National Ice Hockey League

Last updated

National Ice Hockey League
ENL Logo.png
Sport Ice hockey
Founded1996
No. of teams47
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Level on pyramid2–4
Official website englandicehockey.com/nihl-leagues/

The National Ice Hockey League (NIHL) is a set of semi-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. [1]

Contents

The English Ice Hockey Association announced a new structure of the men's senior league for the 2019/20 season, at a meeting of NIHL clubs in Warwickshire. A new ten-team division was approved to sit above the existing Division 1 in North and South, to be known as the National League. [2]

In the inaugural 2019–2020 season the National League comprised Basingstoke Bison, Bracknell Bees, Hull Pirates, Leeds Knights, MK Lightning, Peterborough Phantoms, Romford Raiders, Sheffield Steeldogs, Swindon Wildcats and Telford Tigers. There is no promotion to or relegation from the National League.

Below the National League, the leagues are split into two regions, North and South, meaning teams do not have to travel long distances for away games. Each region has 2 divisions, with promotion and relegation between the divisions in each region.

History

The ENIHL was formed in 1996; following the dissolution of the British Hockey League (BHL), and the creation of the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League (BNL) as the top two tiers of British hockey. The ENIHL served as the third tier of hockey; operating below the BNL.

Tiers of British ice hockey since 1995

1995–961996–971997–981998–991999–002002–032005–062012–132017–182019–20
BHL Premier DivisionIce Hockey SuperleagueIce Hockey SuperleagueIce Hockey SuperleagueIce Hockey SuperleagueElite Ice Hockey LeagueElite Ice Hockey LeagueElite Ice Hockey LeagueElite Ice Hockey LeagueElite Ice Hockey League
BHL Division 1British National LeagueBritish National LeagueBritish National LeagueBritish National LeagueBritish National LeagueEnglish Premier Ice Hockey LeagueEnglish Premier Ice Hockey LeagueNational Ice Hockey LeagueNational Ice Hockey League National League
ENIHLNational DivisionPremier Division/LeagueEnglish Premier Ice Hockey LeagueEnglish Premier Ice Hockey LeagueENIHLNational Ice Hockey LeagueNational Ice Hockey League
League 1
ENIHLENIHL
ENIHLENIHLNational Ice Hockey League
League 2

Following its inaugural season, an upper tier within the ENIHL was founded, so as to serve as a league for the members of the BNL who could not afford to remain in that league due to the increased operating costs; but at the same time played ice hockey to a higher standard that of the other ENIHL teams. This division was originally known as the National Division, and during the 1997–98 season the teams in this division played dual schedules; a series of games solely amongst themselves, and another amongst all of the teams which fell under the jurisdiction of the ENIHL at this time. 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 (EPIHL); reducing the ENIHL to the fourth level of Britain's ice hockey pyramid.

However, in 2005 the BNL disbanded, leaving the EPIHL to take its place as the second tier of the national game and, consequently, re-establishing the ENIHL as the third tier of British ice hockey. [3] In April 2007, the EIHA lowered the upper age limit within the junior leagues, abolishing the under 19 age limit to become under 18. Due to the large gap from junior level to the EPIHL, many teams were forced to enter a reserve team into the ENIHL. This increased the size of the league from 22 teams through to 30 teams for the 2007–08 season. [4] Later in the 2007 off-season, the EIHA suggested introducing an under 25 age limit across the league. [5] However, this age limit was removed within weeks in favour of a drive towards developing players. [6] The ENIHL was restructured for the 2008/2009 season into two regional divisions North and South, with two leagues in each regional division.

Following the 2012–13 the league was renamed the National Ice Hockey League, removing the word English due to non-English teams participating. In 2013, it was agreed at the EIHA AGM to restructure the Northern league into two conferences; Moralee and Laidler. The split was done primarily on regions and neither conference was regarded as being higher than the other. However, at the following year's AGM, it was agreed to return to a tiered Division 1 and Division 2 format. However, the conference names remained in place with Division 1 taking the Moralee Conference title and Division 2 the Laidler Conference title.

In 2014, it was agreed at the EIHA AGM to restructure the Southern Division 2 league to have Western and Eastern Conferences. Due to the odd-number of teams in the league, the Eastern Conference had six teams while the Western Conference had five teams. Both conferences were run completely separately and each winner was only regarded as being the conference winner, with no implication of one conference winner being regarded as the league winner. A two-round playoff format was introduced at the end of the season to determine a league-wide winner. The winner of the playoffs would then be the team promoted to Division 1. In 2017, the two conferences were reunited.

Players

The league itself is considered to be a development league, and as such the players are normally amateur. Many teams have affiliate teams in higher leagues. Other teams are aligned with junior ice hockey clubs, and exist to ensure that when players hit 18 there is still a possibility for them to play competitive hockey if they have not joined a professional team.

