Professional Hockey League
Encyclopedia
The Professional Hockey League (PHL) ' onMouseout='HidePop("4184")' href="/topics/Romanization_of_Ukrainian">tr:
Profesional'na khokeyna liha) is an ice hockey
league in Ukraine
, founded in 2011. The country's national title, the Ukrainian Championship, is awarded annually to the league champion following an 4-team, 2-round playoff
at the end of the 41-game regular season. Runners-up receive silver and bronze medals. The winner of the Ukrainian Championship is also guaranteed qualification into the Champions Hockey League
season. Work is currently under way with the First National TV channel to broadcast 20-25 regular season games, and the entirety of the playoffs. 90% of the PHL's games will be broadcast online.
The league was formed on July 25, 2011, in Kyiv, Ukraine, to reflect its fully professional status, apart from its predecessor organization, the Major League , which was controlled and operated by the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
(FHU) as part of the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, inaugurated in 1992. In obtaining the rights to the Championship, the FHU will maintain a supervisory role, and reserves the right to intervene in league matters.
Naturally, Ukrainians
constitute a large majority of the players in the PHL. Expatriate
s account for 25% of the league's players, most of which come from Russia
and Belarus
, but also Lithuania
, Latvia
, the Czech Republic
, and the United States
.
, subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Championship League, and Ukrainian independence, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine established the country's first national league, the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, in 1992. The league was known as the Major League until 2009-10, when it reverted back to its traditional name of the Ukrainian Championship. Following the 2010-11 season, the league dissolved. The top division, Division A (also known as the Central Division), became the PHL; Division B (the Western Division) became the Western Ukrainian Hockey League, an amateur league.
, short pants, socks, gloves, and a helmet. Most PHL jerseys display the team's primary logo
in the centre of the chest, while some also display secondary logos on the shoulders. Each player in a team's lineup for a game must have a different number displayed on the back of their jersey, as well as the player's surname above their number on the back of their jersey, which according to league regulations must be written in the Ukrainian language
. Bilyi Bars and Companion-Naftogaz drew criticism during the 2011-12 season for violating this rule and using the Russian language
instead. While not required, teams typically place their numbers on each upper arm as well. Team captains and alternate captains wear the letters "K" and "A" respectively on the front of their jerseys.
, Dnipropetrovsk
, Luhansk
, Kherson
, Severodonetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk
, and Zakarpattia
. Of the league's original 8 teams, 4 are based within the Kyiv region. Sokil Kyiv is the only team in the PHL to have iced a team in every prior Ukrainian league season since its beginnings in 1992. Five of the league's original 8 teams competed in the final Major League season
.
, some teams present their club name and logo solely in the Russian language
.
A club's name is usually composed of the prefix "Hockey Club" to describe the team's organizational status and its associated sport. The suffix is generally a proper name or mascot
in either in the singular or plural form ("White Leopard" or "Lions
"), a geographical indicator (Donbas), or team sponsor ("Companion", "Naftogaz"). Team names have also taken on the North America
n form of following the city name with a mascot ("Kharkiv Sharks
")
In both Ukrainian and Russian leagues
, misconceptions about the official name of a club are often present following English translation
, whereby the "HC" prefix is dropped and the city name is added as a suffix (i.e. HC Sokil is often written as Sokil Kyiv).
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#0060A9; color: #FFFFFF;" | Seasons
|- valign="top"
|
The Professional Hockey League (PHL) ' onMouseout='HidePop("69355")' href="/topics/Romanization_of_Ukrainian">tr:
Profesional'na khokeyna liha) is an ice hockey
league in Ukraine
, founded in 2011. The country's national title, the Ukrainian Championship, is awarded annually to the league champion following an 4-team, 2-round playoff
at the end of the 41-game regular season. Runners-up receive silver and bronze medals. The winner of the Ukrainian Championship is also guaranteed qualification into the Champions Hockey League
season. Work is currently under way with the First National TV channel to broadcast 20-25 regular season games, and the entirety of the playoffs. 90% of the PHL's games will be broadcast online.
The league was formed on July 25, 2011, in Kyiv, Ukraine, to reflect its fully professional status, apart from its predecessor organization, the Major League , which was controlled and operated by the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
(FHU) as part of the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, inaugurated in 1992. In obtaining the rights to the Championship, the FHU will maintain a supervisory role, and reserves the right to intervene in league matters.
Naturally, Ukrainians
constitute a large majority of the players in the PHL. Expatriate
s account for 25% of the league's players, most of which come from Russia
and Belarus
, but also Lithuania
, Latvia
, the Czech Republic
, and the United States
.
, subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Championship League, and Ukrainian independence, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine established the country's first national league, the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, in 1992. The league was known as the Major League until 2009-10, when it reverted back to its traditional name of the Ukrainian Championship. Following the 2010-11 season, the league dissolved. The top division, Division A (also known as the Central Division), became the PHL; Division B (the Western Division) became the Western Ukrainian Hockey League, an amateur league.
, short pants, socks, gloves, and a helmet. Most PHL jerseys display the team's primary logo
in the centre of the chest, while some also display secondary logos on the shoulders. Each player in a team's lineup for a game must have a different number displayed on the back of their jersey, as well as the player's surname above their number on the back of their jersey, which according to league regulations must be written in the Ukrainian language
. Bilyi Bars and Companion-Naftogaz drew criticism during the 2011-12 season for violating this rule and using the Russian language
instead. While not required, teams typically place their numbers on each upper arm as well. Team captains and alternate captains wear the letters "K" and "A" respectively on the front of their jerseys.
