NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Elite Ice Hockey League

The Elite Ice Hockey League (also known for sponsorship reasons as the bmibaby Elite League) is a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. Formed in 2003 following the demise of the Ice Hockey Superleague, it is the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom. Unlike its North American counterparts, the Elite League is not divided into conferences; teams compete in a single division. Image File history File links Eihlnewlogo. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... See also: 2002 in sports, other events of 2003, 2004 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Michael Waltrip wins rain-shortened Daytona 500 Winston Cup Championship won by Matt Kenseth for Ford. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 2000 Home Ice: Odyssey Arena Capacity: 7100 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Colours: (h) white, red & teal (a) teal, white & red Head Coach: Ed Courtenay Ownership: Albert Masland, Jim Yaworski, Jim Gillespie, John Elliott/Todd Kelman The Belfast... bmibaby is the low-cost airline subsidiary of bmi. ... A professional is required to possess a large knowledge derived from extensive academic and practical training. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ice Hockey Superleagues logo. ...

Ice hockey is a minor sport in the United Kingdom and the EIHL, like its predecessors, faces a constant struggle to stay on the ice. The league currently consists of ten teams, with representation from all four Home Nations. In three completed seasons, the league has been won by three different teams. The 2005-06 league champions were Belfast Giants. Home Nations is a term used to refer to the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (collectively, but also as separate entities, distinct from the United Kingdom as a whole), or the nations of the British Isles (traditionally England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland). ... League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 2000 Home Ice: Odyssey Arena Capacity: 7100 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Colours: (h) white, red & teal (a) teal, white & red Head Coach: Ed Courtenay Ownership: Albert Masland, Jim Yaworski, Jim Gillespie, John Elliott/Todd Kelman The Belfast...

Overview

Several competitions fall under the jurisdiction of the Elite League. In 2005-06, the EIHL ran a total of four competitions: the league, playoffs, Challenge Cup and Knockout Cup. The league consists of a single division, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other teams in the league. Two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw or overtime defeat. Overtime consists of five minutes of four-on-four hockey and ends immediately if a goal is scored. The team that has most points after all fixtures are completed is declared champion. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1802x2589, 351 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Elite Ice Hockey League ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1802x2589, 351 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Elite Ice Hockey League ... The Challenge Cup is a cup competition contested between members of the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom. ... The British Ice Hockey Cup (also known as the British Knockout Cup) is a knockout competition for British ice hockey clubs that are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League and clubs from other leagues that are invited to take part. ... Overtime is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport in order to bring the game to a decision and avoid declaring the contest a tie or draw. ...

After the regular season is complete, the teams with the best regular season records enter the playoffs, the winner of which receives the British Championship. The number of teams competing in the playoffs has varied, the first two seasons saw six teams qualify, while the demise of the London Racers in November 2005 saw all eight teams qualify. Though the number of teams has changed, the format for the playoffs has remained broadly similar. The teams are divided into two groups, with the members of each group playing on a round-robin basis. The top two teams in each group qualify for the semi-finals, which are straight knockout matches. Both the semi-finals and the final take place over a single weekend in April at the National Ice Centre in Nottingham. The regular season is a term used, primarily, in North American sports. ... The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. ... Round Robin = A sexual act between two partners. ... The National Ice Centre is located in Nottingham, in the middle of England. ... Nottingham is a city (and county town of Nottinghamshire) in the East Midlands of England. ...

The Challenge Cup has taken a number of different formats, ranging from a table formed from the results designated league fixtures to four team groups played on a round robin basis at the beginning of the season. The semi finals and final are two-legged games, the winner being the team with the highest aggregate score at the end of the second game.

The Knockout Cup was created in 2005 after the London Racers withdrew from the league. The Cup is a knockout tournament in which teams are randomly drawn to face one another in two-legged games, with aggregate scoreline determining the winner of each tie. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout or sudden death tournament, is a type of tournament where the loser of each match is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event. ...