The system

United Kingdom England adm location map.svg
Yellow pog.svg
See below
Teams in the 2025–26 NIHL Division 1
Blue pog.svg Blue: North (Moralee); Red pog.svg Red: South (Britton)
Greater London UK location map 2.svg
London-based 2025–26 NIHL Division 1 teams
United Kingdom England adm location map.svg
Blue pog.svg
Sharks
Blue pog.svg
Titans
Red pog.svg
Canucks
Red pog.svg
Warriors
Red pog.svg
Rising Stars
Red pog.svg
Spitfires
Yellow pog.svg
See below
Teams in the 2025–26 NIHL Division 2
Blue pog.svg Blue: North (Laidler); Red pog.svg Red: South (Wilkinson);
Greater London UK location map 2.svg
London-based 2025–26 NIHL Division 2 teams

Level

League(s)/Division(s)

2

National League
11 clubs – no promotions, no relegations

3

Division 1 – North (Moralee)
10 clubs – no promotions, no relegations

Division 1 – South (Britton)
8 clubs – no promotions, no relegations

4

Division 2 – North (Laidler)
9 clubs – no promotions, no relegations

Division 2 – South (Wilkinson)
12 clubs – no promotions, no relegations

National League

Note the Berkshire Bees announced they would sit out the 2025/26 season with the intention to ice a team again in the 2026/27 season. [7]

National Ice Hockey League
ClubFoundedCityArenaCapacityYear Entered
Flag of England.svg Basingstoke Bison 1988 Basingstoke Planet Ice Basingstoke 2,0002019
Flag of England.svg Bristol Pitbulls 2009 Bristol (Patchway)Planet Ice Bristol2,6002022
Flag of England.svg Hull Seahawks 2022 Hull Hull Arena 2,0002022
Flag of England.svg Leeds Knights 2019 Leeds Planet Ice Leeds2,0002019
Flag of England.svg Milton Keynes Lightning 2002 Milton Keynes Planet Ice Milton Keynes 2,8002019
Flag of England.svg Peterborough Phantoms 2002 Peterborough Planet Ice Peterborough1,5002019
Flag of England.svg Romford Raiders 1987 London (Romford)Sapphire Ice and Leisure Centre1,2002019
Flag of England.svg Sheffield Steeldogs 2010 Sheffield iceSheffield 1,5002019
Flag of Scotland.svg Solway Sharks 1998 Dumfries Dumfries Ice Bowl1,0002023
Flag of England.svg Swindon Wildcats 1986 Swindon Link Centre 2,8002019
Flag of England.svg Telford Tigers 1985 Telford Telford Ice Rink 2,3002019

Division 1

North
ClubFoundedLocationArenaCapacityYear Entered
Flag of England.svg Billingham Stars 1971 Stockton-on-Tees (Billingham) Billingham Forum 1,2002012
Flag of England.svg Blackburn Hawks 1990 Blackburn Planet Ice Blackburn 3,2002020
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Deeside Dragons 1998 Deeside (Queensferry) Deeside Leisure Centre 1,5002022
Flag of England.svg Hull Jets 2013 Hull Hull Arena 2,0002012
Flag of England.svg Leeds Knights 2 2024 Leeds Planet Ice Leeds2,0002024
Flag of England.svg Nottingham Lions 2000 Nottingham National Ice Centre 7,5002017
Flag of England.svg Sheffield Scimitars 2010 Sheffield iceSheffield 1,5002021
Flag of England.svg Solihull Barons 2005 Solihull Planet Ice Solihull2,2002015
Flag of England.svg Telford Tigers 2 2017 Telford Telford Ice Rink 2,3002017
Flag of England.svg Widnes Wild 2013 Widnes Planet Ice Widnes6002021
South
ClubFoundedLocationArenaCapacityYear Entered
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Cardiff Fire 2015 Cardiff Vindico Arena 3,0882019
Flag of England.svg Chelmsford Chieftains 1987 Chelmsford Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre1,2002019
Flag of England.svg Invicta Dynamos 1997 Gillingham Planet Ice Gillingham1,0002012
Flag of England.svg Romford Buccaneers 2018 London (Romford)Sapphire Ice and Leisure Centre1,2002019
Flag of England.svg Slough Jets 1986 Slough Slough Ice Arena1,0002019
Flag of England.svg Solent Devils 2003 Gosport Planet Ice Gosport3502019
Flag of England.svg Streatham IHC 1932 London (Streatham) Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre 1,0002012
Flag of England.svg Swindon Wildcats 2 2006 Swindon Link Centre 2,8002019

