Asterian Hockey League: Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox sports league | {{Infobox sports league | ||
| title = Asterian Hockey League (AHL)<br /><small>''Ligue de Hockey Astérienne (Gaullican)''<br /> ''Астерианская хоккейная лига (Soravian)''<br /> ''Ästeriansk Hockeyliga (Geatish)''<br /> ''Conradh Haca Asterian (Ghailish)</small> | | title = Asterian Hockey League (AHL)<br /><small>''Ligue de Hockey Astérienne (Gaullican)''<br /> ''Астерианская хоккейная лига (Soravian)''<br /> ''Ästeriansk Hockeyliga (Geatish)''<br /> ''Conradh Haca Asterian (Ghailish)</small> | ||
| current_season = | | current_season = 2021-2022 | ||
| current_season2 = <!-- do not wikilink --> | | current_season2 = <!-- do not wikilink --> | ||
| last_season = <!-- do not wikilink --> | | last_season = <!-- do not wikilink --> | ||
| Line 33: | Line 33: | ||
| most_champs = Sainte-Marie Habitants (26th title) | | most_champs = Sainte-Marie Habitants (26th title) | ||
| qualification = | | qualification = | ||
| tv = '''Cassier'''<br /> Hockeynet<br /> Cascom Media/Cascom Sports<br /> '''Chistovodia'''<br /> '''Rizealand'''<br /> '''Eldmark'''<br /> ESS<br /> ASN Sport<br /> | | tv = '''Cassier'''<br /> Hockeynet<br /> Cascom Media/Cascom Sports<br /> '''Chistovodia'''<br /> '''Rizealand'''<br /> '''Eldmark'''<br /> ESS<br /> ASN Sport<br /> '''Vinalia'''<br /> | ||
| sponsor = | | sponsor = | ||
| related_comps = | | related_comps = | ||
| Line 53: | Line 53: | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
===Establishment=== | ===Establishment=== | ||
The Asterian Hockey League was established in 1920 as the successor organization of the various hockey leagues that existed in Asteria Superior in the early 20th century. The oldest of these leagues was the Cassien Hockey Association (AHC), which was founded in 1909 and was one of the first professional ice hockey leagues. The AHC consisted of eight teams from western Cassier; including the Sainte-Marie Habitants and the predecessor organizations of the Monbec Axes, New Rayenne Gouverneurs, and Andade Olympiques; and played for a total of nine seasons. While the AHC was the most successful professional sports league in Cassier disagreements regarding rules and monetary concerns due to the ongoing [[Great Collapse]] resulted in a schism amongst players and team owners. These disputes culimated in the creation Cassien Hockey League (LHC) in 1917. | The Asterian Hockey League was established in 1920 as the successor organization of the various hockey leagues that existed in Asteria Superior in the early 20th century. The oldest of these leagues was the Cassien Hockey Association (AHC), which was founded in 1909 and was one of the first professional ice hockey leagues. The AHC consisted of eight teams from western Cassier; including the Sainte-Marie Habitants and the predecessor organizations of the Monbec Axes, New Rayenne Gouverneurs, and Andade Olympiques; and played for a total of nine seasons. While the AHC was the most successful professional sports league in Cassier disagreements regarding rules and monetary concerns due to the ongoing [[Great Collapse]] resulted in a schism amongst players and team owners. These disputes culimated in the creation Cassien Hockey League (LHC) in 1917. Though short-lived, the LHC established many of the standards found in the modern Asterian Hockey League, perhaps the most notable of which being formalization of the Albert Cup as the championship trophy of the league. The LHC consisted of four (later five following the entrance of the Bellevue Ours in 1919) teams that played both against each other and against visitors from Rizealand, Chistovodia, and Euclea. | ||
Series between LHC and international teams proved to be incredibly popular and profitable, motivating the league to establish a permanant presence in other countries in Asteria Superior. By June of 1920 the Cassien Hockey League acquired two teams in Rizealand; the Belltown Gliders and Liberty City Comets, and founded | Series between LHC and international teams proved to be incredibly popular and profitable, motivating the league to establish a permanant presence in other countries in Asteria Superior. By June of 1920 the Cassien Hockey League acquired two teams in Rizealand; the Belltown Gliders and Liberty City Comets, and founded the Khmelnytskyi Dynamo in Chistovodia. In recognition of its expansion into Rizealand and Chistovodia the LHC was transformed into the Asterian Hockey League, beginning its inaugural season in December that year. | ||
===Expansion=== | ===Expansion=== | ||
