# National Ringette League

The National Ringette League (NRL) (French: Ligue Nationale de Ringuette, LNR) is the premier league for the sport of ringette in North America and Canada's national league for elite ringette players aged 18 and up. The NRL is not a women's variant of a more well-known men's league or sport like professional women's ice hockey or bandy; one of ringette's distinctive features is that all of its players are girls and women. As such, the NRL is the continent's first and only winter team sports league whose entire athlete roster is made up of women and non-binary athletes.
The NRL is semi-professional and operates as a showcase league for ringette in North America. The league functions as a committee under Ringette Canada, a non-profit sports organization and Canada's national governing body for ringette. Its Finnish equivalent is the SM Ringette league in Finland.

## League history

Ringette is a Canadian sport that was first introduced in 1963 in North Bay, Ontario. For ten years, play was confined to Ontario and Quebec; however, the sport spread quickly and is now played by over 30,000 players and involves over 50,000 participants across Canada. The success of the 2002 World Ringette Championships in Edmonton, Alberta, where Canada won the gold medal, sparked the desire to create the National Ringette League. Former Team Canada goaltender, Keely Brown, was a key figure in getting the NRL established. The NRL was founded in 2002 and began play the following year, with November 2004 marking the start of its official inaugural season. The first NRL season included seventeen teams in three cross-country divisions.
The National Ringette League playoffs at the Canadian Ringette Championships (CRC) began in 2008 when they replaced the national championships for Under-19 years and Open divisions. Playoffs are held annually at CRCs to determine an annual league champion. Historically, they consisted of knockout matches, round robins, and tournaments in various cities, but currently the tournament takes place in just one city. The winning National Ringette League team is awarded with the Jeanne Sauvé Memorial Cup, named after Canada's first female Governor General.
A 2009 episode of Rick Mercer Report called "Ringette Night In Canada" featured the NRL's Cambridge Turbos. In 2013, Télé Québec broadcast a short documentary film titled 'Tout le monde dehors – La Ringuette', which focused on the NRL's Gatineau Fusion, along with Yvon Brault, who devotes his life to this sport.

## Structure and competition

Teams compete in two conferences: the Western Conference, which consists of teams from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and the Eastern Conference, which is further divided into Red and White sub-conferences and includes teams from Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada. Currently the league operates based on hub-style tournaments, and a team can expect to host 1–2 such tournaments a season, while traveling for an additional 4–5. NRL games are divided into four 13-minute periods.
Characteristic of North American sports, the NRL is a closed league with no relegation. There is an annual draft in between seasons, which is the main entry for new players in the league. The NRL runs four regional drafts; in 2011, there was one for the region of Ottawa and Gatineau, another one for Manitoba, another for Southern Ontario, and another for the Montreal region. Trading among teams is also common.
Some players are selected from the league to help form Canada's national ringette teams, while the league also draws some international players, especially from Finland. In some cases, players have been traded between clubs in Canada's NRL to Ringette Finland's semi-professional ringette league, SM Ringette (formerly called Ringeten SM-sarja [fi]), and vice versa.
The NRL maintains a collaboration with the lower Ringette leagues in regards to the development of the young female players, therefore several teams of the NRL have affiliated development teams for Under 19 years old and Under 16 years old. The Canadian Ringette Championships for U16 and U19 takes place in the same place as the NRL playoff tournament elimination. It is this tournament which allows the tracers and talent scouts for the NRL teams to identify emerging young athletes as potential future NRL players.
In 2008, the budget of each NRL team varied between $15,000 and $20000. The teams and the league contribute to cover all the transport spending, accommodation, and rent of arenas. The players must find their own financiers to pay for their equipment and personal spending and the players are not paid for play.

### Background

Over thirty different teams have competed in the NRL since it began in 2004. For the 2021–22 season, there were 12 teams playing in a hub format, down from 15 teams from the previous year, due to COVID-19. The Cambridge Turbos have won the most NRL titles. The Lower Mainland Thunder in British Columbia and the Ottawa Ice in Ontario are the only now-defunct NRL teams in league history to have won a Canadian Ringette Championship along with the Jeanne Sauvé Memorial Cup, and the league's national championship gold medal. The LMRL Thunder won in 2011–12, and the Ottawa Ice won the league title in 2013–14. Both the LMRL Thunder and the Ottawa Ice won the NRL championship once in their team's history while their clubs were active.
For the 2005–06 season, the league had 19 teams competing in four divisions. The Eastern Conference in 2005–06 included the Ontario and Québec divisions. Ontario teams included the Cambridge Turbos, Gloucester Devils, Ottawa Ice, Richmond Hill Lightning and Waterloo Wildfire. The Ottawa Ice was an expansion team. The Québec division included the BLL Nordiques (who later became the Bourassa Royal) the Cyclones de Québec, the Montreal Mission, and Rive–Sud Revolution, all returning from the previous season. Teams in the Central Division included the APFG Sixers, BoniVital Angels, Eastman Flames, Hix with Stix, and Manitoba Moose. The Western Division included the returning league champion, the Edmonton WAM!, the Calgary RATH, BC Reign, the Saskatoon Wild, and the previous year's wild card team, the Edmonton Edge. With nineteen teams competing, it was this NRL season which recorded the highest number of teams competing in the NRL in a single season in league history. The 2005–06 NRL season also marked the inaugural season of the NRL Championship.

### NRL National Championship format

The NRL Championship, which crowns the team champion of the league, is played annually by the eight best teams in the league at the Canadian Ringette Championships in the National Ringette League division.