Division 2

North
ClubFoundedLocationArenaCapacityYear Entered
Flag of England.svg Altrincham Aces 1961 Manchester (Altrincham) Planet Ice Altrincham 2,4402015
Flag of England.svg Billingham Buccaneers2023 Stockton-on-Tees (Billingham) Billingham Forum 1,2002023
Flag of England.svg Bradford Bulldogs 1978 Bradford Bradford Ice Arena3002014
Flag of England.svg Coventry Blaze NIHL 2007 Coventry Planet Ice Coventry 3,0002020
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Deeside Dragons 2 2017 Deeside (Queensferry) Deeside Leisure Centre 1,5002023
Flag of England.svg Kingston Sharks2023 Hull Hull Arena 2,0002023
Flag of England.svg Nottingham Lions 2 2021 Nottingham National Ice Centre 7,5002021
Flag of England.svg Sheffield Titans2021 Sheffield iceSheffield 1,5002021
Flag of England.svg Sutton Sting 2009 Sutton-in-Ashfield Sutton Leisure Centre1502021
South
ClubFoundedLocationArenaCapacityYear Entered
Flag of England.svg Bristol Pitbulls 2 2010 Bristol (Patchway)Planet Ice Bristol1,3002021
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Cardiff Canucks2024 Cardiff Vindico Arena 3,0882024
Flag of England.svg Chelmsford Warriors2005 Chelmsford Riverside Ice and Leisure Centre1,2002021
Flag of England.svg Guildford Phoenix 2017 Guildford Guildford Spectrum 2,2002019
Flag of England.svg Haringey Huskies 2017 London (Haringey) Alexandra Palace 1,7502019
Flag of England.svg Invicta Mustangs 1997 Gillingham Gillingham Ice Bowl1,0002019
Flag of England.svg Lee Valley Lions 1984 London (Waltham Forest) Lee Valley Ice Centre 1,0002019
Flag of England.svg Milton Keynes Thunder 2001 Milton Keynes Marshall Arena 5,0002012
Flag of England.svg Oxford Rising Stars2010 Oxford Oxford Ice Rink 1,0252022
Flag of England.svg Peterborough Phantoms 2 2017 Peterborough Planet Ice Peterborough1,5002019
Flag of England.svg Slough Spitfires2025 Slough Slough Ice Arena1,0002025
Flag of England.svg Solent Devils 2 2019 Gosport Planet Ice Gosport3502019

Season structure

As of the 2018–19 season, the divisions are the following:

North

Each team plays each of the other teams in their league a total of four times; twice home, twice away.

At the end of the regular season, the top 4 teams in the division take part in the Playoff weekend, which are one-off games, replacing the previous home/away format. There is not usually a third placed Playoff. Blackburn Hawks currently hold the record of most consecutive final appearances with four from 2011/12 to the present season, winning in 2012/13 and 2014/15.

The rules regarding promotion and relegation between the Moralee and Laidler regularly change.

There are occasional cup competitions, but the format changes in most seasons but usually takes part in a league format.

South

Each team plays each of the other teams in their league a total of four times; twice home, twice away.

Unlike the North, the South keep a two-legged home-and-away format throughout the playoffs. In Division 1, this is a three-rounded format, involving the teams who finished in the top 8 of the regular season. In Division 2, this is a two-rounded format, involving the teams who finished in the top 2 of their conference. In the semi-finals, the conference winners play the runners-up from the other conference with the final involving the winners of the two semi-finals.

Division 1 has a Cup competition involving six of the teams. These are initially split into two groups of three, with the top two from each group going on to a knock-out, two-legged semi-final and final.

Division 2 has a Cup competition involving eight teams. These are initially split into two groups of four, with each group containing two teams from each conference. The top two teams from each group go onto a single Cup Final Weekend held in a single venue, with semi-finals on the Saturday determining the two teams to play the final on the Sunday.