, Dnipropetrovsk
, Luhansk
, Kherson
, Severodonetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk
, and Zakarpattia
. Of the league's original 8 teams, 4 are based within the Kyiv region. Sokil Kyiv is the only team in the PHL to have iced a team in every prior Ukrainian league season since its beginnings in 1992. Five of the league's original 8 teams competed in the final Major League season
.
, some teams present their club name and logo solely in the Russian language
.
A club's name is usually composed of the prefix "Hockey Club" to describe the team's organizational status and its associated sport. The suffix is generally a proper name or mascot
in either in the singular or plural form ("White Leopard" or "Lions
"), a geographical indicator (Donbas), or team sponsor ("Companion", "Naftogaz"). Team names have also taken on the North America
n form of following the city name with a mascot ("Kharkiv Sharks
")
In both Ukrainian and Russian leagues
, misconceptions about the official name of a club are often present following English translation
, whereby the "HC" prefix is dropped and the city name is added as a suffix (i.e. HC Sokil is often written as Sokil Kyiv).
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; width:100%; text-align:left"
! style="background:lightgrey;width:5%" | Division
! style="background:lightgrey;width:23%" | Team
! style="background:lightgrey;width:19%" | City/Area
! style="background:lightgrey;width:24%" | Arena
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Capacity
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Founded
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Joined
! style="background:lightgrey;width:17%" | Team Captain
|-
! style="background-color:#DDFFDD" rowspan=8 | Professional League
| Sokil Kyiv
| Kyiv
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 1963
| align=center | 2011
|
Serhiy Klymentiev
|-
| Donbas
|
Donetsk
| Druzhba Palace of Sports
| align=center | 3,500
| align=center | 2005
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
| Bilyi Bars
|
Brovary
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2007
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Berkut
| Brovary
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2004
| align=center | 2011
|
Roman Malov
|-
|Companion-Naftogaz
| Kyiv
| Avanhard Sports Complex
| align=center | 700
| align=center | 2006
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Kharkivski Akuly
|
Kharkiv
| Ice Lounge
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2008
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Levy
|
Novoyavorivsk
| Novoyavorivsk Ice Palace
| align=center | 600
| align=center | 2011
| align=center | 2011
| Dmytro Hnitko
|-
|Vinnytski Haydamaky
|
Vinnytsia
| Ice Avenue
| align=center | 500
| align=center | 2008
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|}
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#0060A9; color: #FFFFFF;" | Seasons
|- valign="top"
|
The Professional Hockey League (PHL) ' onMouseout='HidePop("5444")' href="/topics/Romanization_of_Ukrainian">tr:
Profesional'na khokeyna liha) is an ice hockey
league in Ukraine
, founded in 2011. The country's national title, the Ukrainian Championship, is awarded annually to the league champion following an 4-team, 2-round playoff
at the end of the 41-game regular season. Runners-up receive silver and bronze medals. The winner of the Ukrainian Championship is also guaranteed qualification into the Champions Hockey League
season. Work is currently under way with the First National TV channel to broadcast 20-25 regular season games, and the entirety of the playoffs. 90% of the PHL's games will be broadcast online.
The league was formed on July 25, 2011, in Kyiv, Ukraine, to reflect its fully professional status, apart from its predecessor organization, the Major League , which was controlled and operated by the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
(FHU) as part of the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, inaugurated in 1992. In obtaining the rights to the Championship, the FHU will maintain a supervisory role, and reserves the right to intervene in league matters.
Naturally, Ukrainians
constitute a large majority of the players in the PHL. Expatriate
s account for 25% of the league's players, most of which come from Russia
and Belarus
, but also Lithuania
, Latvia
, the Czech Republic
, and the United States
.
, subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Championship League, and Ukrainian independence, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine established the country's first national league, the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, in 1992. The league was known as the Major League until 2009-10, when it reverted back to its traditional name of the Ukrainian Championship. Following the 2010-11 season, the league dissolved. The top division, Division A (also known as the Central Division), became the PHL; Division B (the Western Division) became the Western Ukrainian Hockey League, an amateur league.
, short pants, socks, gloves, and a helmet. Most PHL jerseys display the team's primary logo
in the centre of the chest, while some also display secondary logos on the shoulders. Each player in a team's lineup for a game must have a different number displayed on the back of their jersey, as well as the player's surname above their number on the back of their jersey, which according to league regulations must be written in the Ukrainian language
. Bilyi Bars and Companion-Naftogaz drew criticism during the 2011-12 season for violating this rule and using the Russian language
instead. While not required, teams typically place their numbers on each upper arm as well. Team captains and alternate captains wear the letters "K" and "A" respectively on the front of their jerseys.
, Dnipropetrovsk
, Luhansk
, Kherson
, Severodonetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk
, and Zakarpattia
. Of the league's original 8 teams, 4 are based within the Kyiv region. Sokil Kyiv is the only team in the PHL to have iced a team in every prior Ukrainian league season since its beginnings in 1992. Five of the league's original 8 teams competed in the final Major League season
.
, some teams present their club name and logo solely in the Russian language
.
A club's name is usually composed of the prefix "Hockey Club" to describe the team's organizational status and its associated sport. The suffix is generally a proper name or mascot
in either in the singular or plural form ("White Leopard" or "Lions
"), a geographical indicator (Donbas), or team sponsor ("Companion", "Naftogaz"). Team names have also taken on the North America
n form of following the city name with a mascot ("Kharkiv Sharks
")
In both Ukrainian and Russian leagues
, misconceptions about the official name of a club are often present following English translation
, whereby the "HC" prefix is dropped and the city name is added as a suffix (i.e. HC Sokil is often written as Sokil Kyiv).
