I'm a Canadian who's been living in the UK for a little over a year now and about the only thing I miss about Canuckistan is hockey, I'll stay up late to watch games, etc.
I'm aware that there's an English hockey league. I'm basically looking for any info, the season length, are games affordable, the basics really.
Season is getting ready to start up in September, most teams are completing their rosters. Tickets are about £10-12, there are about 60 league games and a couple of cup competitions I dont really pay attention to (the rules are unnecessarily complex and not that interesting).
Highlights programmes are starting to be shown on Sky Sports, Im not sure what will happen this year.
Then you have the EPL which has fewer imports and is only semi-professional and so isnt quite as high a standard. It does not really have a central website that I know of. I follow it for the young British players who do well at this level.
Where are you situated? If it's in the south, EPL teams are generally closer, although there are Elite League teams, such as Cardiff and Basingstoke, and the north generally has more Elite teams, but again there are some of the lower league teams up there.
If you're in London, I recommend Guildford Flames in the EPL. They're the best team in the league, and they used to play in the Superleague (now the Elite league), and probably still could compete at that level with the team they have now and a few more imports.
If you're in London, I recommend Guildford Flames in the EPL. They're the best team in the league, and they used to play in the Superleague (now the Elite league), and probably still could compete at that level with the team they have now and a few more imports.
No they didn't, they played in the British National League, a tier below. But yes, they could compete at EIHL level.
I'm a Canadian who's been living in the UK for a little over a year now and about the only thing I miss about Canuckistan is hockey, I'll stay up late to watch games, etc.
I'm aware that there's an English hockey league. I'm basically looking for any info, the season length, are games affordable, the basics really.
Cheers
There are three main levels in England, the Elite league which is mostly professional, includes teams in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland as well as England, and has 10 or 11 imports (normally ECHL level from North America or European). The English Premier League is a mix of professional imports/brits with some semi-professional or amateur Brits with a maximum of 4 imports, normally europeans.
The English National League is virtually entirely amateur Brits, although teams are allowed two imports in a match. It is split into north and south areas, and two divisions in both areas.
Prices are around £15 Elite, £10 EPL and £5 ENL for the different levels, although obviously vary from club-to-club and most Elite tickets are cheaper when booked in advance.
The style of play is more North American than European, with fighting a lot more common in GB than Europe, and all leagues run September to March with playoffs in April. They also all have additional cup competitions played alongside the league.
Where in the UK are you is pretty much important as to what to recommend.
I live near Birmingham so the teams in Coventry and Solihull (UGH!) are pretty nearby. I remember Wade Belak played for the Coventry team during the lockout.
I live near Birmingham so the teams in Coventry and Solihull (UGH!) are pretty nearby. I remember Wade Belak played for the Coventry team during the lockout.
Thanks for all your replies so far.
That's the two ends of the scale right there!
Coventry are current Elite league champions (league not playoff - one difference in GB is the regular season is normally considered more important than playoffs), and Solihull are in ENL north division 2 which is as low as you can go in senior (non-rec) hockey. Telford are your nearest EPL team but they lost their new sponsors today and will struggle big-time now.
EDIT: Coventry also have a second side at ENL level