League champions

SeasonNorth 1 ChampionsSouth 1 ChampionsPlayoff ChampionsEnglish National Cup ChampionsNorth 2 ChampionsSouth 2 Champions
1996/97Kingston Jets London Raiders Wightlink Raiders N/AN/AN/A
1997/98 Solihull Blaze Invicta Dynamos Solihull Blaze N/AN/AN/A
1998/99 Billingham Stars Cardiff Devils Billingham Stars N/AN/AN/A
1999/00 Billingham Stars (2) Haringey Greyhounds Whitley Warriors N/AN/AN/A
2000/01 Billingham Stars (3) Basingstoke Buffalo Whitley Warriors (2) Whitley Warriors N/AN/A
2001/02 Whitley Warriors Basingstoke Buffalo (2) Whitley Warriors (3) Whitley Warriors (2)N/AN/A
2002/03 Sheffield Scimitars Basingstoke Buffalo (2) Basingstoke Buffalo N/AN/AN/A
2003/04 Flintshire Freeze Invicta Dynamos (2) Sheffield Scimitars Sheffield Scimitars N/AN/A
2004/05 Sheffield Scimitars (2) Invicta Dynamos (3) Sheffield Scimitars (2) Sheffield Scimitars (2)N/AN/A
2005/06 Billingham Stars (4) Invicta Dynamos (4) Invicta Dynamos Invicta Dynamos N/AN/A
2006/07 TDC Northern Stars Invicta Dynamos (5) Sheffield Scimitars (3) Sheffield Scimitars (3)N/AN/A
2007/08 Nottingham Lions Peterborough Islanders Whitley Warriors (4) Sheffield Scimitars (4)N/A Invicta Dynamos
2008/09 Sheffield Scimitars (3) Invicta Dynamos (6) Nottingham Lions Sheffield Scimitars (5) Telford Titans Chelmsford Chieftains
2009/10 Whitley Warriors (2) Invicta Dynamos (7)N/AN/A TDC Northern Stars Bristol Pitbulls
2010/11 Whitley Warriors (3) Wightlink Raiders N/AN/A Solihull Barons Slough Jets
2011/12 Billingham Stars (5) London Raiders (2)N/AN/A Solway Sharks Solent Devils
2012/13 Solway Sharks Chelmsford Chieftains N/AN/A Nottingham Lions Oxford City Stars
2013/14 Solway Sharks (2) Chelmsford Chieftains(2)N/AN/A Solihull Barons (2) Oxford City Stars (2)
2014/15 Blackburn Hawks Chelmsford Chieftains (3)N/AN/A Solihull Barons (3) Bristol Pitbulls (2)
2015/16 Blackburn Hawks (2) Chelmsford Chieftains (4)N/AN/A Deeside Dragons Chelmsford Warriors
2016/17 Solway Sharks (3) Chelmsford Chieftains (5)N/AN/ABlackburn Eagles Cardiff Fire
2017/18 Sheffield Steeldogs Basingstoke Bison Basingstoke Bison N/A Altrincham Aces Oxford City Stars (3)
2018/19 Hull Pirates Swindon Wildcats Hull Pirates N/A Widnes Wild Slough Jets (2)
2019/20 Whitley Warriors (4)Streatham IHCN/AN/A Hull Jets Haringey Huskies
2020/21N/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
2021/22 Solway Sharks (3)Streatham IHC (2)N/AN/A Telford Tigers 2 Guildford Phoenix
2022/23 Solway Sharks (4)Streatham IHC (3)N/AN/A Hull Jets (2) Bristol Pitbulls 2
2023/24 Billingham Stars (6) Streatham IHC (4)N/AN/A Telford Tigers 2 (2) Swindon Wildcats 2
2024/25 Billingham Stars (7) Slough Jets N/AN/A Telford Tigers 2 (3) Guildford Phoenix (2)

In 2019, the EIHA announced a new National League to sit above the existing regional leagues. [8] This mainly comprised the teams of the former EPIHL that had dropped into NIHL Division 1 in 2017. The competition Champions are as follows:

SeasonLeague ChampionsPlayoff ChampionsNational Cup ChampionsAutumn Cup Champions
2019/20 Telford Tigers N/A Telford Tigers Swindon Wildcats
2020/21N/AN/AN/AN/A
2021/22 Telford Tigers (2) Sheffield Steeldogs Sheffield Steeldogs N/A
2022/23 Leeds Knights Leeds Knights Peterborough Phantoms N/A
2023/24 Leeds Knights (2) Peterborough Phantoms Milton Keynes Lightning N/A
2024/25 Leeds Knights (3) Milton Keynes Lightning Leeds Knights N/A

Rules

Follows International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) rules, [9] as used by countries in all major European leagues. There are significant differences between the National Hockey League rules and IIHF rules, including rink dimension, netminder puck handling, and icing.

The ENIHL also operates under additional EIHA regulations. [10]

Additional discipline rules are also enforced by the EIHA, [11] which include;

See also

References

  1. http://www.facebook.com/SlapshotScotland [ user-generated source ]
  2. "NIHL: New structure for National League agreed by clubs to start 2019/20 season – English Ice Hockey Association". Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  3. "English Premier League history and statistics at hockeydb.com".
  4. History Archived 17 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine , Vectis Tigers (last accessed 13 April 2009)
  5. English Ice Hockey Association Company Limited Meeting of Directors 8th June 2007 Archived 25 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine (last accessed 13 April 2009)
  6. News from the ENIHL AGM - Under 25's Age Limit Removed Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine , Invicta Dynamos (last accessed 13 April 2009)
  7. "Club Statement".
  8. McGregor, Andy (16 March 2019). "NIHL: New structure for National League agreed by clubs to start 2019/20 season". Whitley Warriors. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  9. Rulebook 2006-2010 International Ice Hockey Federation
  10. Rules and Regulations Archived 17 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine , EIHA
  11. Disciplinary Document Archived 28 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine , EIHA, Revised 7 June 2008