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; width:100%; text-align:left"
! style="background:lightgrey;width:5%" | Division
! style="background:lightgrey;width:23%" | Team
! style="background:lightgrey;width:19%" | City/Area
! style="background:lightgrey;width:24%" | Arena
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Capacity
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Founded
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Joined
! style="background:lightgrey;width:17%" | Team Captain
|-
! style="background-color:#DDFFDD" rowspan=8 | Professional League
| Sokil Kyiv
| Kyiv
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 1963
| align=center | 2011
| Serhiy Klymentiev
|-
| Donbas
| Donetsk
| Druzhba Palace of Sports
| align=center | 3,500
| align=center | 2005
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
| Bilyi Bars
| Brovary
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2007
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Berkut
| Brovary
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2004
| align=center | 2011
| Roman Malov
|-
|Companion-Naftogaz
| Kyiv
| Avanhard Sports Complex
| align=center | 700
| align=center | 2006
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Kharkivski Akuly
| Kharkiv
| Ice Lounge
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2008
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Levy
| Novoyavorivsk
| Novoyavorivsk Ice Palace
| align=center | 600
| align=center | 2011
| align=center | 2011
| Dmytro Hnitko
|-
|Vinnytski Haydamaky
| Vinnytsia
| Ice Avenue
| align=center | 500
| align=center | 2008
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|}
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#0060A9; color: #FFFFFF;" | Seasons
|- valign="top"
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | R
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="25%" |
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | GP
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | W
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | L
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | OTW
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | OTL
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | SOW
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | SOL
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | GF
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | GA
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | Pts
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|1||align=left| Sokil Kyiv
|15 ||15 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||73 ||28 ||45
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|2||align=left| Berkut
|14 ||11 ||3 ||2 ||0 ||0 ||1 ||62 ||35 ||32
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|3||align=left| Donbas
|14 ||11 ||3 ||1 ||0 ||1 ||0 ||53 ||27 ||31
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|4||align=left| Levy
|15 ||8 ||7 ||0 ||1 ||0 ||0||63 ||51 ||25
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|5||align=left| Kharkivski Akuly
|15 ||6 ||9 ||0 ||1 ||1 ||0 ||59 ||67 ||18
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|6||align=left| Companion-Naftogaz
|15 ||5 ||10 ||0 ||1 ||0 ||0 ||50 ||53 ||16
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|7||align=left| Bilyi Bars
|15 ||2 ||13 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||1 ||29 ||58 ||7
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|8||align=left| Vinnytski Haydamaky
|15 ||1 ||14 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||30 ||100 ||48 ||3
|}
|}
award and national title, bestowed to the ice hockey organization judged to have the best performing team in Ukraine, founded in 1992. Prior to the formation of the PHL, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
(FHU) administered and handed out the award, allowing both amateur and professional teams to compete in an annual regular season, then playoff
for the title. On July 25, 2011, the FHU transferred the rights of the event to the PHL. The championship is currently awarded in the PHL following an 4-team playoff at the end of the 41-game regular season. The playoffs are decided in a best-of-seven series. Teams that miss the finals will enter into a best-of-five format playoff to determine final positioning. In addition to the title, winning team is given a cash prize by the league, $1,000,000 USD, shared by all of the players.
National finalists receive silver and bronze medals. The winner of the Ukrainian Championship is also guaranteed qualification into the Champions Hockey League
season.
Romanization of Ukrainian
The romanization or Latinization of Ukrainian is the representation of the Ukrainian language using Latin letters. Ukrainian is natively written in its own Ukrainian alphabet, a variation of Cyrillic....
Profesional'na khokeyna liha) is an ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
league in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, founded in 2011. The country's national title, the Ukrainian Championship, is awarded annually to the league champion following an 4-team, 2-round playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
at the end of the 41-game regular season. Runners-up receive silver and bronze medals. The winner of the Ukrainian Championship is also guaranteed qualification into the Champions Hockey League
Champions Hockey League
The Champions Hockey League was a short-lived ice hockey league which was launched in 2008 by the International Ice Hockey Federation and only played in the 2008–09 season. Its creation coincided with the IIHF's 100th anniversary and replaced the IIHF European Champions Cup, the former competition...
season. Work is currently under way with the First National TV channel to broadcast 20-25 regular season games, and the entirety of the playoffs. 90% of the PHL's games will be broadcast online.
The league was formed on July 25, 2011, in Kyiv, Ukraine, to reflect its fully professional status, apart from its predecessor organization, the Major League , which was controlled and operated by the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine is the official governing body for ice hockey in Ukraine. It became a member national association of the International Ice Hockey Federation on May 6, 1992...
(FHU) as part of the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, inaugurated in 1992. In obtaining the rights to the Championship, the FHU will maintain a supervisory role, and reserves the right to intervene in league matters.
Naturally, Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
constitute a large majority of the players in the PHL. Expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
s account for 25% of the league's players, most of which come from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, but also Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
Following the collapse of the Soviet UnionDissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
, subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Championship League, and Ukrainian independence, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine established the country's first national league, the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, in 1992. The league was known as the Major League until 2009-10, when it reverted back to its traditional name of the Ukrainian Championship. Following the 2010-11 season, the league dissolved. The top division, Division A (also known as the Central Division), became the PHL; Division B (the Western Division) became the Western Ukrainian Hockey League, an amateur league.