The Asterian Hockey League would consist of these "Original Eight" teams for the next 17 years. Although several proposals were made during the 1920s that sought to expand the league, the ongoing Great Collapse as well as the onset of the [[Great War]] in 1927 prevented the AHL from growing. Despite its neutrality in the conflict, Cassier was still technically a domain of the Gaullican Empire which forced AHL to suspend play between Cassien teams and their Rizean or Chistovodian counterparts between 1930 and 1935. The league continued to operate during the war however. The five Cassien teams competed against each other domestically for the Albert Cup; the Sainte-Marie Habitants winning a still unbeaten five consecutive champsionships; while the Rizean and Chistovodian teams played for the President's Trophy. Two temporary teams were also established in Rizealand and Chistovodia; today's Liberty City Titans and HK Misto Myru, both of which would be added to the league in 1937. | |||
[[File:Presidents-Trophy.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Named for the Chistovodian president, the President's Trophy is awarded to team with the best record during the regular season.]] | |||
Following the war's conclusion the AHL resumed regular operations in Rizealand and Chistovodia. As the nations of Asteria Superior began to recover from the war, the league sought to establish itself as the dominant professional ice hockey league in the Asterias and began to gradually extend its reach. 1940 would see the addition of the Winchester Cardinals, Zolochiv Locomotiv, and Khmelnytskyi Chervona Zirka, and the Barnier Oceanic into the AHL, bringing the number of teams to 14. This expansion was not without controversy however. The inclusion of the Barnier Oceanic exacerbated Rizean and Chistovodian fans' frustrations with the AHL, seeing the addition of a sixth Cassien team as a blatant attempt to further increase Cassier's majority in terms of players and teams. Likewise, many Cassien fans were disgruntled with the addition of the new franchises abroad for a myriad of reasons. The league responded to complaints by increasing the number of non-Cassien players, rebalancing the divisional structure, as well as other changes to improve the league's competitiveness and fairness throughout the 1940s and 50s. Still disastisfied, in 1954 the Chistovodian government threatened to withdraw their teams and players from the AHL unless an additional Chistovodian team was added to the league in the following season. Despite widespread outcry from Cassien and Rizean fans, the league assented to the demand, resulting in the addition of the Terebovlya Revolyutsiya in 1955. | |||
The AHL experienced the most dramatic period of expansion during the 1960s and 70s. As technological innovations expanded the reach and popularity of hockey in the Asterias, the league began to look south for potential regions to establish franchises in. The AHL began to invest in or support minor league hockey organizations and players from [[Marchenia]], Eldmark, and southern Rizealand, as well as acquiring television and radio broadcasting rights, resulting in drastically differing levels of success. Hockey had been a well established part of Rizean life and culture for decades by the 1960s, and support for an AHL franchise in southern or western Rizealand had existed there for over a decade. In 1965 the league selected Los Santos as the site of the 16th AHL franchise; the Hawks; which began play in the 1967-68 season. The AHL's attempts to establish in presence in Marchenia is considered by contemporary fans and journalists to be a disaster. A combination of poor planning, corruption by AHL and Marchenian officials, competition by existing sports leagues, and a general lack of interest from the Marchenian public resulted in the loss of millions of Cassien Deniers between 1960 and 1975. The expansion into Eldmark was, in contrast to the league's failure in Marchenia, a major success. Improvements in air conditioning and media technology had fostered the growth of small but profitable clubs and minor leagues in Eldmark. AHL partnership and investment with these clubs, combined with the induction of several talented Eldmarsk players into the league, helped boost hockey's popularity in Eldmark. In 1967 the AHL absorbed the largest of these minor leagues which began its gradual integration into the rest of the league. The 1970 expansion saw the first two Eldmarsk teams; the Hammarvik Kungar and Erikstad Panik; begin play, along with the Armeins Remparts, Bougainville Foreurs, Lozova Avangard, Solone Metallurg, Portsmouth Bergs, and Gadsen Rockets. Four additional Eldmarsk teams would enter the league in the following seasons; the Hammarvik Anfallare in 1971 and the Grönsund Skeppsbyggare, Ånahavern Kungsörnen, and Stalkulle Vild in 1975. | |||