The Elite League is governed by a Board of twelve Directors: the owners of the ten participating teams, plus the owners of the London Racers and Milton Keynes Lightning, who maintain the right to join the league without making an application. The day to day operation of the league is overseen by chairman Eamon Convery and Director of Hockey Andy French. Disciplinary matters are handled by Director of Discipline and former referee Simon Kirkham. The level below the Elite League is the English Premier Ice Hockey League. A system of promotion and relegation is not operated by the Elite League; teams enter the league on the basis of a decision by the Board of Directors. In 2006, the club which finished eighth in the EPIHL during the 2005-06 season (Hull Stingrays) was elected into the Elite League. League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 2003 Home Ice: Lee Valley Ice Centre Capacity: 1200 Ice Size: 184ft x 85ft City: London, United Kingdom Colours: Red and White Head Coach: n/a Ownership: Roger Black London Racers are a British ice hockey club based in London, England that are former... League: EPIHL Founded: 2002 Home Ice: Planet Ice Arena Capacity: 2500 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Milton Keynes, United Kingdom Colours: Black and Gold Head Coach: Nick Poole Ownership: Unknown The Milton Keynes Lightning are an ice hockey team from Milton Keynes, England. ... The EPIHL logo. ... In most sports leagues around the world (with the North American professional leagues as the most important exception), relegation (or demotion) means the mandated transfer of the worst team(s) of a higher division into a lower division at the end of the season. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...

History

British ice hockey's structure underwent major reorganisation in 1996. The British Hockey League (the highest senior competition since 1982) was disbanded and replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and British National League. The BNL pursued a British player orientated structure, while the Superleague increased the wage cap significantly and abolished limits on the number of overseas players, resulting in the highest standard of ice hockey seen in the United Kingdom in the modern era of the professional game. By 2002, both leagues were suffering problems. The Superleague in particular was in great difficulty. Record attendance levels achieved shortly after the league was formed proved unsustainable, and as a result, the cost of maintaining the Superleague's high standard of ice hockey became unaffordable. A number of clubs folded amidst financial problems, and others had to seek new ownership in order to stay afloat. 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... The British Hockey League was the top-flight ice hockey league in the United Kingdom from 1982 until 1996, when it was replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ice Hockey Superleagues logo. ... The British National League is a defunct second-level professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... // This article lists the attendances at many sports competitions around the world. ...

The loss of the Newcastle Jesters in 2001 reduced the membership of the Superleague to seven and when the Manchester Storm and Scottish Eagles collapsed within a week of one another at the beginning of the 2002-03 season,^[1] there were just five remaining teams. In December 2002 the Bracknell Bees announced their intention to resign from the league to join the BNL at the end of the season and uncertainty surrounded the future of the London Knights and their London Arena home. Owing a large debt to Ice Hockey UK and facing the prospect of having only three members, the league put itself into liquidation on 30 April 2003.^[2] This article is about the year 2001. ... League: Ice Hockey Superleague Founded: 1995 Home Ice: Manchester Evening News Arena Capacity: 17245 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Manchester, United Kingdom Colours: White, Purple, and Blue Head Coach: n/a Ownership: n/a The Manchester Storm was an ice hockey team from Manchester, England. ... League: Ice Hockey Superleague Founded: 1996 Home Ice: Centrum Arena Capacity: 2745 Ice Size: 200ft x 103ft City: Ayr, United Kingdom Colours: White, Green, Orange, and Gold Head Coach: Paul Heavey Ownership: Bill Barr (Barr Construction Ltd) Ayr Scottish Eagles was an Ice Hockey team based in Ayr, Scotland. ... League: EPIHL Founded: 1987 Home Ice: John Nike Leisuresport Complex Capacity: 3100 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Bracknell, Berkshire, England Colours: Black, Yellow, and White Head Coach: Ryan Aldridge Ownership: David Taylor Bracknell Bees is an ice hockey team from Bracknell, Berkshire, UK. // History Early years The Bracknell Bees... League: Ice Hockey Superleague Founded: 1998 Home Ice: London Arena Capacity: 12500 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: London Colours: Red, Blue, Gold, and White Head Coach: Bob Leslie Ownership: Anschutz Company London Knights were an English ice hockey team based in London. ... The London Arena is an indoor arena on the Isle of Dogs in London, England. ... April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining. ...