Uniforms
League uniforms consist of a jerseyHockey jersey
A hockey jersey, traditionally called a sweater , is a piece of clothing worn by hockey players to cover the upper part of their bodies. "Sweater" is the correct reference in Canada, despite the material...
, short pants, socks, gloves, and a helmet. Most PHL jerseys display the team's primary logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
in the centre of the chest, while some also display secondary logos on the shoulders. Each player in a team's lineup for a game must have a different number displayed on the back of their jersey, as well as the player's surname above their number on the back of their jersey, which according to league regulations must be written in the Ukrainian language
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
. Bilyi Bars and Companion-Naftogaz drew criticism during the 2011-12 season for violating this rule and using the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
instead. While not required, teams typically place their numbers on each upper arm as well. Team captains and alternate captains wear the letters "K" and "A" respectively on the front of their jerseys.
Teams
History
The PHL was founded with 8 professional teams from across Ukraine. Prior to its inaugural season, the league was initially slated to ice 9 teams, while considering 11 applicants, and could increase to 12 teams in the future. The league currently hopes to expand to SumySumy
* 1897 - 70.53% Ukrainians, 24.1% Russians, 2.6% Jewish, 2.67% others* 1926 - 80.7% Ukrainians, 11.8% Russians, 5.5% Jewish, 2% others* 1959 - 79% Ukrainians, 20% Russians, 1% others...
, Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk or Dnepropetrovsk formerly Yekaterinoslav is Ukraine's third largest city with one million inhabitants. It is located southeast of Ukraine's capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central region of the country...
, Luhansk
Luhansk
Luhansk also known as Lugansk is a city in southeastern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Luhansk Oblast . The city itself is also designated as its own separate municipality within the oblast...
, Kherson
Kherson
Kherson is a city in southern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Kherson Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast. Kherson is an important port on the Black Sea and Dnieper River, and the home of a major ship-building industry...
, Severodonetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk is a historic city located in the western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast, municipality....
, and Zakarpattia
Zakarpattia Oblast
The Zakarpattia Oblast is an administrative oblast located in southwestern Ukraine. Its administrative center is the city of Uzhhorod...
. Of the league's original 8 teams, 4 are based within the Kyiv region. Sokil Kyiv is the only team in the PHL to have iced a team in every prior Ukrainian league season since its beginnings in 1992. Five of the league's original 8 teams competed in the final Major League season
XIX Ukrainian Championship
The XIX Ukrainian Championship was the 19th annual edition of the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, and final season for the Ukrainian Major League. It took place from 2011-12.- Division A :-Quarterfinals:* Bilyi Bars - HC Kharkiv 1:2...
.
Names
PHL team names reflect the general culture of European ice hockey naming conventions. Club names may reflect historical, geographical, cultural, or political affiliations — or simply be the brand name of a club's primary sponsor. Because of the prevalence of the Russian language in UkraineRussian language in Ukraine
Russian is a minority language in Ukraine It is the most common first language in Donbass and Crimea regions, the predominant language in large cities in the East and South of the country...
, some teams present their club name and logo solely in the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
.
A club's name is usually composed of the prefix "Hockey Club" to describe the team's organizational status and its associated sport. The suffix is generally a proper name or mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
in either in the singular or plural form ("White Leopard" or "Lions
HC Levy
Hockey Club Levy is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Novoyavorivsk, Lviv Oblast. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine....
"), a geographical indicator (Donbas), or team sponsor ("Companion", "Naftogaz"). Team names have also taken on the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n form of following the city name with a mascot ("Kharkiv Sharks
Kharkivski Akuly
Kharkivski Akuly is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Kharkiv. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine....
")
In both Ukrainian and Russian leagues
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
, misconceptions about the official name of a club are often present following English translation
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, whereby the "HC" prefix is dropped and the city name is added as a suffix (i.e. HC Sokil is often written as Sokil Kyiv).
| Division | Team | City/Area | Arena | Capacity | Founded | Joined | Team Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional League | Sokil Kyiv | Kyiv | Ice Palace TEC Terminal | 1,500 | 1963 | 2011 | Serhiy Klymentiev |
| Donbas HC Donbass-2 Hockey Club Donbass , also known as Donbass-2, is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Donetsk. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine. The team takes its name from its geographic location in the heart of the Donets Basin... |
Donetsk Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region... |
Druzhba Palace of Sports Druzhba Palace of Sports Druzhba Palace of Sports is an indoor arena in Donets'k, Ukraine. Built in 1975, it has a seating capacity of 4,700 people for sporting events and 5,100 for concerts and is the regular home venue of BC Donetsk basketball team and HC Donbass Ice Hockey team.... |
3,500 | 2005 | 2011 | ||
| Bilyi Bars | Brovary Brovary is a city in Kiev Oblast in northern Ukraine, an eastern suburb of the country's capital, Kiev. It is the administrative centre of the Brovarskyi Raion . Brovary is an ancient town, firstly mentioned in 1630. Its name translated from Ukrainian means "brewers"... |
Ice Palace TEC Terminal | 1,500 | 2007 | 2011 | ||
| Berkut HC Berkut Hockey Club Berkut is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League team based in Brovary, Ukraine. While their home arena is located in Brovary, within the Kiev region, they also currently play out of the city of Kiev. They are a founding club of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine.-External links:*... |
Brovary Brovary is a city in Kiev Oblast in northern Ukraine, an eastern suburb of the country's capital, Kiev. It is the administrative centre of the Brovarskyi Raion . Brovary is an ancient town, firstly mentioned in 1630. Its name translated from Ukrainian means "brewers"... |
Ice Palace TEC Terminal | 1,500 | 2004 | 2011 | Roman Malov |
|
| Companion-Naftogaz | Kyiv | Avanhard Sports Complex | 700 | 2006 | 2011 | ||
| Kharkivski Akuly Kharkivski Akuly Kharkivski Akuly is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Kharkiv. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine.... |
Kharkiv Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was... |
Ice Lounge | 1,500 | 2008 | 2011 | ||
| Levy | |
Novoyavorivsk Ice Palace | 600 | 2011 | 2011 | |
|
| Vinnytski Haydamaky | Vinnytsia Vinnytsia is a city located on the banks of the Southern Bug, in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast.-Names:... |
Ice Avenue | 500 | 2008 | 2011 | ||
List of seasons
{| class="toccolours" width=90% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#0060A9; color: #FFFFFF;" | Seasons
|- valign="top"
|
The Professional Hockey League (PHL) ' onMouseout='HidePop("69355")' href="/topics/Romanization_of_Ukrainian">tr:
Romanization of Ukrainian
The romanization or Latinization of Ukrainian is the representation of the Ukrainian language using Latin letters. Ukrainian is natively written in its own Ukrainian alphabet, a variation of Cyrillic....
