The Latvian Hockey Higher League ( lv, Latvijas Virslīgas hokeja čempionāts), also known as the Optibet Hockey League ( lv, Optibet hokeja līga) since 2017 due to

sponsorship Sponsoring something (or someone) is the act of supporting an event, activity, person, or organization financially or through the provision of products or services. The individual or group that provides the support, similar to a benefactor, is k ...

by Optibet, is the top tier

league League or The League may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Leagues'' (band), an American rock band * ''The League'', an American sitcom broadcast on FX and FXX about fantasy football Sports * Sports league * Rugby league, full contact footba ...

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...

currently comprising seven teams. Previously it was also known as the Latvian Open Hockey Championships (''Latvijas atklātais čempionāts hokejā'') and the

Samsung The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ...

Premier League (''Samsung Premjerlīga'') from 2006 to 2008. The league was established in 1931.

HK Liepājas Metalurgs HK Liepājas Metalurgs was a hockey club based in Liepāja, Latvia that fielded multiple teams over the years competing in the Belarusian Extraliga (BXL), Latvian Hockey League (LHL), and Minor Hockey League Division B (MHL B). The club was di ...

, which played in the league between 1999 and 2013, has been the most successful team of the tournament, having won seven titles. Several former

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

players have played in the league, including Latvians Kaspars Astašenko, Helmuts Balderis,

Oskars Bārtulis Oskars Bārtulis (russian: Оскарс Бартулис; born January 21, 1987) is a retired Latvian professional ice hockey defenceman. He has previously played parts of two seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Philadelphia Flye ...

Viktors Ignatjevs Viktors Ignatjevs (born April 26, 1970 in Riga, Soviet Union) is a Latvian former ice hockey player who played 11 games in the National Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Currently Ignatjevs works as the assistant coach in Dinamo Riga of ...

Artūrs Irbe Artūrs Irbe (born 2 February 1967) is a Latvian professional ice hockey coach and former goaltender. Born during the Soviet era, Irbe played for various Soviet league teams and the Soviet Union national team before moving to North America in 199 ...

, Aleksandrs Kerčs,

Jānis Sprukts Jānis Sprukts (born January 31, 1982) is a Latvian professional ice hockey forward (ice hockey), forward. Biography As a youth, Sprukts played in the 1996 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Riga. He was drafted by P ...

as well as imports Konstantin Pushkaryov,

Rob Schremp Robert B. Schremp (born July 1, 1986) is an American professional ice hockey center currently playing for HK Mogo of the Latvian Hockey Higher League. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round, 25th overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry ...

Teams

Teams in 2022–23

Notable previous teams

Previous teams that have won a title or played at least five seasons in the competition, winning at least one medal.

League champions

* 2021–22 –

HK Zemgale/LLU HK Zemgale/LLU are a Latvian professional ice hockey team that plays in the Mestis, the second tier of ice hockey in Finland and also Latvian Hockey Higher League. The team is based in Jelgava and play their home games at the Jelgava Ice hall. ...

* 2020–21 – HK Olimp/Venta 2002 * 2019–20 – ''not finished'' * 2018–19 –

HK Mogo Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

* 2017–18 –

HK Kurbads HK Kurbads is an ice hockey team based in Riga, Latvia. It is a member of the Latvian Hockey Higher League and also compete for the Latvian Cup, winning Latvian Hockey League in 2016–17 and 2017–18 season. The team played its home games at ...

* 2016–17 –

* 2015–16 –

HK Liepāja HK Liepāja are a Latvian professional ice hockey team that plays in the Optibet Hockey League, the top tier of the sport in Latvia. The team is based in Liepāja and play their home games at the Liepājas Olimpiskā Centra ice hall. History H ...

* 2014–15 –

* 2013–14 – HS Rīga/Prizma * 2012–13 – HK SMScredit.lv * 2011–12 – Liepājas Metalurgs * 2010–11 – Liepājas Metalurgs * 2009–10 – Dinamo-Juniors Riga * 2008–09 – Liepājas Metalurgs * 2007–08 – Liepājas Metalurgs * 2006–07 –

HK Riga 2000 HK Riga 2000 was an ice hockey team based in Riga, Latvia. The team had played in the LHL since it was founded. In 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons the club also iced a team in the Belarusian Hockey League, and in 2005-06 finished 3rd. HK Riga 2000 ...

* 2005–06 –

* 2004–05 –

* 2003–04 –

* 2002–03 – Liepājas Metalurgs * 2001–02 – Liepājas Metalurgs * 2000–01 –

* 1999–2000 – Liepājas Metalurgs * 1998–99 – HK Nik's Brih Riga * 1997–98 – HK Nik's Brih Riga * 1996–97 – LB/Essamika * 1995–96 – Alianse Riga * 1994–95 – HK Nik's Brih Riga * 1993–94 – HK Pārdaugava Rīga * 1992–93 – HK Pārdaugava Rīga * 1991–92 – HK Sāga Ķekava Riga * 1943–91 – ''not played'' * 1942–43 – ''not finished'' * 1941–42 – US Rīga * 1940–41 –

Dinamo Rīga Dinamo Riga ( lv, Rīgas Dinamo) is a professional ice hockey team based in Riga, Latvia. It is a member of the Latvian Hockey Higher League. The club is affiliated with HK Zemgale/LLU. The club was re-founded on 7 April 2008 as a successor of ...

* 1939–40 – US Rīga * 1938–39 –

ASK Rīga ASK Rīga is a former professional basketball club that was based in Riga, Latvia. "ASK" stood for "Armijas Sporta Klubs" (in English: Army Sports Club). History BK Rīga was then founded in 2004, and it got back the original name of ASK ...

* 1937–38 –

* 1936–37 – US Rīga * 1935–36 –

* 1934–35 –

* 1933–34 –

* 1932–33 – Unions Rīga * 1931–32 – Unions Rīga

Titles by team

References

External links

Official league homepageLatvian league stats from Elite Prospects
{{Latvian Hockey League Top tier ice hockey leagues in Europe 1