The Belgian Hockey League, also known as the Belgian Elite League, was the highest level of competition organized by the Royal Belgian Ice Hockey Federation. The league winner was crowned the Belgian Champion. The league had been in existence since 1912. The Brussels Royal IHSC were the most decorated team with 23 titles. In 2015, the league merged with the Dutch Eredivisie to form the BeNe League.
Current season, competition or edition: 2020-2021 | |
 | |
| Sport | Ice Hockey |
|---|---|
| No. of teams | 15 |
| Country |  Belgium |
| Most recent champion(s) | Era Renomar HYC |
| Official website | https://www.rbihf.be/ |
History
editEarly history
editThe Belgian Hockey League played first in 1912. The play was interrupted several times in its history. The first game suspension happened 1914-1920 due to World War I. The next break was from 1929 to 1934 due to the world economic crisis. The 3rd and last break was in the 1994/95 season, which was cancelled after the regular season due to issues over playoff participation.
Recent history
editIn 2009, there were 5 clubs competing in the Elite league for the Belgian Championship.
During the 2010–2011 season, the two top Belgian teams competed in a joint tournament with the teams of the Dutch Eredivisie called the North Sea Cup. The other three teams dropped out of the Belgian elite league to join the Belgian National League, leaving only Herentals and Turnhout to decide the Belgian Championship.[1] Leuven Chiefs played in the North Sea Cup for the 2011–2012 season, but Turnhout dropped out of the league midway through the season and Leuven dropped out at the end of the season.
In 2012, the North Sea Cup was discontinued and HYC Herentals joined the Dutch Eredivisie. For the 2012–2013 season, the teams of the Belgian National League joined Leuven and Turnhout to form the Belgian Elite League, the winner of which becomes the Belgian national champion.
As of 2012–2013, the teams of the Belgian Elite League, plus HYC Herentals, compete for the Belgian Cup, which is played before and during the Elite League season.
Former teams
edit| Team | City |
|---|---|
| Antwerp Phantoms | Deurne |
| Leuven Chiefs | Leuven |
| Bulldogs Liège | Liège |
| Olympia Heist op den Berg | Heist-op-den-Berg |
| Eeklo Yeti Bears | Eeklo |
| Haskey Hasselt | Hasselt |
| HYC Herentals 2 | Herentals |
| White Caps Turnhout | Turnhout |
| Charleroi Red Roosters | Charleroi |
| Gullegem Jets | Gullegem |
| HYC Herentals | Herentals |
| Phantoms Deurne | Deurne |
| IHC Louvain | Leuven |
| White Caps Turnhout | Turnhout |
| Olympia Heist op den Berg | Heist-op-den-Berg |
| Liège Bulldogs | |
| Eeklo Yeti Bears | |
| Charleroi Red Roosters | |
| Haskey Hasselt | |
| Atomic Moose | |
| Olympia I.h.c. Vzw | |
| Leuven Ihc | |
| Herentals Hyc | |
| Eindhoven Vikings | |
| Turnhout White Caps | |
| Gullegem Jets | |
| Antwerp Pahntoms | |
| Liederkerke Lions |
Belgian Hockey League champions
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Total titles won
edit| Titles | Team | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Brussels Royal IHSC 1911–1948 Brussels IHSC 1948–1954 Entente Saint-Sauveur 1954–1966 Brussels IHSC 1966–1970 Brussels IHSC Poseidon |
1912, 1913, 1923, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1962, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982 |
| 15 | HYC Herentals | 1981, 1984, 1985, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2009, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 |
| 11 | Olympia Heist op den Berg | 1979, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1999, 2004 |
| 10 | Cercle des Patineurs Liégeois | 1949, 1955, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1972, 1973, 1974 |
| 5 | Le Puck d'Anvers | 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928 |
| 4 | Antwerp Phantoms | 2000, 2001, 2003, 2015 |
| 4 | Antwerp Ice Hockey Club | 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 |
| 4 | Brabo IHC | 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954 |
| 4 | Cercle des Patineurs Anversoises | 1929, 1934, 1935, 1936 |
| 4 | White Caps Turnhout | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011 |
| 3 | Cercle des Patineurs de Bruxelles | 1914, 1920, 1921 |
| 3 | Olympia IHC | 1966, 1967, 1969 |
| 3 | Chiefs Leuven | 2005, 2010, 2013 |
| 2 | Cercle des Sports d'Hiver de Bruxelles | 1937, 1939 |
| 1 | Saint Sauveur IHC | 1922 |
| 1 | Cercle des Patineurs Unis | 1946 |
| 1 | Griffoens Geel | 1996 |
| 1 | Bulldogs Liège | 2014 |
References
edit- ^ IIHF Archived 2012-10-19 at the Wayback Machine
External links
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