English Premier Ice Hockey League

The league operates on a 54 game schedule. Each team plays the others in a 3 home, 3 away series. A number of these games also double up as the initial fixtures in the EPIHL Cup tournament. Each team will play 2 games per week during the season, with the exception of a break over the Christmas period. The majority of the games are played on Saturdays and Sundays, reflecting the semi-pro status of many of the leagues players.

The Season culminates with the play-offs. 8 teams qualify, and engage in a 2 leg home and away series to decide which 4 teams will attend the Play Off Finals weekend, held in the SkyDome Arena Coventry, a neutral venue.

League restrictions
The league operates under a number of restrictions, allowing it to classify itself as a 'developmental league'.

The main restriction placed on the member clubs is a limit of 4 non EIHA trained, EU passport holding 'import' players dressed per game. Further to this, only 3 of these players may be on the ice simultaneously, with certain exceptions.
Despite the 4 imports dressed rule, it is not uncommon for some teams to sign a 5th import as 'backup' in case of injuries to an 'active' import.

The league has no wage limitations, although it is generally accepted that due to the import restriction, wage bills are lower than teams in the EIHL. Despite the lower wages paid, the league still suffers from teams folding, or quitting the league due to financial problems.

• 2013-2014: Manchester Phoenix
• 2012-2013: Manchester Phoenix
• 2011-2012: Guildford Flames
• 2010-2011: Trafford Metros
• 2009-2010: Milton Keynes Lightning
• 2008-2009: Peterborough Phantoms
• 2007-2008: Guildford Flames
• 2006-2007: Bracknell Bees
• 2005-2006: Guildford Flames
• 2004-2005: Milton Keynes Lightning
• 2003-2004: Milton Keynes Lightning
• 2002-2003: Peterborough Phantoms
• 2001-2002: Invicta Dynamos
• 2000-2001: Swindon Phoenix
• 1999-2000: Chelmsford Chieftains
• 1998-1999: Solihull Blaze
• 1997-1998: Solihull Blaze

The English Premier Ice Hockey League commonly abbreviated to EPIHL, or simpy EPL, is a senior ice hockey league in England, and is run and administered by the English Ice Hockey Association. The league currently consists of 10 teams predominantly based in Southern England, and is generally considered to be the second tier league below the Elite Ice Hockey League although there is no promotion or relegation between the two.

The league was founded in 1997, where it initially served as the effective 3rd tier of the game, offering a level of play above the import free English leagues, but below the 8 import British National League. Since the 2005-06 season it has functioned as the second tier, as previously the now disbanded British National League filled this position; and, in fact, many previous BNL teams now play in the EPIHL.

The league is administered and sanctioned by the EIHA. The team owners meet regularly to discuss league matters under the auspices of the league chairman, and take a democratic vote on all decision

After one team had been declared bankrupt and two had decided to move up to the Eihl the English Premier League became unsustainable as no other teams were able to step up so the decision was made to invite the remaining seven teams to apply to join the National Ice Hockey league. This was successful and the National Ice Hockey League now becomes the second tier of ice hockey in the UK.

• http://www.eiha.co.uk/SeniorLeagues/EnglishPremier/tabid/113/Default.aspx
• http://www.eplicehockey.net/
• http://homepage.ntlworld.com/malcolm.preen/English_Premier_League.html