The three remaining clubs (the Belfast Giants, Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers) began considering the formation of a new league with a lower wage cap and larger commitment to British players in order to attract other clubs into joining them. In the weeks that followed they were joined by the Basingstoke Bison, Cardiff Devils and Coventry Blaze of the British National League and two new organisations from London and Manchester. The new league met considerable opposition from the British National League and the governing body Ice Hockey UK. IHUK wished the remaining Superleague clubs to integrate themselves into the BNL and initially refused to grant the new league affiliation.^[3] The Superleague clubs were reluctant to join the predominantly British trained league after several years of playing in an import-dominated league where British players were seldom able to step up to the standard of their North American and European counterparts. The Elite League instead preferred a twelve import limit with the rest of the team comprising British trained players. London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ... Manchester is a major city within Greater Manchester in North West England, historically notable for being the worlds first industrialised city, and its subsequent central role in the Industrial Revolution. ... A governing body is a corporate form of management. ... Ice Hockey UK was created to replace the British Ice Hockey Association as the national governing body. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ...

The refusal to grant affiliation caused a bitter row to ensue that showed little sign of being resolved. Despite not having the support of the governing body, the new league continued their plans regardless.^[4] No affiliation would have meant that the clubs would have problems attaining work permits for their signings and finding officials to referee their matches. The row also threatened the future of the Nottingham Panthers, as the National Ice Centre were reluctant to allow a team from an unaffiliated league hire their arena. The issue was resolved in August 2003 when the Panthers and the NIC announced an icetime agreement.^[5] The EIHL finally agreed affiliation in August 2003, with only weeks to go before the beginning of the new season.^[6] A work permit is a generic term for a legal authorization which allows a person to take employment. ... The National Ice Centre is located in Nottingham, in the middle of England. ...

The new league began on September 12, 2003 when the Sheffield Steelers, who went on to become the inaugural league champions, defeated the newly formed London Racers 6-1 at Alexandra Palace. The Racers endured a difficult first season, moving to a different rink only weeks into the season and having to wait 40 games to record a win, a 3-0 victory over the Cardiff Devils. The Racers finished the season with ten points, thirty-eight points behind second bottom Basingstoke. The other new team, Manchester Phoenix faired slightly better, qualifying for the playoff finals after finishing sixth in the league, where they were defeated 6-1 by Nottingham in the semi final. The club played at the 17,500 capacity MEN Arena which had been home to the Manchester Storm, but Phoenix crowds averaged 2,250, well below the break-even mark of 3,000.^[7] Late in the season, the Phoenix choose to play a game at IceSheffield rather than pay the considerable cost of hiring the arena for a mid week game (which usually had lower attendances). In the close season they allowed fans to vote on the option of either suspending playing operations while a new rink was constructed or playing in exile away from Manchester while a new rink was built. Supporters opted to suspend playing operations pending the construction of a new facility.^[8] Portal:Currentevents September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Alexandra Palace from the east Alexandra Palace was built in Muswell Hill, North London, England in 1873 as a public entertainment centre and North London counterpart of The Crystal Palace. ... The Manchester Evening News Arena or MEN Arena is a large indoor arena situated in Manchester, England. ... iceSheffield is a ice arena in the Lower Don Valley, Sheffield. ...

The second season of the EIHL saw a series of games between the EIHL clubs and the members of the BNL. In addition to three home games and three away games against their Elite opponents, each club also played one home game and one away game against the BNL clubs in crossover matchups. Results in these crossover games would count towards a team's points tally. The NHL lockout also saw a number of NHL players join British clubs. Coventry won a Grand Slam of all three titles, winning the Championship with an overtime victory over the Nottingham Panthers. The 2004-05 NHL lockout resulted in the cancellation of what would have been the 88th season of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... NHL redirects here. ... Grand Slam is a general sports term applied when achieving something special. ... The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. ...

