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

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

Current teams

Locations of the 2022–23 Meistriliiga teams (Estonia)
TeamCityArenaCapacityFounded
HC PanterTallinnHaabersti Ice Hall5002001
HC Everest Kohtla-JärveKohtla-JärveKohtla-Järve Ice Hall2,0002012
HK KurbadsRiga, LatviaKurbads Ledus Halle1,5001996
HS RīgaRiga, LatviaHokeja halle Riga4001999
Kohtla-Järve Viru SputnikKohtla-JärveKohtla-Järve Ice Hall2,0002003
Narva PSKNarvaNarva Ice Hall1,3001976
Tartu Välk 494TartuAstri Arena6001994

Former teams

TeamCityArenaCapacityFounded
HC VipersTallinnTondiraba Ice Hall7,7002002
Estonia Junior TeamViljandiViljandi Ice Hall1,0001992
HC TallinnTallinnŠkoda Ice Hall1,0002016
Tallinna HK StarsTallinnLinnahall4,2002002
Tallinna KK-GMPTallinnŠkoda Ice Hall1,0002010
HC Kalev/VikingTallinnTondiraba Ice Hall7,7002010

Title holders

Estonian Championship years

  • 1934: Tallinn Kalev
  • 1935: not played
  • 1936: Tartu ASK
  • 1937: Tallinn Kalev
  • 1938: not played
  • 1939: Tartu ASK
  • 1940: Tallinn Sport
  • 1941–1945: not played

Estonian SSR Championship years

  • 1946: Dünamo Tallinn
  • 1947: Dünamo Tartu
  • 1948: Dünamo Tallinn
  • 1949: Dünamo Tallinn
  • 1950: Tallinn LTM
  • 1951: Tallinn LTM
  • 1952: Dünamo Tallinn
  • 1953: Dünamo Tallinn
  • 1954: Dünamo Tallinn
  • 1955: Dünamo Tartu
  • 1956: Kohtla-Järve Kalev
  • 1957: Dünamo Tartu
  • 1958: Tallinn Kalev
  • 1959: Tallinn Kalev
  • 1960: Tallinn Kalev
  • 1961: Tallinn Kalev
  • 1962: Tallinn Kalev
  • 1963: Tallinn Ekskavaator
  • 1964: Tallinn Taksopark
  • 1965: Tallinn Tempo
  • 1966: Tallinn Ekskavaator
  • 1967: Narva Kreenholm
  • 1968: Tallinn Tempo
  • 1969: Narva Kreenholm
  • 1970: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1971: Narva Kreenholm
  • 1972: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1973: Narva Kreenholm
  • 1974: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1975: Narva Kreenholm
  • 1976: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1977: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1978: Tallinn Talleks
  • 1979: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1980: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1981: Tallinn Talleks
  • 1982: Sillamäe Kalev
  • 1983: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1984: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1985: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1986: Narva Kreenholm
  • 1987: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1988: Narva Kreenholm
  • 1989: Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik
  • 1990: Narva Kreenholm II

Meistriliiga years

Titles by team

TitlesTeamSeason
18Narva PSK[A]1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2016, 2017
13Kohtla-Järve HK Keemik[B]1956, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989
13Tartu Kalev-Välk[C]1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
7Tallinn Kalev1934, 1937, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962
6Dünamo Tallinn1946, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1954
4HK Stars2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
3Dünamo Tartu1947, 1955, 1957
3HC Viking[D]2013, 2014, 2018
2Tartu ASK1936, 1939
2Tallinn LTM1950, 1951
2Tallinn Ekskavaator1963, 1966
2Tallinn Tempo1965, 1968
2Tallinn Talleks1978, 1981
1Tallinn Sport1940
1Tallinn Taksopark1964
1Sillamäe Kalev1982
1HC Panter2004
1Kohtla-Järve Viru Sputnik2010
1HK Kurbads2023
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

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

References

  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.
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