Poland creates a professional league

26 Jun 2013 | Piotr Kaczmarek

From next season the Polska Hokej Liga will have a separate structure: new rules and no more promotions/relegations

During final days of May there was a meeting of Polish Hockey Federation Board, where were made key decisions for next season in Polish League.
First of all, the name: Polish league was named Polska Hokej Liga (PHL) and was estabilished as an indipendent company lead by Federation Vice-President Mariusz Wołosz. Here's a official website:http://www.hokejliga.pl/.
There were voted some changes in the format
- regular season will have six rounds;
- in Play-offs will play best eight teams and all the series will be best-of seven;
- in first round of post-season there will be a bonus point for teams which finished on places 1-4 after regular season;
- there will be no more play-offs for losers (it means for places 5-8 as well as for bronze medal), as it was in previous years
- play-off tree will be permanent: in semis will play teams according to schedule: the winner of series between 1st and 8th will play against winner of series between 4th and 5th; the winner of series between 2nd and 7th will face winner of series between 3rd and 6th;
- in PO team with home ice advantage will play at home in games 1,2,5 & 7;
- there will be no more relegation from PHL (if all clubs will get a licence for next season);
- winner of 1. Liga must get a licence to play in PHL;
- every team outside of PHL can buy a place in PHL for 200.000 PLN (~50.000 Euro) AND have to get licence;
- in every game both teams has to have at least 2 Under-21 players;
- every club can allign have eight import, for every additional import has to pay 25.000 PLN;
- players with Polish origin can play in PHL without other fees;
- PHL clubs can sign a farm-team deal with other clubs in 1. Liga and 2. Liga - players could be exchange between both teams in regular season until 31st of January; in one game can play max. 6 "farm players";
- PZHL will accept deals between PHL clubs and youth teams, when will be calculate a registration fee to PHL.

Every club have now to sign a deal with the newly created Polska Hokej Liga Spółka z ograniczoną odpowiedzialnością (Polish Hockey League Limited Liability Company). For now 3 teams already signed: TMH Polonia Bytom, Zagłębie Sosnowiec and HC GKS Katowice. As previously reported by Eurohockey, MMKS Podhale Nowy Targ send an application to secure a place in PHL.