Belarusian Extraleague

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

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.

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

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2024–25 season

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

Former teams

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

Champions by season

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Extraleague/Extraleague A

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Extraleague B

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Titles by team

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Extraleague/Extraleague A

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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

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

References

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  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".
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