016-2017 |
CEO | Ken Taggart [1] |
No. of teams | 10 |
Country | England (10 teams) |
Headquarters | Blackpool, Lancashire, England [1] |
Continent | Europe |
Last champion(s) | League:Telford Tigers (2nd title) [2] Playoffs: Milton Keynes Lightning Cup: Milton Keynes Lightning |
Most titles | League: Guildford Flames [4] |
Notes | |
See Elite Ice Hockey League and National Ice Hockey League |
The English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) was an ice hockey league of 10 teams, all of which were based in England. Headquartered in Blackpool, the EPIHL was one of two professional ice hockey leagues in the United Kingdom (the other being the Elite Ice Hockey League). A total of 27 teams played in the league at one time or another. Swindon Wildcats were the only team to have consistently featured in the EPIHL from its inaugural season in 1997-98. In 2017, the league was disbanded, with its teams either joining the top-tier Elite Ice Hockey League or the second-tier National Ice Hockey League.
The league was founded in 1997, under the banner of "national division", as part of the English National Ice Hockey League in order to serve former members of the British National League who couldn't afford to remain in the latter as a result of increased operating costs; but who were capable of a level of play above the import-free English leagues that made up the rest of the ENIHL.[ citation needed ] During the 1997-98 season the teams that constituted this division played dual schedules; a series of games solely amongst their own division, and another amongst all the teams that were playing under the ENIHL at that time.[ citation needed ]
Each year, the league crowned a regular season champion, a post-season playoffs champion, and a knockout Cup champion. Solihull Blaze won the league and play-off trophies of both formats during this inaugural season. At the start of the 1998-99 season the divisions, whilst still both under the ENIHL umbrella, performed in their own separate competitions; and the national division adopted the name "premier division", and later on became known as the "premier league". By the end of the season the league had established itself outside of the ENIHL as the "English Premier Ice Hockey League". In 2005 the BNL disbanded; leaving the EPIHL to take its place as the second tier of the national game. [3]
In 2017, the league was dissolved. The Milton Keynes Lightning and Guildford Flames joined the Elite League, Manchester Phoenix folded, and the remaining seven teams became part of the National Ice Hockey League.
The league was ruled and governed by the English Ice Hockey Association. [4] The last chairman of the EPIHL was Ken Taggart.
Team | City | Arena | Capacity | Founded | Joined | Tenure | Head Coach | Captain |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Basingstoke Bison | Basingstoke, Hampshire | Planet Ice Silverdome Arena | 2,000 | 1988 | 2009 | 2009–present | Doug Sheppard (P/C) | Joe Greener |
Bracknell Bees | Bracknell, Berkshire | John Nike Leisuresport Complex | 2,400 | 1987 | 2005 | 2005–present | Lukas Smital (P/C) | Matt Foord |
Hull Pirates | Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire | Hull Arena | 3,750 | 2015 | 2015 | 2015–present | Dominc Osman (P/C) | Nathan Salem |
Peterborough Phantoms | Peterborough, Cambridgeshire | Planet Ice Peterborough | 1,250 | 2002 | 2002 | 2002–present | Slava Koulikov (P/C) | James Ferrara |
Sheffield Steeldogs | Sheffield, South Yorkshire | IceSheffield | 1,500 | 2001 | 2005 | 2005–present | Greg Wood (P/C) | Ben Morgan |
Swindon Wildcats | Swindon, Wiltshire | Link Centre | 2,800 | 1986 | 1997 | 1997–present | Aaron Nell (P/C) | Jan Košťál |
Telford Tigers | Telford, Shropshire | Telford Ice Rink | 600 | 2001 | 2010 | 2002-2009, 2010–present | Tom Watkins | Jason Silverthorn |
Season | League | Play-offs | EPL Cup |
---|---|---|---|
1997–98 | Solihull Blaze | Solihull Blaze | — |
1998–99 | Solihull Blaze | Solihull Blaze | Milton Keynes Kings |
1999–00 | Chelmsford Chieftains | Chelmsford Chieftains | - |
2000–01 | Swindon Wildcats | London Raiders | - |
2001–02 | Invicta Dynamos | Invicta Dynamos | London Raiders |
2002–03 | Peterborough Phantoms | Milton Keynes Lightning | Wightlink Raiders |
2003–04 | Milton Keynes Lightning | Milton Keynes Lightning | Peterborough Phantoms |