[nsert 1999] expansion. | |||
==Teams== | ==Teams== | ||
Revision as of 20:34, 29 July 2021
 | This article is incomplete because it is pending further input from participants, or it is a work-in-progress by one author. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions. Note: To contribute to this article, you may need to seek help from the author(s) of this page. |
Current season, competition or edition: 2021-2022 | |
 | |
| Sport | Ice Hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | November 26, 1917, Sainte-Marie, Monbec, Cassier |
| Inaugural season | 1917–18 |
| Commissioner | Jacques Guilbert |
| No. of teams | 32 |
| Countries |  Cassier (9 teams) Chistovodia (9 teams) Rizealand (7 teams)File:Eldmark.png Eldmark (6 teams)  Vinalia (1 team) |
| Headquarters | Sainte-Marie, Monbec, Cassier |
| Continent | Asteria Superior |
| Most recent champion(s) | Sainte-Marie Habitants (26th title) |
| Most titles | Sainte-Marie Habitants (26th title) |
| TV partner(s) | Cassier Hockeynet Cascom Media/Cascom Sports Chistovodia Rizealand Eldmark ESS ASN Sport Vinalia |
| Official website | AHL.com |
The Asterian Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in Asteria Superior, currently comprising 32 teams: 9 in Cassier and Chistovodia, 7 in Rizealand, 6 in Eldmark, and 1 in Vinalia. The AHL is considered to be the premier ice hockey league in the world, one of the major professional sports leagues in the Asterias, as well as one of its oldest. The Albert Cup is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season.
The Asterian Hockey League was founded on November 26, 1917 as the Cassien Hockey League (Gaullican: Ligue de Hockey Cassien) (LHC), in Sainte-Marie as a replacement for the defunct Cassien Hockey Association (Gaullican: Association de Hockey Cassien) (AHC) founded in 1909. The organization established itself as Cassier's primary hockey league, with four teams representing the four most populated cities in western Cassier. Three years after its founding the LHC became the primary sports organization that competed for the Albert Cup, a trophy named in honour of Gaullican King Albert III, which was first awarded in 1893. The LHC underwent major changes in 1920 with the introduction of three new teams from Rizealand and Chistovodia into the league. Having established a presence internationally, the LHC was renamed to the Asterian Hockey League.
The AHL has steadily grown in size since its foundation, expanding to 32 teams across 6 different countries and is widely considered to be the foremost professional ice hockey league. While Cassiens have historically made up the majority of the players in the AHL, recent years have seen an increasing percentage of players from other Asterian and Euclean nations enter the league. It is one of the wealthiest sports organizations in the world by revenue and is amoung the largest in terms of viewership.
History
Establishment
The Asterian Hockey League was established in 1920 as the successor organization of the various hockey leagues that existed in Asteria Superior in the early 20th century. The oldest of these leagues was the Cassien Hockey Association (AHC), which was founded in 1909 and was one of the first professional ice hockey leagues. The AHC consisted of eight teams from western Cassier; including the Sainte-Marie Habitants and the predecessor organizations of the Monbec Axes, New Rayenne Gouverneurs, and Andade Olympiques; and played for a total of nine seasons. While the AHC was the most successful professional sports league in Cassier disagreements regarding rules and monetary concerns due to the ongoing Great Collapse resulted in a schism amongst players and team owners. These disputes culimated in the creation Cassien Hockey League (LHC) in 1917. Though short-lived, the LHC established many of the standards found in the modern Asterian Hockey League, perhaps the most notable of which being formalization of the Albert Cup as the championship trophy of the league. The LHC consisted of four (later five following the entrance of the Bellevue Ours in 1919) teams that played both against each other and against visitors from Rizealand, Chistovodia, and Euclea.
Series between LHC and international teams proved to be incredibly popular and profitable, motivating the league to establish a permanant presence in other countries in Asteria Superior. By June of 1920 the Cassien Hockey League acquired two teams in Rizealand; the Belltown Gliders and Liberty City Comets, and founded the Khmelnytskyi Dynamo in Chistovodia. In recognition of its expansion into Rizealand and Chistovodia the LHC was transformed into the Asterian Hockey League, beginning its inaugural season in December that year.
