Belarusian Extraleague Explained

Belarusian Extraleague
Экстраліга
Pixels:165px
Sport:Ice hockey
Inaugural:1992–93
Teams:14
Country: Belarus Russia
Champion:Metallurg Zhlobin (3rd title)
Champ Season:2022–23
Most Champs:Yunost Minsk (9 titles)
Website:hockey.by
Founder:Belarusian Ice Hockey Association
Tv:Belarus 5, Fanseat
Related Comps:Vysshaya Liga

The Belarusian Extraleague, abbreviated BHL, also known as the BETERA Extraleague for sponsorship reasons, or known as the Belarusian Open Championship,, 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. 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

2024–25 season

TeamCityArenaCapacityIce rink sizeAffiliate Team
Aviator Baranovichi BaranovichiBaranovichi Ice Sports Palacealign = center 2,158align = center -Sobol Beryoza (Belarus2)
HK Brest BrestBrest Ice Sports Palacealign = center 2,000align = center 60x30Sobol Beryoza (Belarus2)
HK Vitebsk VitebskVitebsk Ice Sports Palacealign = center 1,900align = center 61x30Medvedi Vitebsk (Belarus2)
HC Dinamo-Molodechno MolodechnoMolodechno Ice Sports Palacealign = center 2,197align = center Dinamo-Olimpik Minsk (Belarus2)
HK Gomel GomelGomel Ice Sports Palacealign = center 2,760align = center 61х30Rysi Gomel (Belarus2)
HK Lida LidaLida Ice Palacealign = center 1,000align = center 60х30Aviator Baranovichi
HK Lokomotiv Orsha OrshaOrsha Ice Sports Palacealign = center 3,500align = center Loko Orsha (Belarus2)
Metallurg Zhlobin ZhlobinIce Palace Metalurgalign = center 2,018align = center 60x30Belstal Zhlobin (Belarus2)
HK Mogilev MogilevSports Palace Mogilevalign = center 3,048align = center 60х30Dneprovskiye Lvy Mogilev (Belarus2)
HC Neman GrodnoGrodno Ice Sports Palacealign = center 2,550align = center 60x30Progress Grodno (Belarus2)
Khimik Novopolotsk NovopolotskNovopolotsk Palace of Sports and Culturealign = center 1,200align = center Neftekhimik Novopolotsk (Belarus2)
Slavutych Smolensk SmolenskSGAFKST Arenaalign = center -align = center -Independent
HC Shakhtyor Soligorsk SoligorskSoligorsk Sports and Entertainment Complexalign = center 1,759align = center 60х29Yastreby Pinsk (Belarus2)
HC Yunost-MinskČyžoŭka-Arenaalign = center 8,807align = center 61x30HC Dinamo Minsk (KHL)
Yunior Minsk (Belarus2)

Former teams

TeamCityArenaCapacity
Čyžoŭka-Arena Practice ice rink align = center 473
align = center 300
Yastreby Pinskalign = center 598
align = center 7,191
align = center 7,151
align = center 3,311
align = center 1,823
align = center 7,151
align = center 1,500
7,200
align = center 3,311
Unknown align = center -
Unknown align = center -
align = center 767
align = center 1,700
align = center 2,000
align = center 1,880
align = center 1,234

Champions by season

Extraleague/Extraleague A

Tivali Minsk

Tivali Minsk

Tivali Minsk

Polimir Novopolotsk

Polimir Novopolotsk

Neman Grodno

Neman Grodno

Tivali Minsk

Neman Grodno

Keramin Minsk

HK Gomel

Yunost Minsk

Yunost Minsk

Yunost Minsk

Dinamo Minsk

Keramin Minsk

Yunost Minsk

Yunost Minsk

Yunost Minsk

Metallurg Zhlobin

Neman Grodno

Neman Grodno

HC Shakhtyor Soligorsk

Yunost Minsk

Neman Grodno

Neman Grodno

Yunost Minsk

Yunost Minsk[3]

Yunost Minsk

Metallurg Zhlobin

Metallurg Zhlobin

Extraleague B

HK Lokomotiv Orsha

HK Lokomotiv Orsha

Khimik Novopolotsk

Titles by team

Extraleague/Extraleague A

Titles Club Years
10Yunost Minsk2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021
71998, 1999, 2001, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018
5 Tivali Minsk/HC Dinamo-Minsk* 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2007*
3Metallurg Zhlobin2012, 2022, 2023
2 Polimir Novopolotsk1996, 1997
2 2002, 2008
1 HK Gomel2003
1HC Shakhtyor Soligorsk2015

Extraleague B

Titles Club Years
2HK Lokomotiv Orsha2019, 2020
1Khimik Novopolotsk2021

References

  1. Web site: В Экстралиге в сезоне-2021/2022 сыграют 12 команд. 7 June 2021. belarushockey.com. 14 September 2021. ru.
  2. Web site: "Юность" стала чемпионом Беларуси по хоккею, ряд игроков отправится в КХЛ . 2022-09-25 . Prosports.kz . ru.
  3. Web site: IIHF - Europe's only champion.

External links