2004–05 | Milton Keynes Lightning | Milton Keynes Lightning | London Raiders |
2005–06 | Guildford Flames | Milton Keynes Lightning | Bracknell Bees |
2006–07 | Bracknell Bees | Bracknell Bees | Guildford Flames |
2007–08 | Guildford Flames | Slough Jets | Bracknell Bees |
2008–09 | Peterborough Phantoms | Peterborough Phantoms | Peterborough Phantoms |
2009–10 | Milton Keynes Lightning | Slough Jets | Guildford Flames |
2010–11 | Manchester Phoenix | Guildford Flames | Slough Jets |
2011–12 | Guildford Flames | Slough Jets | Guildford Flames |
2012–13 | Guildford Flames | Manchester Phoenix | Guildford Flames |
2013–14 | Manchester Phoenix | Basingstoke Bison | Basingstoke Bison |
2014–15 | Telford Tigers | Peterborough Phantoms | Telford Tigers |
2015-16 | Basingstoke Bison | Guildford Flames | Guildford Flames |
2016-17 | Telford Tigers | Milton Keynes Lightning | Milton Keynes Lightning |
Team | League | Play-offs | EPL Cup | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Guildford Flames | 4 | 2 | 5 | 11 |
Milton Keynes Lightning | 3 | 5 | 1 | 9 |
Peterborough Phantoms | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
Solihull Blaze | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
Bracknell Bees | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Slough Jets | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Manchester Phoenix | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
London Raiders | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Basingstoke Bison | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Chelmsford Chieftains | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Invicta Dynamos | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Telford Tigers | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Swindon Wildcats | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Milton Keynes Kings | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Wightlink Raiders | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Manchester Phoenix was a semi professional ice hockey team from Greater Manchester, England. The club was formed in 2003 as a result of the efforts of supporters group Friends of Manchester Ice Hockey to bring top-level ice hockey back to Manchester after Manchester Storm folded in 2002.
The Guildford Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Guildford, Surrey and they play their home games in the Guildford Spectrum. They compete in the top-tier of hockey in the United Kingdom, the Elite Ice Hockey League.
The Basingstoke Bison are an English Ice Hockey club from Basingstoke. They currently compete in the NIHL National League and have previously been members of the Ice Hockey Superleague and its successor the Elite Ice Hockey League. Unfortunately due to arena refurbishment/renovation the team is unable to compete in the upcoming 2023/24 Season
The Blackburn Hawks are a British ice hockey team based in Blackburn, Lancashire. They are currently members of the EIHA Moralee Conference, and have previously played in the British National League and the English League Premier Division. Their home arena is the 3,200 seat Blackburn Arena.
The Milton Keynes Lightning are an ice hockey team founded in 2002 and then again in 2019 in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The Lightning currently play in Britain's second-tier professional league, the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL), since the 2019–20 season. The Lightning previously turned up in the top tier Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) from 2017–2019, and the tier-3/tier-2 English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL) from 2002–2017. Their home rink is 2,200-seat Planet Ice Arena Milton Keynes, known locally as the MK Arena or the Thunderdome.
The British National League (BNL) was the second tier of the professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom between 1996 and 2005. Although no formal promotion and relegation existed during its period of existence, it was considered to have been a standard below that of the Ice Hockey Superleague and above that of the English National Ice Hockey League and the Scottish National League. Fife Flyers and Guildford Flames were the only two teams to consistently feature in the BNL during every season of the league's history.
