Meistriliiga (ice hockey)

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Meistriliiga
Most recent season or competition:
2022–23 EML season
SportIce hockey
Founded1934
No. of teams7
CountryEstonia, Latvia
HeadquartersTallinn, Estonia
Most recent
champion(s)
HK Kurbads (1st title)
Most titlesNarva PSK (18 titles)
TV partner(s)Delfi TV
Official websiteeestihoki.ee

The Meistriliiga (EML), also known as the Coolbet Hokiliiga for sponsorship reasons, is the top-tier ice hockey league in Estonia. The league consists of five teams from Estonia and two teams from Latvia.[1]

History[edit]

The league was formed in the 1990–91 season. Since 1945–46, Estonian teams had participated in the Estonian SSR Championship. Prior to the country's annexation and incorporation into the Soviet Union, the Estonian Championship had been contested in interwar Estonia from 1934 to 1940. In the 2017–18 season, the league was known as the Nordic Power Hokiliiga.

Narva PSK has dominated the league at the outset, winning the first six championships and eight of the first 11 seasons. Since winning their first title in 1997, Tartu Kalev-Välk has been the most consistently successful team in the Meistriliiga since the league started, having won a total of nine championships. HK Stars claimed four titles in five years from 2005 to 2009.

Teams[edit]

Current teams[edit]

Team City Arena Capacity Founded
HC Panter Tallinn Haabersti Ice Hall 500 2001
HC Everest Kohtla-Järve Kohtla-Järve Kohtla-Järve Ice Hall 2,000 2012
HK Kurbads Riga, Latvia Kurbads Ledus Halle 1,500 1996
HS Rīga Riga, Latvia Hokeja halle Riga 400 1999
Kohtla-Järve Viru Sputnik Kohtla-Järve Kohtla-Järve Ice Hall 2,000 2003
Narva PSK Narva Narva Ice Hall 1,300 1976
Tartu Välk 494 Tartu Astri Arena 600 1994

Former teams[edit]

Team City Arena Capacity Founded
HC Vipers Tallinn Tondiraba Ice Hall 7,700 2002
Estonia Junior Team Viljandi Viljandi Ice Hall 1,000 1992
HC Tallinn Tallinn Škoda Ice Hall 1,000 2016
Tallinna HK Stars Tallinn Linnahall 4,200 2002
Tallinna KK-GMP Tallinn Škoda Ice Hall 1,000 2010
HC Kalev/Viking Tallinn Tondiraba Ice Hall 7,700 2010

Title holders[edit]

Estonian Championship years[edit]

Estonian SSR Championship years[edit]

Meistriliiga years[edit]

Titles by team[edit]

Titles Team Season
18 Narva PSK[A] 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2016, 2017
13 Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik[B] 1956, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989
13 Tartu Kalev-Välk[C] 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
7 Tallinn Kalev 1934, 1937, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962
6 Dünamo Tallinn 1946, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1954
4 HK Stars 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
3 Dünamo Tartu 1947, 1955, 1957
3 HC Viking[D] 2013, 2014, 2018
2 Tartu ASK 1936, 1939
2 Tallinn LTM 1950, 1951
2 Tallinn Ekskavaator 1963, 1966
2 Tallinn Tempo 1965, 1968
2 Tallinn Talleks 1978, 1981
1 Tallinn Sport 1940
1 Tallinn Taksopark 1964
1 Sillamäe Kalev 1982
1 HC Panter 2004
1 Kohtla-Järve Viru Sputnik 2010
1 HK Kurbads 2023
Notes
  1. ^
    Before 1999 as Narva Kreenholm, and 1999–2003 as Narva 2000.
  2. ^
    1952–1961 as Kohtla-Järve Kalev, 1961–1969 as Kohtla-Järve PK, 1969–1997 as Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik, 1997–2001 as Kohtla-Järve Central, and since 2004 as Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik.
  3. ^
    1994–2007 as Tartu Välk 494.
  4. ^
    2010–2014 as Viiking Sport.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Kurbads won the league, but HC Panter became the Estonian champions.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Laupäeval algab Coolbet Hokiliiga uus hooaeg". eestihoki.ee. 16 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Eesti-Läti hokiliiga võitis HC Kurbads, Eesti meistriks tuli HC Panter". ERR. 9 April 2023.

External links[edit]