The crossover games with the BNL clubs were seen by many to be the first stage towards the amalgamation of the two organisations into one league. However, early in the season it was revealed that teams including Edinburgh Capitals and Newcastle Vipers were seeking to resign from the BNL and join the Elite League.^[9] A withdrawal of the these clubs would leave the British National League with only a small number of participating teams. This situation led to the resigning teams temporarily withdrawing their Elite League applications and entering into collective discussions on the entire BNL joining the EIHL instead. The Elite League offered the BNL clubs invitations to join the EIHL structure,^[10] which were declined due to unfavourable terms. Subsequently Edinburgh and Newcastle resubmitted individual applications to the Elite League, both of which were accepted. A combination of this and Bracknell Bees owner John Nike's announcement that he was withdrawing funding from the BNL team prompted the collapse of the BNL at the end of the 2004-05 season. League: EPIHL Founded: 1987 Home Ice: John Nike Leisuresport Complex Capacity: 3100 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Bracknell, Berkshire, England Colours: Black, Yellow, and White Head Coach: Ryan Aldridge Ownership: David Taylor Bracknell Bees is an ice hockey team from Bracknell, Berkshire, UK. // History Early years The Bracknell Bees...

With the Edinburgh Capitals and Newcastle Vipers becoming the ninth and tenth members of the league, the 2005-06 season began with nine clubs (Manchester had opted to take another season out with no rink yet constructed). However, in November 2005 the London Racers withdrew their team from competition and immediately ceased operations. From their formation the Racers suffered problems finding a rink with comparable facilities to those of their rivals and maintained only a very small fanbase. The club had made the Lee Valley Ice Centre their home after playing only a small number of games at the Alexandra Palace in their first season. The facilities were very basic, seating only 900 people with an overall capacity of barely 1000. In November 2005, during a game against Nottingham, Panthers player Blaz Emersic suffered a serious facial injury after colliding with a protruding object in the boardings. Further concerns were raised when a game against the Sheffield Steelers was abandoned after a piece of plexiglas shattered in an irregular manner, injuring a spectator. When a similar event took place during practice a few days later, the Racers management began to question seriously the safety of the rink. With the Ice Centre unable to ensure the safety of players and spectators at Elite League games, the Racers were forced to suspend team operations with immediate effect.^[11] 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Lee Valley Ice Centre is situated in East London in the Lee Valley Park. ... Alexandra Palace from the east Alexandra Palace was built in Muswell Hill, North London, England in 1873 as a public entertainment centre and North London counterpart of The Crystal Palace. ... Blaz Emersic (born October 10, 1980 in Ljubljana) is a Slovenian ice hockey player, currently at British Elite Ice Hockey League team Nottingham Panthers. ... Structure of PMMA: (C5O2H8)n Structure of methyl methacrylate Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or polymethyl-2-methylpropanoate is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate. ...

In January 2006, the Manchester Phoenix were granted planning permission to construct a new rink in Altrincham. A few weeks later the Cardiff Devils also received planning permission for the construction of a new rink. The Wales National Ice Rink was earmarked for demolition and a campaign for the council to provide a new facility proved successful. With both clubs confirming their intent to take part the following season, speculation began about the possible inclusion of a tenth team to replace London. After the season was over, rumours about the possible admission of either Hull or Dundee became more and more widespread. On June 22 2006, the Hull Stingrays were formally elected into the Elite Ice Hockey League as the tenth active member.^[12] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Wales National Ice Rink is home to the Cardiff Devils ice hockey side and is the only ice rink in south Wales. ...

In June 2006 the EIHL announced the adoption of the 'zero tolerance' interpretation of the rules with regard to holding, hooking and interference implemented in the National Hockey League during the 2005-06 season. These rules had proved highly successful in the NHL, increasing the pace of the game and leading to a rise in spectator numbers.^[13] NHL redirects here. ... The modernized NHL shield logo was introduced for the 2005-06 season. ...

