Belarusian Extraleague

The Belarusian Extraleague, abbreviated BHL, also known as the BETERA Extraleague for sponsorship reasons, or known as the Belarusian Open Championship, (Belarusian: Экстраліга, romanizedEkstraliha), officially formed in 2006, is the top ice hockey league in Belarus. In its past, it has switched several times between being and not being an open league (in reference to allowing foreign teams), but for the 2008–2009 season, the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association decided to open the Belarusian Extraleague, the Belarusian Premier League and the Belarusian junior leagues.

Belarusian Extraleague
Экстраліга
SportIce hockey
Founded1992; 32 years ago (1992)
FounderBelarusian Ice Hockey Association
First season1992–93
No. of teams14
CountryBelarus Belarus Russia Russia
Most recent
champion(s)
Metallurg Zhlobin (3rd title)
(2022–23)
Most titlesYunost Minsk (9 titles)
TV partner(s)Belarus 5, Fanseat
Related
competitions
Vysshaya Liga
Official websitehockey.by

Before the season 2018-2019 the Belarusian Extraleague was divided in two leagues: Extraleague A with 8 teams and Extraleague B with 9 teams. For the 2021-2022 season, this division into Extraleague A and Extraleague B was canceled, with 12 teams taking part in the single championship.[1]

The Extraleague championships for the 2016-2017 season and 2017-2018 season were won by HC Neman Grodno

The 2019/2020 Belarusian ice hockey championship was the only championship in the world that was not interrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic.[2]

Teams from the BHL 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 BHL was ranked the No. 7 league in Europe, allowing them to send their top team to compete in the CHL.

Current teams

edit

2024–25 season

edit
Team City Arena Capacity Ice rink size Affiliate Team
Aviator Baranovichi   Baranovichi Baranovichi Ice Sports Palace 2,158 - Sobol Beryoza (Belarus2)
HK Brest   Brest Brest Ice Sports Palace 2,000 60x30 Sobol Beryoza (Belarus2)
HK Vitebsk   Vitebsk Vitebsk Ice Sports Palace 1,900 61x30 Medvedi Vitebsk (Belarus2)
HC Dinamo-Molodechno   Molodechno Molodechno Ice Sports Palace 2,197 Dinamo-Olimpik Minsk (Belarus2)
HK Gomel   Gomel Gomel Ice Sports Palace 2,760 61х30 Rysi Gomel (Belarus2)
HK Lida   Lida Lida Ice Palace 1,000 60х30 Rytsari Lida (Belarus2)
HK Lokomotiv Orsha   Orsha Orsha Ice Sports Palace 3,500 Loko Orsha (Belarus2)
Metallurg Zhlobin   Zhlobin Ice Palace Metalurg 2,018 60x30 Belstal Zhlobin (Belarus2)
HK Mogilev   Mogilev Sports Palace Mogilev 3,048 60х30 Dneprovskiye Lvy Mogilev (Belarus2)
HC Neman Grodno   Grodno Grodno Ice Sports Palace 2,550 60x30 Progress Grodno (Belarus2)
Khimik Novopolotsk   Novopolotsk Novopolotsk Palace of Sports and Culture 1,200 Neftekhimik Novopolotsk (Belarus2)
Slavutych Smolensk   Smolensk SGAFKST Arena - - Independent
HC Shakhtyor Soligorsk   Soligorsk Soligorsk Sports and Entertainment Complex 1,759 60х29 Yastreby Pinsk (Belarus2)
HC Yunost-Minsk   Minsk Čyžoŭka-Arena 8,807 61x30 HC Dinamo Minsk (KHL)
Yunior Minsk (Belarus2)

Former teams

edit
Team City Arena Capacity
Belarus U20   Minsk Čyžoŭka-Arena Practice ice rink 473
Belarus U18   Raǔbičy Indoor ice rink of sport complex Raǔbičy 300
Yastreby Pinsk   Pinsk Ice arena of the Universal sports complex Volna 598
HC Babruysk   Babruysk Babruysk Arena 7,191
Dinamo U20 Bobruisk   Babruysk Babruysk Arena 7,151
Dinamo Minsk   Minsk Minsk Sports Palace 3,311
Keramin Minsk   Minsk Minsk Ice Palace 1,823
Shinnik Bobruisk   Babruysk Babruysk Arena 7,151
Sokil Kyiv   Brovary
  Kyiv
Ice Arena TEC Terminal
Kyiv Palace of Sports
1,500
7,200
Tivali Minsk   Minsk Minsk Sports Palace 3,311
Torpedo Minsk   Minsk Unknown -
Triumph Minsk   Minsk Unknown -
Yunior Minsk   Minsk Ice Palace Yunost Minsk 767
HK Liepājas Metalurgs   Liepāja Ice Arena Liepājas Metalurgs 1,700
HK Riga 2000   Riga Inbox.lv ledus halle 2,000
ASK/Ogre   Ogre Vidzemes Ledus Halle 1,880
DHK Latgale   Daugavpils Daugavpils Ice Arena 1,234

Champions by season

edit

Extraleague/Extraleague A

edit

Extraleague B

edit

Titles by team

edit

Extraleague/Extraleague A

edit
Titles Club Years
10 Yunost Minsk 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021
7 HC Neman Grodno 1998, 1999, 2001, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018
5 Tivali Minsk/HC Dinamo-Minsk* 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2007*
3 Metallurg Zhlobin 2012, 2022, 2023
2 Polimir Novopolotsk 1996, 1997
2 Keramin Minsk 2002, 2008
1 HK Gomel 2003
1 HC Shakhtyor Soligorsk 2015

Extraleague B

edit
Titles Club Years
2 HK Lokomotiv Orsha 2019, 2020
1 Khimik Novopolotsk 2021

References

edit
  1. ^ "В Экстралиге в сезоне-2021/2022 сыграют 12 команд" (in Russian). belarushockey.com. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  2. ^ ""Юность" стала чемпионом Беларуси по хоккею, ряд игроков отправится в КХЛ". Prosports.kz (in Russian). Retrieved 2022-09-25.
  3. ^ "IIHF - Europe's only champion".
edit