Slough Jets are an ice hockey team from Slough, Berkshire, England playing in the NIHL South Division 1. The team was founded in 1986 after the construction of the Slough Ice Arena in Montem Lane in Slough and joined the first division of the British League. With the help of Gary Stefan who had previously been with Streatham Redskins, the Slough Jets were formed.
The Peterborough Phantoms are a British ice hockey team that play at the Planet Ice Peterborough Arena, in Bretton, Peterborough. The Peterborough Phantoms ice hockey club was founded in 2002. It replaced the former city based team, the Peterborough Pirates, and plays in the same arena. The team currently competes in the semi-professional National Ice Hockey League, the second tier in British ice hockey below the fully professional Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). They previously played in the English Premier Ice Hockey League (EPIHL).
Milton Keynes Kings were an Ice Hockey team based in Milton Keynes.
The Solihull Barons are an English ice hockey team from the town of Solihull who play at Solihull Ice Rink on Hobs Moat Road. The current team, which is the third incarnation of the Barons, was formed in 2005; they are named after the original team of the same name who were formed in 1965, and played at the same ice rink between 1972 until 2000, after which they moved to Coventry and became the Coventry Blaze.
The Swindon Wildcats are a professional ice hockey team based in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. They play in the National Ice Hockey League (NIHL). Since their inception, the Wildcats have played their home games at the 1600-capacity Link Centre in West Swindon. The club was founded in 1986 as the Swindon Wildcats, shortly after the opening of the Link Centre.
Invicta Dynamos are the senior, semi-professional, ice hockey team based in Gillingham in Kent. The season runs from September to April. They usually play their home games on a Sunday at 17:15. They share their home with the Invicta Mustangs whose colours are blue, white, grey and red.
The National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) is a set of professional ice hockey leagues administered by the English Ice Hockey Association. It is currently the second tier of British ice hockey, below the Elite Ice Hockey League. Formerly called the English National Ice Hockey League (ENIHL), it was renamed in 2012 to recognise the inclusion of several teams from Scotland and Wales.
The British ice hockey league champions are the winners of the regular season of the highest ice hockey league in the United Kingdom, currently the Elite Ice Hockey League. Previously, the highest league has been the British National League (1954–60), the Premier Division (1983–96) and the Ice Hockey Superleague (1996–2003).
Paul Dixon is a former ice hockey defenceman and player-coach from Sunderland, England. He is currently the head coach for the Guildford Flames of the Elite Ice Hockey League, the top-tier of hockey in the United Kingdom.
The Telford Titans were an English ice hockey team that played in the English National Ice Hockey League (ENIHL). They were originally formed as the Telford Tigers ENL.
Ice hockey has been played in the United Kingdom since the beginning of the twentieth century, and it was a game between English Army veterans played in Canada that is the first recorded use of a sawed-off ball, which led to the use of the puck in hockey. The Great Britain men's national ice hockey team enjoyed worldwide success through the 1920s and 1930s, achieving bronze at the 1924 Olympics, and gold twelve years later. They also won medals at the World Championships in 1935, 1937 and 1938, though never won the tournament. The national team has struggled since the Second World War, and has not finished better than twelfth in the World Championships since 1962. Ice hockey is played professionally in the United Kingdom in the Elite Ice Hockey League, a ten team league which was founded in 2003.
The Springfield Pics are an American junior ice hockey organization playing in West Springfield, Massachusetts at the Olympia Ice Center. They field two Tier III teams and a number of Youth teams.
Ryan Watt is a Scottish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Bracknell Bees of the National Ice Hockey League.
Peter Russell is a British ice hockey coach and former goaltender. He is currently the head coach of both the Cardiff Devils in the UK's EIHL and the Great Britain men's national ice hockey team. He is the most successful coach in GB history at both senior and junior level, with 11 medals including six gold medals.