On August 25, 2006, the Elite League announced a sponsorship deal with the low cost airline bmibaby. The agreement will see the company's name incorporated into the league's title and the airline's branding at each of the league's ten arenas. The deal is set to last for seven seasons. ^[14] August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... bmibaby is the low-cost airline subsidiary of bmi. ...

Clubs

League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 1988 Home Ice: Planet Ice Silverdome Arena, Basingstoke Capacity: 4000 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Basingstoke, Hampshire, United Kingdom Colours: Black, White, Red, and Green Head Coach: Mark Bernard Ownership: Planet Ice The Basingstoke Bison are a British ice hockey club from the... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Statistics Population: 152,573 (Borough, 2001) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SU637523 Administration Borough: Basingstoke and Deane Shire county: Hampshire Region: South East England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Hampshire Historic county: Hampshire Services Police force: Hampshire Constabulary Fire and rescue: {{{Fire}}} Ambulance: South Central... South East England is one of the nine official regions of England. ... The Planet Ice Silverdome Arena is a 4,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Basingstoke, England. ... League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 2000 Home Ice: Odyssey Arena Capacity: 7100 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Colours: (h) white, red & teal (a) teal, white & red Head Coach: Ed Courtenay Ownership: Albert Masland, Jim Yaworski, Jim Gillespie, John Elliott/Todd Kelman The Belfast... This article is about the year 2000. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 54. ... Motto: (Latin for Who would separate us?)[1] Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (de facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official language(s) English (de facto), Irish, Ulster Scots 3, NI Sign Language Government Constitutional monarchy - Queen Queen Elizabeth II - Prime Minister of the UK Tony... The Odyssey Arena is a 7,100-seat multi-purpose arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ... League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 1986 Home Ice: Wales National Ice Rink Capacity: 2800 Ice Size: 184ft x 85ft City: Cardiff, United Kingdom Colours: White, Red, Black, and Green Head Coach: Ed Patterson (Coach) Ownership: Arena Sports LTD. The Cardiff Devils are a British ice hockey club from Cardiff... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cardiff (English: Welsh: ) is the capital of Wales and its largest city. ... Motto: (Welsh for Wales forever) Anthem: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff Official language(s) Welsh, English Government Constitutional monarchy - Queen Queen Elizabeth II - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP - First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM Unification - by Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1056 Area - Total 20,779... The Cardiff Bay Ice Rink is an ice rink in Cardiff, Wales. ... League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 2000 Home Ice: SkyDome Arena Capacity: 3000 Ice Size: 184ft x 92ft City: Coventry, United Kingdom Colours: White and Blue Head Coach: Paul Thommo Thomson Ownership: Unknown Coventry Blaze are a British ice hockey team based in Coventry, England. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The Precinct in Coventry city centre. ... The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England, the United Kingdom, formed in 1974. ... The SkyDome Arena is a 3,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Coventry, England. ... League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 1998 Home Ice: Murrayfield Ice Rink Capacity: 3800 Ice Size: 200 ft x 97 ft City: Edinburgh, Scotland Colours: White, Blue and, Red Head Coach: Ownership: Scott Neil The Edinburgh Capitals are a Scottish ice hockey club based in the capital Edinburgh. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ; Scottish Gaelic: ) is the capital of Scotland and its second-largest city. ... Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots 2 Government Constitutional monarchy - Queen Queen Elizabeth II - Prime Minister of the UK Tony Blair MP - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification - by Kenneth I... The Murrayfield Ice Rink is a 3,800-seat multi-purpose arena in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh, Scotland. ... League: EPIHL Founded: 2003 Home Ice: Hull Ice Arena Capacity: 2000 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom Colours: White, Blue, and Green Head Coach: Rick Strachan Ownership: Mike and Sue Pack Hull Stingrays are a British ice hockey club from Kingston upon Hull, England. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Hull or Kingston upon Hull is a British city situated on the north bank of the Humber estuary. ... Look up Yorkshire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Hull Arena is an Sports Arena situated in Kingston Upon Hull, United Kingdom. ... League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 2003 Home Ice: Altrincham Ice Dome Capacity: 2,128 Ice Size: 56m x 26m City: Manchester, England Colours: Red, White, and Black Head Coach: Tony Hand Ownership: Neil Morris The Manchester Phoenix is a professional ice hockey team from Manchester, England. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Manchester is a major city within Greater Manchester in North West England, historically notable for being the worlds first industrialised city, and its subsequent central role in the Industrial Revolution. ... North West England is one of the nine regions of England. ... The Altrincham Ice Dome is an approximatly 2,500-capacity (2,000 seats, and up to 500 standing) multi-purpose arena in Manchester, England that is currently under construction. ... League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 2002 Home Ice: Metro Radio Arena Capacity: 4500 Ice Size: 198ft x 98ft City: Newcastle, United Kingdom Colours: Black, Gold and White Head Coach: Rob Wilson Ownership: Paddy OConnor, Paul Ferone, Rob Wilson The Mobilx Vipers are an Ice Hockey club based in... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... This article is about a city in the United Kingdom. ... North-east England is one of the nine official regions of England and comprises the combined area of Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear and a small part of North Yorkshire. ... Metro Radio Arena The Metro Radio Arena Newcastle is a 11,000 seat sports and entertainment venue based in Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England. ... League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 1946 Home Ice: National Ice Centre Capacity: circa 6500 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Nottingham, United Kingdom Colours: Gold & Black or Black & Silver Head Coach: Mike Ellis Ownership: Aladdin Management Ltd. ... Year 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Nottingham is a city (and county town of Nottinghamshire) in the East Midlands of England. ... The East Midlands is one of the regions of England and consists of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. ... The National Ice Centre is located in Nottingham, in the middle of England. ... League: Elite Ice Hockey League Founded: 1991 Home Ice: Hallam FM Arena Capacity: 8500 Ice Size: 197ft x 98ft City: Sheffield, England Colours: White, Teal, and Orange Head Coach: David Matsos Ownership: Arena Sports LTD. Sheffield Steelers is a British ice hockey club from Sheffield, England. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sheffield is a major city and metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, in the north of England. ... Look up Yorkshire in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The arena in ice hockey mode The Hallam FM Arena, originally named the Sheffield Arena, is an arena hosting concerts and sporting events in Sheffield in England. ...