Expansion
The Asterian Hockey League would consist of these "Original Eight" teams for the next 17 years. Although several proposals were made during the 1920s that sought to expand the league, the ongoing Great Collapse as well as the onset of the Great War in 1927 prevented the AHL from growing. Despite its neutrality in the conflict, Cassier was still technically a domain of the Gaullican Empire which forced AHL to suspend play between Cassien teams and their Rizean or Chistovodian counterparts between 1930 and 1935. The league continued to operate during the war however. The five Cassien teams competed against each other domestically for the Albert Cup; the Sainte-Marie Habitants winning a still unbeaten five consecutive champsionships; while the Rizean and Chistovodian teams played for the President's Trophy. Two temporary teams were also established in Rizealand and Chistovodia; today's Liberty City Titans and HK Misto Myru, both of which would be added to the league in 1937.
Following the war's conclusion the AHL resumed regular operations in Rizealand and Chistovodia. As the nations of Asteria Superior began to recover from the war, the league sought to establish itself as the dominant professional ice hockey league in the Asterias and began to gradually extend its reach. 1940 would see the addition of the Winchester Cardinals, Zolochiv Locomotiv, and Khmelnytskyi Chervona Zirka, and the Barnier Oceanic into the AHL, bringing the number of teams to 14. This expansion was not without controversy however. The inclusion of the Barnier Oceanic exacerbated Rizean and Chistovodian fans' frustrations with the AHL, seeing the addition of a sixth Cassien team as a blatant attempt to further increase Cassier's majority in terms of players and teams. Likewise, many Cassien fans were disgruntled with the addition of the new franchises abroad for a myriad of reasons. The league responded to complaints by increasing the number of non-Cassien players, rebalancing the divisional structure, as well as other changes to improve the league's competitiveness and fairness throughout the 1940s and 50s. Still disastisfied, in 1954 the Chistovodian government threatened to withdraw their teams and players from the AHL unless an additional Chistovodian team was added to the league in the following season. Despite widespread outcry from Cassien and Rizean fans, the league assented to the demand, resulting in the addition of the Terebovlya Revolyutsiya in 1955.
The AHL experienced the most dramatic period of expansion during the 1960s and 70s. As technological innovations expanded the reach and popularity of hockey in the Asterias, the league began to look south for potential regions to establish franchises in. The AHL began to invest in or support minor league hockey organizations and players from Marchenia, Eldmark, and southern Rizealand, as well as acquiring television and radio broadcasting rights, resulting in drastically differing levels of success. Hockey had been a well established part of Rizean life and culture for decades by the 1960s, and support for an AHL franchise in southern or western Rizealand had existed there for over a decade. In 1965 the league selected Los Santos as the site of the 16th AHL franchise; the Hawks; which began play in the 1967-68 season. The AHL's attempts to establish in presence in Marchenia is considered by contemporary fans and journalists to be a disaster. A combination of poor planning, corruption by AHL and Marchenian officials, competition by existing sports leagues, and a general lack of interest from the Marchenian public resulted in the loss of millions of Cassien Deniers between 1960 and 1975. The expansion into Eldmark was, in contrast to the league's failure in Marchenia, a major success. Improvements in air conditioning and media technology had fostered the growth of small but profitable clubs and minor leagues in Eldmark. AHL partnership and investment with these clubs, combined with the induction of several talented Eldmarsk players into the league, helped boost hockey's popularity in Eldmark. In 1967 the AHL absorbed the largest of these minor leagues which began its gradual integration into the rest of the league. The 1970 expansion saw the first two Eldmarsk teams; the Hammarvik Kungar and Erikstad Panik; begin play, along with the Armeins Remparts, Bougainville Foreurs, Lozova Avangard, Solone Metallurg, Portsmouth Bergs, and Gadsen Rockets. Four additional Eldmarsk teams would enter the league in the following seasons; the Hammarvik Anfallare in 1971 and the Grönsund Skeppsbyggare, Ånahavern Kungsörnen, and Stalkulle Vild in 1975.
[nsert 1999] expansion.
Teams
The Asterian Hockey League consists of 32 teams divided amongst two different conferences: the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference. Each conference is split into two divisions comprising of 8 teams.