No. of teams 10 Most recent
champion(s) HK Nitra (1st title) Founded 1993 | Country Slovakia Number of teams 10 TV partner Sport1 | |
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CEO Richard Lintner (Pro-Hokej a.s.) Most titles HC Slovan Bratislava &
HC Košice (both 8 titles) Related
competitions Inaugural season 1993–94 Slovak Extraliga season Instances 2016–17 Slovak Extraliga season Teams HC Košice, HC Slovan Bratislava, HK Dukla Trenčín, MHC Martin, HK Poprad | ||
Slovak Extraliga (Slovenská Extraliga) is the highest-level ice hockey league in Slovakia. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the fifth strongest league in Europe and in 2012 it was ranked by The Hockey News as the sixth strongest league in the world behind the NHL, KHL, Swedish Hockey League, SM-liga and Czech Extraliga.
The name of the league is leased to sponsor and changes frequently. From 1993/94 to 1997/98 season it was called Extraliga, then the name changed to West Extraliga until the end of 2000/01 season. In 2001/02 its name was Boss Extraliga. Since 2002/03 season to 2004/05 the name changed to ST Extraliga and in 2005/06 to T-Com Extraliga. From 16 January 2007 the name changed to Slovnaft Extraliga when a general sponsor agreement with Slovnaft was signed, and from 2011–12 season is called Tipsport extraliga and Slovnaft-Play-off, and from 2015–16 season is called Tipsport liga and Slovnaft-Play-off.
The Slovak Extraliga is rooted in the Czechoslovak Extraliga. The 1993/94 was the first season of Slovak Extraliga as Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 1 January 1993.
Clubs
Ten clubs play in the 2016–17 Slovak Extraliga season. The HK Orange 20 is a project for preparation of the Slovakia junior ice hockey team for the IIHF World U20 Championship. The team do not play complete regular season and cannot promote to the playoffs. First 8 teams in table after the regular season (57 games) will promote to the playoffs.