Profesional'na khokeyna liha) is an ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
league in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, founded in 2011. The country's national title, the Ukrainian Championship, is awarded annually to the league champion following an 4-team, 2-round playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
at the end of the 41-game regular season. Runners-up receive silver and bronze medals. The winner of the Ukrainian Championship is also guaranteed qualification into the Champions Hockey League
Champions Hockey League
The Champions Hockey League was a short-lived ice hockey league which was launched in 2008 by the International Ice Hockey Federation and only played in the 2008–09 season. Its creation coincided with the IIHF's 100th anniversary and replaced the IIHF European Champions Cup, the former competition...
season. Work is currently under way with the First National TV channel to broadcast 20-25 regular season games, and the entirety of the playoffs. 90% of the PHL's games will be broadcast online.
The league was formed on July 25, 2011, in Kyiv, Ukraine, to reflect its fully professional status, apart from its predecessor organization, the Major League , which was controlled and operated by the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine is the official governing body for ice hockey in Ukraine. It became a member national association of the International Ice Hockey Federation on May 6, 1992...
(FHU) as part of the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, inaugurated in 1992. In obtaining the rights to the Championship, the FHU will maintain a supervisory role, and reserves the right to intervene in league matters.
Naturally, Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
constitute a large majority of the players in the PHL. Expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
s account for 25% of the league's players, most of which come from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, but also Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
Following the collapse of the Soviet UnionDissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
, subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Championship League, and Ukrainian independence, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine established the country's first national league, the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, in 1992. The league was known as the Major League until 2009-10, when it reverted back to its traditional name of the Ukrainian Championship. Following the 2010-11 season, the league dissolved. The top division, Division A (also known as the Central Division), became the PHL; Division B (the Western Division) became the Western Ukrainian Hockey League, an amateur league.
Uniforms
League uniforms consist of a jerseyHockey jersey
A hockey jersey, traditionally called a sweater , is a piece of clothing worn by hockey players to cover the upper part of their bodies. "Sweater" is the correct reference in Canada, despite the material...
, short pants, socks, gloves, and a helmet. Most PHL jerseys display the team's primary logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
in the centre of the chest, while some also display secondary logos on the shoulders. Each player in a team's lineup for a game must have a different number displayed on the back of their jersey, as well as the player's surname above their number on the back of their jersey, which according to league regulations must be written in the Ukrainian language
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
. Bilyi Bars and Companion-Naftogaz drew criticism during the 2011-12 season for violating this rule and using the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
instead. While not required, teams typically place their numbers on each upper arm as well. Team captains and alternate captains wear the letters "K" and "A" respectively on the front of their jerseys.
Teams
History
The PHL was founded with 8 professional teams from across Ukraine. Prior to its inaugural season, the league was initially slated to ice 9 teams, while considering 11 applicants, and could increase to 12 teams in the future. The league currently hopes to expand to SumySumy
* 1897 - 70.53% Ukrainians, 24.1% Russians, 2.6% Jewish, 2.67% others* 1926 - 80.7% Ukrainians, 11.8% Russians, 5.5% Jewish, 2% others* 1959 - 79% Ukrainians, 20% Russians, 1% others...
, Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk or Dnepropetrovsk formerly Yekaterinoslav is Ukraine's third largest city with one million inhabitants. It is located southeast of Ukraine's capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central region of the country...
, Luhansk
Luhansk
Luhansk also known as Lugansk is a city in southeastern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Luhansk Oblast . The city itself is also designated as its own separate municipality within the oblast...
, Kherson
Kherson
Kherson is a city in southern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Kherson Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast. Kherson is an important port on the Black Sea and Dnieper River, and the home of a major ship-building industry...
, Severodonetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk is a historic city located in the western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast, municipality....
, and Zakarpattia
Zakarpattia Oblast
The Zakarpattia Oblast is an administrative oblast located in southwestern Ukraine. Its administrative center is the city of Uzhhorod...
. Of the league's original 8 teams, 4 are based within the Kyiv region. Sokil Kyiv is the only team in the PHL to have iced a team in every prior Ukrainian league season since its beginnings in 1992. Five of the league's original 8 teams competed in the final Major League season
XIX Ukrainian Championship
The XIX Ukrainian Championship was the 19th annual edition of the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, and final season for the Ukrainian Major League. It took place from 2011-12.- Division A :-Quarterfinals:* Bilyi Bars - HC Kharkiv 1:2...