Players

Elite League teams rely heavily on players from outside the United Kingdom (termed imports). The majority of these players are from North America, and typically played in the North American leagues such as the ECHL before coming to Britain. For example, of the 21 players to play for champions Belfast Giants in the 2005-06 season, 10 were Canadian, 7 were British and 4 were American.^[15] It should be noted however that the number of players from Eastern Europe in the league is growing. The league restricts the number of import players which can be on a team's roster at any one time, with a current limit of 10 imports.^[16] Player turnover is high, with a large proportion of players spending a single season at a team before moving on, and multi-year contracts are uncommon. World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada, generally regarded as a tier below the American Hockey League. ...

As would be expected in a league dominated by North American players, the style of ice hockey in the Elite League is similar to that played in North America, and has a more physical style than other, technically natured European leagues. This was demonstrated during the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Of the NHL players to join Elite League teams, the majority were players noted for physical strength rather than puck-handling skills, such as Wade Belak, Brendan Witt and Eric Cairns. Wade Belak (b. ... Brendan Witt born in Humboldt, Saskatchewan is a Canadian ice hockey player who plays for the Washington Capitals in the NHL. He is a defenseman. ... Eric Cairns (born on June 27, 1974 in Oakville, Ontario, Canada) is a defenseman currently (2006) with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL. Drafted by the New York Rangers in 1992, Cairns has also played for the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers. ...

