Optibet Hockey League | |
Upcoming Season: | 2024–25 Latvian Hockey League season |
Sport: | Ice hockey |
Founded: | 1931 |
Teams: | 7 |
Countries: | Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania |
Champion: | HK Mogo (3rd title) |
Champ Season: | 2023–24 |
Most Champs: | HK Liepājas Metalurgs (7 titles) |
The Latvian Hockey Higher League (Latvian: Latvijas Virslīgas hokeja čempionāts), also known as the Optibet Hockey League (Latvian: Optibet hokeja līga) since 2017 due to sponsorship by Optibet, is the top tier league of ice hockey in Latvia. The league is competed by nine teams from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia.[1] [2] Previously it was also known as the Latvian Open Hockey Championships (Latvijas atklātais čempionāts hokejā) and the Samsung Premier League (Samsung Premjerlīga) from 2006 to 2008. The league was established in 1931.
HK Liepājas Metalurgs, which played in the league between 1999 and 2013, has been the most successful team of the tournament, having won seven titles.
A number of players who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) have played in the league, including Latvians Kaspars Astašenko, Uvis Balinskis, Helmuts Balderis, Oskars Bārtulis, Kaspars Daugaviņš, Kristers Gudļevskis, Viktors Ignatjevs, Artūrs Irbe, Raitis Ivanāns, Mārtiņš Karsums, Aleksandrs Kerčs, Matīss Kivlenieks, Artūrs Kulda, Kārlis Skrastiņš, Pēteris Skudra, Jānis Sprukts, Artūrs Šilovs, as well as imports Darby Hendrickson, Konstantin Pushkaryov, Rob Schremp.
Team | City | Arena | Capacity | Affiliate(s) | Founded | Joined |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7bet-Hockey Punks | Vilnius | Pramogų Arena | 2,500 | 2010 | 2022 | |
Airwell Energija | Elektrėnai Ice Palace | 2,000 | 1977 | 2022 | ||
HS Rīga | Riga | Riga Hockey Hall | 300 | HS Riga 17 (JAHL) | 1999 | 2015 |
Mogo/LSPA | Riga | Mogo Ice Hall | 600 | HK Mārupe (JAHL) | 2014 | |
Panter | Tallinn | Škoda Ice Hall | 500 | 2001 | 2023 | |
Prizma | Riga | Volvo Sports Centre | 1,000 | HK Prizma Riga-2 (JAHL) | 1996 | |
Zemgale/LBTU | Jelgava | Jelgava Ice Hall | 2,360 | HK Zemgale Juniors (JAHL) | 2001 |
Team | City | Joined | Left | League titles | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASK Rīga | Riga | 1931 | 1940 | 5 | |
LSB Rīga | Riga | 1931 | 1940 | 0 | |
RFK Rīga | Riga | 1931 | 1936 | 0 | |
Unions Rīga | Riga | 1931 | 1939 | 2 | |
US Rīga | Riga | 1931 | 1942 | 3 | |
Dinamo Rīga (original) | Riga | 1940 | 1941 | 1 | |
Sāga Ķekava | Ķekava | 1991 | 1996 | 1 | |
Pārdaugava Rīga | Riga | 1991 | 1995 | 2 | |
Essamika Ogre | Ogre | 1992 | 2000 | 1 | |
Juniors Rīga | Riga | 1992 | 2000 | 0 | |
Nik's Brih Rīga | Riga | 1992 | 2000 | 3 | |
Alianse Rīga | Riga | 1994 | 1996 | 1 | |
Lido/Nafta Rīga | Riga | 1994 | 2001 | 0 | |
HK Liepājas Metalurgs | Liepāja | 1999 | 2013 | 7 | |
HK Rīga 2000 | Riga | 2000 | 2009 | 5 | |
Vilki/OP Rīga | Riga | 2000 | 2006 | 0 | |
ASK/Ogre | Ogre | 2003 | 2011 | 0 | |
DHK Latgale | Daugavpils | 2005 | 2012 | 0 | |
HK Ozolnieki/Monarhs | Ozolnieki | 2008 | 2014 | 0 | |
Dinamo Juniors Rīga | Riga | 2010 | 2014 | 1 | |
HK SMScredit.lv | Riga | 2012 | 2013 | 1 | |
HK Dinaburga | Daugavpils | 2013 2019 | 2014 2023 | 0 | |
Kurbads | Riga | 2013 2023 | 2020 2024 | 2 | |
HK Liepāja | Liepāja | 2014 | 2022 | 1 | |
HK Lido | Riga | 2017 | 2019 | 0 | |
HK Olimp/Venta 2002 | Riga | 2019 | 2022 | 1 | |
Dinamo Riga | Riga | 2022 | 2023 | 0 | |
Kaunas City | Kaunas | 2022 | 2024 | 0 |
Titles | Club | Years | |
---|---|---|---|
7 | Liepājas Metalurgs | 2000, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 | |
5 | ASK Rīga | 1934, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939 | |
5 | HK Riga 2000 | 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 | |
3 | US Rīga | 1937, 1940, 1942 | |
3 | HK Nik's Brih Riga | 1995, 1998, 1999 | |
3 | HK Mogo | 2015, 2019, 2024 | |
2 | Unions Rīga | 1932, 1933 | |
2 | HK Pardaugava Riga | 1993, 1994 | |
2 | HK Kurbads | 2017, 2018 | |
2 | HK Zemgale/LLU | 2022, 2023 | |
1 | Dinamo Riga | 1941 | |
1 | HK Sāga Ķekava Riga | 1992 | |
1 | Alianse Riga | 1996 | |
1 | LB/Essamika | 1997 | |
1 | Dinamo-Juniors Riga | 2010 | |
1 | SMScredit.lv Riga | 2013 | |
1 | HS Rīga/Prizma | 2014 | |
1 | HK Liepāja | 2016 | |
1 | HK Olimp/Venta 2002 | 2021 |