.
Names
PHL team names reflect the general culture of European ice hockey naming conventions. Club names may reflect historical, geographical, cultural, or political affiliations — or simply be the brand name of a club's primary sponsor. Because of the prevalence of the Russian language in UkraineRussian language in Ukraine
Russian is a minority language in Ukraine It is the most common first language in Donbass and Crimea regions, the predominant language in large cities in the East and South of the country...
, some teams present their club name and logo solely in the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
.
A club's name is usually composed of the prefix "Hockey Club" to describe the team's organizational status and its associated sport. The suffix is generally a proper name or mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
in either in the singular or plural form ("White Leopard" or "Lions
HC Levy
Hockey Club Levy is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Novoyavorivsk, Lviv Oblast. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine....
"), a geographical indicator (Donbas), or team sponsor ("Companion", "Naftogaz"). Team names have also taken on the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n form of following the city name with a mascot ("Kharkiv Sharks
Kharkivski Akuly
Kharkivski Akuly is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Kharkiv. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine....
")
In both Ukrainian and Russian leagues
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
, misconceptions about the official name of a club are often present following English translation
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, whereby the "HC" prefix is dropped and the city name is added as a suffix (i.e. HC Sokil is often written as Sokil Kyiv).
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; width:100%; text-align:left"
! style="background:lightgrey;width:5%" | Division
! style="background:lightgrey;width:23%" | Team
! style="background:lightgrey;width:19%" | City/Area
! style="background:lightgrey;width:24%" | Arena
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Capacity
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Founded
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Joined
! style="background:lightgrey;width:17%" | Team Captain
|-
! style="background-color:#DDFFDD" rowspan=8 | Professional League
| Sokil Kyiv
| Kyiv
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 1963
| align=center | 2011
|
Serhiy Klymentiev|-
| Donbas
HC Donbass-2
Hockey Club Donbass , also known as Donbass-2, is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Donetsk. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine. The team takes its name from its geographic location in the heart of the Donets Basin...
|
Donetsk
Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
| Druzhba Palace of Sports
Druzhba Palace of Sports
Druzhba Palace of Sports is an indoor arena in Donets'k, Ukraine. Built in 1975, it has a seating capacity of 4,700 people for sporting events and 5,100 for concerts and is the regular home venue of BC Donetsk basketball team and HC Donbass Ice Hockey team....
| align=center | 3,500
| align=center | 2005
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
| Bilyi Bars
|
Brovary
Brovary is a city in Kiev Oblast in northern Ukraine, an eastern suburb of the country's capital, Kiev. It is the administrative centre of the Brovarskyi Raion . Brovary is an ancient town, firstly mentioned in 1630. Its name translated from Ukrainian means "brewers"...
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2007
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Berkut
HC Berkut
Hockey Club Berkut is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League team based in Brovary, Ukraine. While their home arena is located in Brovary, within the Kiev region, they also currently play out of the city of Kiev. They are a founding club of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine.-External links:*...
|
Brovary
Brovary is a city in Kiev Oblast in northern Ukraine, an eastern suburb of the country's capital, Kiev. It is the administrative centre of the Brovarskyi Raion . Brovary is an ancient town, firstly mentioned in 1630. Its name translated from Ukrainian means "brewers"...
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2004
| align=center | 2011
|
Roman Malov|-
|Companion-Naftogaz
| Kyiv
| Avanhard Sports Complex
| align=center | 700
| align=center | 2006
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Kharkivski Akuly
Kharkivski Akuly
Kharkivski Akuly is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Kharkiv. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine....
|
Kharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
| Ice Lounge
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2008
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Levy
|
| Novoyavorivsk Ice Palace
| align=center | 600
| align=center | 2011
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Vinnytski Haydamaky
|
Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia is a city located on the banks of the Southern Bug, in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast.-Names:...
| Ice Avenue
| align=center | 500
| align=center | 2008
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|}
List of seasons
{| class="toccolours" width=90% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#0060A9; color: #FFFFFF;" | Seasons
|- valign="top"
|
The Professional Hockey League (PHL) ' onMouseout='HidePop("5444")' href="/topics/Romanization_of_Ukrainian">tr:
Romanization of Ukrainian
The romanization or Latinization of Ukrainian is the representation of the Ukrainian language using Latin letters. Ukrainian is natively written in its own Ukrainian alphabet, a variation of Cyrillic....
Profesional'na khokeyna liha) is an ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
league in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, founded in 2011. The country's national title, the Ukrainian Championship, is awarded annually to the league champion following an 4-team, 2-round playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
at the end of the 41-game regular season. Runners-up receive silver and bronze medals. The winner of the Ukrainian Championship is also guaranteed qualification into the Champions Hockey League
Champions Hockey League
The Champions Hockey League was a short-lived ice hockey league which was launched in 2008 by the International Ice Hockey Federation and only played in the 2008–09 season. Its creation coincided with the IIHF's 100th anniversary and replaced the IIHF European Champions Cup, the former competition...
season. Work is currently under way with the First National TV channel to broadcast 20-25 regular season games, and the entirety of the playoffs. 90% of the PHL's games will be broadcast online.
The league was formed on July 25, 2011, in Kyiv, Ukraine, to reflect its fully professional status, apart from its predecessor organization, the Major League , which was controlled and operated by the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine is the official governing body for ice hockey in Ukraine. It became a member national association of the International Ice Hockey Federation on May 6, 1992...