Media coverage

Ice hockey receives little national media coverage in the United Kingdom. Some national newspapers list results and provide short summaries of the league's news but more extensive coverage remains minimal. There was a small surge in interest during the 2004-05 season when newspapers such as The Times reported on the NHL players playing the Elite League as a result of the lockout^[17] but since the lockout ended, coverage has returned to its previous levels. There is one national magazine dedicated to British ice hockey, Powerplay which is published weekly during the ice hockey season. The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1785, and under its current name since 1788. ...

Elite League coverage is not shown on any of the major British television networks; the only ice hockey programming on terrestrial TV is late night National Hockey League coverage on Five. In the 1980s and 1990s, Sky Sports and the BBC's Grandstand programme covered the British Hockey League and Superleague and their important games and competitions regularly. However, in 2001 the Superleague sold its broadcasting rights to 'Premium TV Ltd' who planned to set up a new sports channel, which never materialised. British ice hockey was left without coverage from any television network.^[18] This situation continued through the final seasons of the Superleague and into the first seasons of the Elite League. In 2005, Elite League officials concluded an agreement with the North American Sports Network to provide a weekly highlights and news programme. These usually provide highlights from a game recorded the previous weekend and are an hour in length. To date, no Elite League game has been broadcast live on any television network. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, invariably known as the BBC (and also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie) is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world, employing 26,000 staff in the UK alone and with a budget of Â£4 billion. ... The British television sport programme Grandstand is one of the BBCs longest running sports shows, alongside BBC Sports Personality of the Year. ... This article is about the year 2001. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... NASN, (North American Sports Network), is a television channel available in Ireland and the UK, and now across Europe. ...

Coverage in the towns and cities where Elite League clubs are based is more extensive. Newspapers such as the Belfast Telegraph, Manchester Evening News, Nottingham Evening Post, Sheffield Star,Coventry Evening Telegraph and the South Wales Echo have dedicated ice hockey reporters who cover the local team. Local radio stations such as BBC Coventry & Warwickshire, BBC Radio Nottingham and BBC Radio Sheffield all provide live commentary of matches. These are either broadcast live on the stations themselves or are webcast through the stations' websites. Radio Sheffield also provides a weekly ice hockey programme called Iceline while Radio Nottingham has broadcast a similar programme called Powerplay since the later stages of the 2005-06 season, and has a fifteen minute weekly preview of games on a Saturday evening during the ice hockey season after the station's coverage of the local football teams is completed. BBC Coventry & Warwickshire have also followed suit with Faceoff, a program broadcast on the first Thursday of the month during the season. Video footage can also be viewed from the website. The Belfast Telegraph is a daily evening newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Independent News and Media. ... The Manchester Evening News is a British daily newspaper published each week day evening and on Saturdays. ... The Nottingham Evening Post is an English tabloid newspaper which serves Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and some parts of Derbyshire such as Long Eaton and Sandiacre. ... Sheffield Star is a newspaper of the city Sheffield, England. ... Coventry Evening Telegraph is a UK local tabloid newspaper, founded in 1891 as Coventrys first daily newspaper. ... The South Wales Echo is the top-selling evening newspaper in Wales. ... BBC Coventry and Warwickshire is the BBC Local Radio service serving the City of Coventry and the county of Warwickshire. ... BBC Radio Nottingham is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Nottinghamshire. ... BBC Radio Sheffield is the BBC Local Radio service for English metropolitan county of South Yorkshire and the North Midlands. ... The word webcast is derived from web and broadcast. Its use has varied since the early-mid 1990s as the nature of the medium came into public use. ... Football (soccer) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... BBC Coventry and Warwickshire is the BBC Local Radio service serving the City of Coventry and the county of Warwickshire. ...

Champions

The 2003-04 Elite Ice Hockey League season was the inaugrual season of the Elite League. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 2005-06 Elite Ice Hockey League season ran from September 9th 2005 until April 9th 2006. ... The 2006-07 Elite Ice Hockey League season will commence in early September 2006 and conclude in early April 2007. ...

