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The Czech Extraliga (Czech: Extraliga ledního hokeje, ELH) was created by the 1993 split of the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League following the breakup of Czechoslovakia, and is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. In 2012 the IIHF ranked Extraliga sixth among the top 7 European teams .1 Many Extraliga players leave every year on transfers to the North American NHL and Eurasian KHL.
Naming and sponsorship
The name of the league is leased to a general sponsor and changes frequently.
League format
14 teams compete in the league, with the top 6 teams at the end of the regular season play qualifying for the playoffs to determine the league champion, known as the Česká pojišťovna play-off Tipsport extraligy. The teams that finish 7th through 10th play a play-in series (best-of-five) to determine who will join the top six into the playoff quarter-finals (best-of-seven). The four lowest ranked teams (11–14) after the regular season play in a play-out group (12 games, all regular-season matches are counted into the ranking). The last-place team after the play-out group plays with the winner of the First League playoff series (best-of-seven), with the winner of that series being qualified to play in Extraliga the following season while the losing team plays in the First League.
Since the 2006-07 season, 3 points have been awarded for a regulation win and 2 points for an overtime victory, while the defeated team in overtime gets 1 point. If necessary, penalty shots are used to decide games after overtime.
From the 2006-07 season through the 2007-08 season there was only one assist credited for each goal instead of the standard two that other leagues credit. This rule change affected league statistics in a negative manner, and so the rule was changed back to the standard two assists starting in the 2008-09 season.
During the 2011-12 season the association of Czech Extraliga managers attempted to close the league to prevent any relegations to or promoting from the second tier national league and also set a maximum salary cap similarly to the NHL system. 2 However, after some legal difficulties and strong opposition by the public the whole proposition was scratched.
Current teams
Extraliga teams for the 2012-13 season.
| Team |
City |
Arena |
Capacity |
| Kometa Brno |
Brno |
Kajot Arena |
7,200 |
| Mountfield České Budějovice |
České Budějovice |
Budvar Arena |
6,421 |
| Piráti Chomutov |
Chomutov |
ČEZ Stadion Chomutov |
5,050 |
| Energie Karlovy Vary |
Karlovy Vary |
KV Arena |
6,000 |
| Rytíři Kladno |
Kladno |
Zimní Kladno Stadion |
8,600 |
| Bílí Tygři Liberec |
Liberec |
Tipsport Arena |
7,500 |
| Verva Litvínov |
Litvínov |
Ivan Hlinka Stadion |
7,000 |
| ČSOB Pojišťovna Pardubice |
Pardubice |
ČEZ Aréna (Pardubice) |
10,194 |
| HC Škoda Plzeň |
Plzeň |
ČEZ Aréna (Plzeň) |
8,420 |
| Slavia Praha |
Prague |
O2 Arena |
17,360 |
| Sparta Praha |
Prague |
Tipsport Arena |
13,995 |
| Oceláři Třinec |
Třinec |
Werk Arena |
5,200 |
| Vítkovice Steel |
Ostrava |
ČEZ Aréna (Ostrava) |
9,551 |
| PSG Zlín |
Zlín |
Zimní stadion Luďka Čajky |
7,500 |
Past champions
by Year
by Club
| Club |
Winners |
Runners-up |
Winning Years |
| VHK Vsetín |
6
|
1
|
1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 |
| HC Sparta Praha |
4
|
1
|
2000, 2002, 2006, 2007 |
| HC Pardubice |
3
|
3
|
2005, 2010, 2012 |
| HC Slavia Praha |
2
|
3
|
2003, 2008 |
| PSG Zlín |
1
|
3
|
2004 |
| Energie Karlovy Vary |
1
|
1
|
2009 |
| HC Oceláři Třinec |
1
|
1
|
2011 |
| HC Olomouc |
1
|
0
|
1994 |
| HC Škoda Plzeň |
1
|
0
|
2013 |
|}
by Region
References
External links
See also
 Czech Extraliga |
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| Defunct leagues |
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| National teams |
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| Active leagues |
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| National cup |
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2012–13 Czech Extraliga season
Czech Republic