(FHU) as part of the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, inaugurated in 1992. In obtaining the rights to the Championship, the FHU will maintain a supervisory role, and reserves the right to intervene in league matters.
Naturally, Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
constitute a large majority of the players in the PHL. Expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
s account for 25% of the league's players, most of which come from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, but also Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
Following the collapse of the Soviet UnionDissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
, subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Championship League, and Ukrainian independence, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine established the country's first national league, the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, in 1992. The league was known as the Major League until 2009-10, when it reverted back to its traditional name of the Ukrainian Championship. Following the 2010-11 season, the league dissolved. The top division, Division A (also known as the Central Division), became the PHL; Division B (the Western Division) became the Western Ukrainian Hockey League, an amateur league.
Uniforms
League uniforms consist of a jerseyHockey jersey
A hockey jersey, traditionally called a sweater , is a piece of clothing worn by hockey players to cover the upper part of their bodies. "Sweater" is the correct reference in Canada, despite the material...
, short pants, socks, gloves, and a helmet. Most PHL jerseys display the team's primary logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
in the centre of the chest, while some also display secondary logos on the shoulders. Each player in a team's lineup for a game must have a different number displayed on the back of their jersey, as well as the player's surname above their number on the back of their jersey, which according to league regulations must be written in the Ukrainian language
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
. Bilyi Bars and Companion-Naftogaz drew criticism during the 2011-12 season for violating this rule and using the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
instead. While not required, teams typically place their numbers on each upper arm as well. Team captains and alternate captains wear the letters "K" and "A" respectively on the front of their jerseys.
Teams
History
The PHL was founded with 8 professional teams from across Ukraine. Prior to its inaugural season, the league was initially slated to ice 9 teams, while considering 11 applicants, and could increase to 12 teams in the future. The league currently hopes to expand to SumySumy
* 1897 - 70.53% Ukrainians, 24.1% Russians, 2.6% Jewish, 2.67% others* 1926 - 80.7% Ukrainians, 11.8% Russians, 5.5% Jewish, 2% others* 1959 - 79% Ukrainians, 20% Russians, 1% others...
, Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk or Dnepropetrovsk formerly Yekaterinoslav is Ukraine's third largest city with one million inhabitants. It is located southeast of Ukraine's capital Kiev on the Dnieper River, in the south-central region of the country...
, Luhansk
Luhansk
Luhansk also known as Lugansk is a city in southeastern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Luhansk Oblast . The city itself is also designated as its own separate municipality within the oblast...
, Kherson
Kherson
Kherson is a city in southern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Kherson Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast. Kherson is an important port on the Black Sea and Dnieper River, and the home of a major ship-building industry...
, Severodonetsk, Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk is a historic city located in the western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast, municipality....
, and Zakarpattia
Zakarpattia Oblast
The Zakarpattia Oblast is an administrative oblast located in southwestern Ukraine. Its administrative center is the city of Uzhhorod...
. Of the league's original 8 teams, 4 are based within the Kyiv region. Sokil Kyiv is the only team in the PHL to have iced a team in every prior Ukrainian league season since its beginnings in 1992. Five of the league's original 8 teams competed in the final Major League season
XIX Ukrainian Championship
The XIX Ukrainian Championship was the 19th annual edition of the Ukrainian Hockey Championship, and final season for the Ukrainian Major League. It took place from 2011-12.- Division A :-Quarterfinals:* Bilyi Bars - HC Kharkiv 1:2...
.
Names
PHL team names reflect the general culture of European ice hockey naming conventions. Club names may reflect historical, geographical, cultural, or political affiliations — or simply be the brand name of a club's primary sponsor. Because of the prevalence of the Russian language in UkraineRussian language in Ukraine
Russian is a minority language in Ukraine It is the most common first language in Donbass and Crimea regions, the predominant language in large cities in the East and South of the country...
, some teams present their club name and logo solely in the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
.
A club's name is usually composed of the prefix "Hockey Club" to describe the team's organizational status and its associated sport. The suffix is generally a proper name or mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
in either in the singular or plural form ("White Leopard" or "Lions
HC Levy
Hockey Club Levy is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Novoyavorivsk, Lviv Oblast. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine....
"), a geographical indicator (Donbas), or team sponsor ("Companion", "Naftogaz"). Team names have also taken on the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n form of following the city name with a mascot ("Kharkiv Sharks
Kharkivski Akuly
Kharkivski Akuly is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Kharkiv. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine....
")
In both Ukrainian and Russian leagues
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
, misconceptions about the official name of a club are often present following English translation
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, whereby the "HC" prefix is dropped and the city name is added as a suffix (i.e. HC Sokil is often written as Sokil Kyiv).
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; width:100%; text-align:left"
! style="background:lightgrey;width:5%" | Division
! style="background:lightgrey;width:23%" | Team
! style="background:lightgrey;width:19%" | City/Area
! style="background:lightgrey;width:24%" | Arena
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Capacity
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Founded
! style="background:lightgrey;width:4%" | Joined
! style="background:lightgrey;width:17%" | Team Captain
|-
! style="background-color:#DDFFDD" rowspan=8 | Professional League
| Sokil Kyiv
| Kyiv
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 1963
| align=center | 2011
|
Serhiy Klymentiev|-
| Donbas
HC Donbass-2
Hockey Club Donbass , also known as Donbass-2, is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Donetsk. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine. The team takes its name from its geographic location in the heart of the Donets Basin...
|
Donetsk
Donetsk , is a large city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius river. Administratively, it is a center of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the economic and cultural Donets Basin region...
| Druzhba Palace of Sports
Druzhba Palace of Sports
Druzhba Palace of Sports is an indoor arena in Donets'k, Ukraine. Built in 1975, it has a seating capacity of 4,700 people for sporting events and 5,100 for concerts and is the regular home venue of BC Donetsk basketball team and HC Donbass Ice Hockey team....
| align=center | 3,500
| align=center | 2005
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
| Bilyi Bars
|
Brovary
Brovary is a city in Kiev Oblast in northern Ukraine, an eastern suburb of the country's capital, Kiev. It is the administrative centre of the Brovarskyi Raion . Brovary is an ancient town, firstly mentioned in 1630. Its name translated from Ukrainian means "brewers"...