Notes

^ BBC (2002). Eagles forced out. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved on 2006-07-02.
^ BBC (2003). Elite League "will go ahead". BBC News. Retrieved on 2006-07-02.
^ Sport Focus (2003). Governing Body Decline to Affiliate Elite League. sportfocus.com. Retrieved on 2006-06-25.
^ BBC (2003). Elite League "will go ahead". BBC News. Retrieved on 2006-07-02.
^ Nottingham Panthers (2003). GMB Panthers and National Ice Centre Reach Agreement for 2003/4 Season. panthers.co.uk. Retrieved on 2006-07-02.
^ BBC (2003). Face-off for Elite ambitions. BBC News. Retrieved on 2006-07-02.
^ Manchester Evening News (2004). Phoenix place future in fans' hands. Manchester Online. Retrieved on 2006-07-03.
^ Manchester Evening News (2004). Phoenix ice break. Manchester Online. Retrieved on 2006-07-03.
^ Nigel Duncan (2004). Capitals eyeing their place among the elite. The Scotsman. Retrieved on 2006-07-03.
^ Bolton Evening News (2005). Leagues look set to merge at last. This is Lancashire. Retrieved on 2006-07-03.
^ London Racers (2005). Racers call ‘time’ on Lee Valley. londonracers.com. Retrieved on 2006-06-25.
^ Elite League (2006). Stingrays addition brings Elite League to Ten. eliteleague.co.uk. Retrieved on 2006-06-24.
^ Elite League (2006). Elite League Follows NHL Lead. eliteleague.co.uk. Retrieved on 2006-07-02.
^ Manchester Phoenix (2006). bmibaby unveiled as first ever sponsor of Ice Hockey's Elite League. www.manchesterphoenix.co.uk. Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
^ Belfast Giants (2006). Locker Room - 2005/06. belfastgiants.co.uk. Retrieved on 2006-06-25.
^ Newcastle Vipers (2006). Wilson applauds import reduction. newcastlevipers.com. Retrieved on 2006-06-25.
^ Robert Galster (2005). The puck stops here for NHL stars. The Times. Retrieved on 2006-06-25.
^ BBC (2001). Ice hockey TV deal collapses. BBC News. Retrieved on 2006-07-02.

The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 3 is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 181 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 3 is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 181 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 3 is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 181 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 3 is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 181 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 190 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... August 25 is the 237th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (238th in leap years), with 128 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ...

External links

The Altrincham Ice Dome is an approximatly 2,500-capacity (2,000 seats, and up to 500 standing) multi-purpose arena in Manchester, England that is currently under construction. ... The Cardiff Bay Ice Rink is an ice rink in Cardiff, Wales. ... The arena in ice hockey mode The Hallam FM Arena, originally named the Sheffield Arena, is an arena hosting concerts and sporting events in Sheffield in England. ... Hull Arena is an Sports Arena situated in Kingston Upon Hull, United Kingdom. ... Metro Radio Arena The Metro Radio Arena Newcastle is an 11,000 seat sports and entertainment venue based in Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England. ... The Murrayfield Ice Rink is a 3,800-seat multi-purpose arena in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh, Scotland. ... The National Ice Centre is located in Nottingham, in the middle of England. ... For other uses see Odyssey (disambiguation) The Odyssey is a large sports and entertainment centre in the city of Belfast. ... The Planet Ice Silverdome Arena is a 4,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Basingstoke, England. ... The SkyDome Arena is a 3,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Coventry, England. ... Alexandra Palace from the east Alexandra Palace was built in Muswell Hill, North London, England in 1873 as a public entertainment centre and North London counterpart of The Crystal Palace. ... The Lee Valley Ice Centre is situated in East London in the Lee Valley Park. ... The Manchester Evening News Arena or M.E.N. Arena (commonly referred to as just The M.E.N. or simply Manchester Arena) is a large indoor arena situated in Manchester, England. ... The Wales National Ice Rink is home to the Cardiff Devils ice hockey side and is the only ice rink in south Wales. ...

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