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Aquitaynian Hockey League

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Aquitaynian Hockey League
AHL logo.png
Logo of the AHL
SportIce hockey
Founded1931
Inaugural season1932
CommissionerJuri Mangusson
No. of teams24
ConfederationLorecian Ice Hockey Confederation (LIHC)
TV partner(s)ANN
Relegation toAHL Championship
International cup(s)Lorecian Hockey League
Current sports event 2023-24 AHL season

The Aquitaynian Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league in Aquitayne comprised of 24 teams. The Penington Cup, one of the oldest trophies in Aquitaynian sports, is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season. The AHL is one of the major sports leagues in Aquitayne, and is considered to be one of the top ranked professional ice hockey leagues in Astyria.

History

1932 inaugural season

1940s-1950s expansion

1974 expansion

1998-2000s expansion

2005 promotion and relegation

Following the late 90's and early 2000's expansion teams joining the league, questions over promotion and relegation to the AHLC were given new energy. With 24 teams now in the first-division league and 20 teams in the lower leagues, many saw the opportunity to bring extra excitement and effort from both leagues for teams to have the opportunity to move up, or fight against going down every year. At the 2003 Board of Governors meeting, promotion and relegation was approved by a majority of the board. A working-group was established to best plan how to implement that strategy between both leagues.

The group settled on a relegation playoff series between the two bottom clubs in each conference from the AHL, while the league champion of the AHLC would move up to the first division to take the place of whichever club lost the relegation playoff. At a board meeting in 2004, this plan was ratified and approved by the Board of Governors, with plans in place to implement it immediately at the start of the 2005-06 season.

Organizational structure

The league is governed by a Board of Governors, which is the ruling body of the AHL. Each team is a member of the board and has one representative appointed to it, along with two alternates. The Board exists to establish the policies of the league and uphold its charter. Some of their responsibilities include:

  • review and approve changes to the league's rules.
  • hiring and firing of the league Commissioner.
  • review and approve the purchase, sale or relocation of a member club.
  • review and approve the league schedule.

Teams

Overview of AHL teams
Conference Team City Arena Capacity Founded Joined General manager Head coach Captain
Northern Valhedge Vikings Valhedge Ilius Financial Arena 21,500 1932 1932 Tim Carlisle Mike Hogan Marcus Hamill
Esceos Firehounds Esceos Sponsor Arena 18,250 1941 1943 Ivan Gyles Nikolay Rene Fredrick Seitz
Freyport Flyers Freyport Freyport Armory Arena 19,250 1950 1952 Chance Osbourne Trace Faron Celestine Royce
Aesir Avalanche Aesir Sponsor Arena 17,700 1950 1952 Laurence Joby Gareth Onni Jurou Rain
Falklas Gollems Falklas Sponsor Arena 18,250 1932 1932 Reino Kustaa Rodney Solomon Viljam Major
Newford Nighthawks Newford Sponsor Arena 18,500 1932 1932 Erick Tarquinius Leroy Garrick Göte Carlton
Sanuan Spartans Sanuan Sponsor Arena 18,000 1932 1932 Caden Juro Allyn Eljas Jack Rikhard
Ceria Centurions Ceria Sponsor Arena 18,250 1946 1947 Sebastian Elliott Colter Evanson Lew Stanford
Kavala Earthquakes Kavala Sponsor Arena 17,200 2000 2001 Augustus Nicholls Sebastian Leighton Ingemar Rinne
Lagos Phantoms Lagos Sponsor Arena 16,500 2000 2001 Jem Fransson Loukios Hall Salvius Corey
Grados Giants Grados Sponsor Arena 16,400 1974 1975 Tatsuya Matsumoto Corbin Yamada Ismo Ericson
Sofia Angels Sofia Sponsor Arena 16,000 2000 2001 Lorrin Addison Osborn Rose Romilius Järvinen
Southern Telora Icelanders Telora Royal Ice Arena 22,000 1932 1932 Luke Wright Ari Jurgensson Matthew Thakkar
Helm Hurricanes Helm Sponsor Arena 18,000 1946 1947 Elliott Jayden Merle Shiori Ezra Iulius
Cape Town Captains Cape Town Sponsor Arena 20,000 1998 1999 Albert Sakari Jim Richard Scott Harvey
Agrias Sharks Agrias Sponsor Arena 17,200 1998 1999 Kaiden Thornton Haruto Galen Svante Lachlan
Helvalius Gladiators Helvalius Sponsor Arena 17,000 1946 1947 Hadyn Troy Luke Cory Collins Richard
Afreos Privateers Afreos Sponsor Arena 17,900 1932 1932 Kevin Luther Takumi Isaksson Goodwin Steffen
Frini Mastadons Frini Sponsor Arena 16,800 2010 2011 Drew Hampton Lucas Howe Silvinus Mustonen
Swacaea Swans Swacaea Sponsor Arena 17,250 1945 1947 Brayden Maddison Gray Kynaston Geordie Kamiya
Asor Eagles Asor Sponsor Arena 19,250 2000 2001 Darriel Travers Anderson Godfrey Germanus Arvidsson
Celaton Centaurs Celaton Sponsor Arena 19,000 1942 1943 Taisto Kimberley Josef Bristol Delano Lindström
Agrias Warriors Agrias Sponsor Arena 19,500 1974 1975 Albie Tobin River Ahlström Kayden Mizutani
Tyrisis Thunder Tyrisis Sponsor Arena 19,250 1974 1975 Brandt Tuff Devon Royle Ritchie Kuroda

Season structure

During the regular season, teams play each other in a predetermined schedule. All teams play 69 games, at least one at home and one away against every other league member. The remaining 23 games are split evenly home and away for each team, with the opponents being the teams within their conference. For example, this means all teams from the Northern Conference will play all teams from the Southern Conference twice, while the teams in the Northern Conference will play each other 4 times throughout the season, and vice versa for the Southern Conference.

Additionally, in 2005 the AHL introduced limited promotion and relegation to the league structure. The bottom team from each conference play in a relegation playoff series to determine what side will be sent to the lower league. It is a 7-game series, with the winner being the first team to four wins. The losing side is then relegated to the AHLC for the next season, while the AHLC champion is moved up to the corresponding division the relegated team came from. Critics of this format state it does not promote equitable play in what is colloquially known as the Loser's Cup, and creates some geographic inconsistencies with conference structure depending on where the promoted team comes from.

Calls have been made to restructure the league into an association football-style single table to allow for greater promotion and relegation and ease of match making, though the board of governors has stated it's not considering this adjustment currently.

Playoff structure

In the AHL, the top four teams from the Northern and Southern conferences qualify for the playoffs. The Conference Champions (being the teams with the most points at the end of the season) retain home-ice advantage throughout the playoff series. Should both champions make it to the final, the team with the greater goal differential will take priority. The playoffs are run in a 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the higher seed getting home ice advantage for the first two games, and therefore the 5th and 7th games should they be needed.

Trophies and awards

Media coverage

International competitions

The Champions of the league as well as the runners-up and third-place match winners qualify for the Lorecian Hockey League annually, and compete there against the best teams from other leagues around Lorecia for the Continental Cup Trophy.

Popularity

Ice hockey is the second most popular sport in Aquitayne behind association football.