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2007
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Berkut
HC Berkut
Hockey Club Berkut is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League team based in Brovary, Ukraine. While their home arena is located in Brovary, within the Kiev region, they also currently play out of the city of Kiev. They are a founding club of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine.-External links:*...
|
Brovary
Brovary is a city in Kiev Oblast in northern Ukraine, an eastern suburb of the country's capital, Kiev. It is the administrative centre of the Brovarskyi Raion . Brovary is an ancient town, firstly mentioned in 1630. Its name translated from Ukrainian means "brewers"...
| Ice Palace TEC Terminal
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2004
| align=center | 2011
|
Roman Malov|-
|Companion-Naftogaz
| Kyiv
| Avanhard Sports Complex
| align=center | 700
| align=center | 2006
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Kharkivski Akuly
Kharkivski Akuly
Kharkivski Akuly is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Kharkiv. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine....
|
Kharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
| Ice Lounge
| align=center | 1,500
| align=center | 2008
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Levy
|
| Novoyavorivsk Ice Palace
| align=center | 600
| align=center | 2011
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|Vinnytski Haydamaky
|
Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia is a city located on the banks of the Southern Bug, in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast.-Names:...
| Ice Avenue
| align=center | 500
| align=center | 2008
| align=center | 2011
|
|-
|}
List of seasons
{| class="toccolours" width=90% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#0060A9; color: #FFFFFF;" | Seasons
|- valign="top"
|
2011–12
{| border="1" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | R
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="25%" |
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | GP
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | W
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | L
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | OTW
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | OTL
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | SOW
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | SOL
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | GF
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | GA
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="5%" | Pts
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|1||align=left| Sokil Kyiv
|15 ||15 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||73 ||28 ||45
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|2||align=left| Berkut
Berkut
Berkut may refer to:* Golden Eagle, the subspecies Aquila chrysaetos daphanea* S-25 Berkut, a Russian surface-to-air missile system known to NATO as the SA-1 Guild...
|14 ||11 ||3 ||2 ||0 ||0 ||1 ||62 ||35 ||32
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|3||align=left| Donbas
HC Donbass-2
Hockey Club Donbass , also known as Donbass-2, is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Donetsk. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine. The team takes its name from its geographic location in the heart of the Donets Basin...
|14 ||11 ||3 ||1 ||0 ||1 ||0 ||53 ||27 ||31
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|4||align=left| Levy
|15 ||8 ||7 ||0 ||1 ||0 ||0||63 ||51 ||25
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|5||align=left| Kharkivski Akuly
Kharkivski Akuly
Kharkivski Akuly is a Ukrainian Professional Hockey League club based in Kharkiv. They are a founding member of the Professional Hockey League of Ukraine....
|15 ||6 ||9 ||0 ||1 ||1 ||0 ||59 ||67 ||18
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|6||align=left| Companion-Naftogaz
|15 ||5 ||10 ||0 ||1 ||0 ||0 ||50 ||53 ||16
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|7||align=left| Bilyi Bars
|15 ||2 ||13 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||1 ||29 ||58 ||7
|-
|- align=center style="background:"
|8||align=left| Vinnytski Haydamaky
|15 ||1 ||14 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||30 ||100 ||48 ||3
|}
|}
Ukrainian Championship
The Ukrainian Hockey Championship is an annual ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
award and national title, bestowed to the ice hockey organization judged to have the best performing team in Ukraine, founded in 1992. Prior to the formation of the PHL, the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine
The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine is the official governing body for ice hockey in Ukraine. It became a member national association of the International Ice Hockey Federation on May 6, 1992...
(FHU) administered and handed out the award, allowing both amateur and professional teams to compete in an annual regular season, then playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
for the title. On July 25, 2011, the FHU transferred the rights of the event to the PHL. The championship is currently awarded in the PHL following an 4-team playoff at the end of the 41-game regular season. The playoffs are decided in a best-of-seven series. Teams that miss the finals will enter into a best-of-five format playoff to determine final positioning. In addition to the title, winning team is given a cash prize by the league, $1,000,000 USD, shared by all of the players.
National finalists receive silver and bronze medals. The winner of the Ukrainian Championship is also guaranteed qualification into the Champions Hockey League
Champions Hockey League
The Champions Hockey League was a short-lived ice hockey league which was launched in 2008 by the International Ice Hockey Federation and only played in the 2008–09 season. Its creation coincided with the IIHF's 100th anniversary and replaced the IIHF European Champions Cup, the former competition...
season.
See also
- Ukrainian Major League seasons
- Ukrainian Hockey Championship
- Ice Hockey Federation of UkraineIce Hockey Federation of UkraineThe Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine is the official governing body for ice hockey in Ukraine. It became a member national association of the International Ice Hockey Federation on May 6, 1992...
External links
