Mestis (from fi, Mestaruussarja, meaning 'Championship series') is the second-highest men's ice hockey league in Finland. The league was established by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association in 2000 in sports, 2000 to replace the I-Divisioona, I-divisioona ('First Division'). It had initially been the highest hockey league in Finland that could be reached through playing merits alone; the SM-liiga was closed (to teams being Promotion and relegation, relegated or promoted) in 2000. After the 2004–05 SM-liiga season, 2004–05 season, KalPa was promoted to the SM-liiga, and the Liiga was re-opened in the 2008–09 SM-liiga season, 2008–09 season. Vaasan Sport was promoted in 2014–15 Liiga season, 2014–15, KooKoo (Liiga), KooKoo was promoted in 2015–16 Liiga season, 2015–16, and Mikkelin Jukurit, Jukurit was promoted in 2016–17 Liiga season, 2016–17. Mestis, however, is an open league, with promotion and relegation between it and Suomi-sarja. However there will be no relegation during the 2020-21 Mestis season, 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Clubs

Winners

Medaltable:

Past participants

* Jää-Kotkat, relegated to the Suomi-sarja in 2003. * Hyvinkään Ahmat, relegated to the Suomi-sarja in 2004. *KalPa, promoted to the SM-liiga in 2005. *Haukat, resigned in 2006. *FPS (ice hockey), FPS and KOOVEE (ice hockey), KOOVEE, relegated to the Suomi-sarja in 2007. *HC Salamat relegated to the Suomi-sarja in 2008. *Kotkan Titaanit relegated to the Suomi-sarja in 2009. *Kiekko-Laser went bankrupt in 2011. *Vaasan Sport, promoted to the Liiga in 2014. *HC Keski-Uusimaa was abandoned serial place in 2014. *KooKoo (Liiga), KooKoo, promoted to the Liiga in 2015. *Jukurit, promoted to the Liiga in 2016. *JYP-Akatemia, relegated to the Suomi-sarja and folded in 2017. *Hokki, went bankrupt in 2017. *Espoo United (ice hockey), Espoo United, went bankrupt in 2018. *LeKi, did not receive a license in 2019. *SaPKo, went bankrupt in 2022.

Mestis timeline

References

External links

Mestis
Official website (in Finnish) {{SM-liiga Mestis, Professional ice hockey leagues in Finland Second tier ice hockey leagues in Europe, Fin