#### History

In 2010–11, the introduction of a new NRL Championship Tournament replaced the Championship qualifying rounds. The tournament took place in just one city. The format was intended to allow the league to create a media event and to hold attention. The top ten teams in the regular season of the league participated in the tournament.
Starting in 2011–12, eight teams play a full round robin to determine the champion, also called the Elite Eight.

## Awards and honours
### Jeanne Sauvé Memorial Cup

The final competition for the National Ringette League is held annually at the Canadian Ringette Championships. The Jeanne Sauvé Memorial Cup is the championship trophy awarded annually to the winning team in the National Ringette League. Initially coined the "Jeanne Sauvé Cup", and initiated in December 1984, it was first presented at the 1985 Canadian Ringette Championships in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Québec.

### NRL Annual Award nominees

At the end of March, during the week break before the National Ringette League Championships, the League names its annuals Award Nominees. Award winners are announced at the closing banquet of the Canadian Ringette Championships. The awards program recognizes the performance of NRL athletes during regular season play with trophies for:
* Rookie of the Year
* Most Valuable Player
* Top Forward
* Top Centre
* Top Defence
* Top Goalkeeper
* Coaching Staff of the Year
* NRL Top Scorer

## Teams

As of the 2024–25 season, there are 13 teams in the NRL, all of them based in Canada. The number of teams in the NRL can vary from season to season, as new teams may be added or existing teams may withdraw.

### Current teams

2024–25 NRL Teams (13 teams) :
| Team | City/Area | Founded | Cups | G | S | B |
| Western Conference |||||||
| BC Thunder | British Columbia | 2011 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Edmonton Black Gold Rush | Edmonton, Alberta | 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calgary RATH | Calgary, Alberta | 2007 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Edmonton WAM! | Edmonton, Alberta | 2004 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Manitoba Herd | Winnipeg, Manitoba | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Saskatchewan Heat | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Eastern Conference |||||||
| Gatineau Fusion | Gatineau, Quebec | 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cambridge Turbos | Cambridge, Ontario | 2003 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
| Waterloo Wildfire | Waterloo, Ontario | 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Nepean Ravens | Nepean, Ontario | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Atlantic Attack | Cocagne, New Brunswick | 2011 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Montréal Mission | Montréal, Quebec | 2004 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Rive-Sud Révolution | South Shore, Quebec | 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Former NRL Teams |||||||
| Ottawa Ice | Ottawa, Ontario | 2005 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Gloucester Devils | Gloucester, Ontario | 2004 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Winnipeg Prairie Fire | Winnipeg, Manitoba | 2006 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| LMRL Thunder | British Columbia | 2011 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |

### Western Conference
#### Edmonton Black Gold Rush

The Edmonton Black Gold Rush, (commonly called "The Rush" or "Rushies"), is a ringette team in the National Ringette League (NRL) based in Edmonton, Alberta. The team competes in the NRL Western Conference and was founded in 2015.
The following is the Rush roster for the 2022–23 season.
Edmonton Black Gold Rush 2022–23 :
* Player
* Victtoria Barbieri
* Danielle Bechard
* Brooklyn Bilyk
* Kaley Bilyk
* Molly Chorney
* Kat Eamon
* Sydney George
* Annie Hood
* Justine Kearney
* Nicole Pelletier
* Reid Petersen
* Jordyn Scoot
* Reeve Spanakis
* Jamie Tuininga
* Jordyn Vandenbrand
* Paytyn Wood

### Eastern Conference
#### Waterloo Wildfire

The Waterloo Wildfire is a ringette team in the National Ringette League (NRL) based in Waterloo, Ontario. The team competes in the NRL Eastern Conference in the Red Division.
The following is the Wildfire's roster for the 2022–23 season.
Waterloo Wildfire 2022–23 :
| No | Player |
| | Elyssa Perron (AP/GUEST) |
| | Emily Sharpe (AP/GUEST) |
| | Katie Bray (AP/GUEST) |
| | Brooklyn Norris (AP/GUEST) |
| | Isabel Lorentz (AP/GUEST) |
| 2 | Maddie MacLean |
| 4 | Jackie Gaudet |
| 5 | Emma Heaney |
| 6 | Jordan McClement (Rookie) |
| 7 | Lydia Duncan |
| 8 | Meghan Hanton-Fong |
| 9 | Erin Markle |
| 10 | Erika Kiviaho |
| 12 | Sydney Granger |
| 16 | Tatum Allen |
| 17 | Laura Dayman |
| 18 | Megan Heaney (Rookie) |
| 23 | Kelsey Youldon |
| 24 | Brianna Jacobi (Rookie) |
| 25 | Emily Power |
| 29 | Camrynn Schnarr |

#### Nepean Ravens

The Nepean Ravens is a ringette team in the National Ringette League (NRL) based in Nepean, Ontario (Ottawa). The team competes in the NRL Eastern Conference in the Red Division and was founded in 2021.
The following is the Ravens roster for the 2022–23 season.
Nepean Ravens 2022–23 :
| No | Player | Position |
| | K Gagnier (AP/GUEST) | |
| | T forrest (AP/GUEST) | |
| | R Steckly (AP/GUEST) | |
| | J Wilson (AP/GUEST) | |
| 2 | Amanda Law (Rookie) | Defence |
| 3 | C Chestnut (AP/GUEST) | |
| 4 | Olivia Edissi | Defence |
| 5 | Laiya Evraire (Rookie) | Forward |
| 9 | Josiane Labelle (Rookie) | Forward |
| 11 | Allison Biewald | Forward |
| 12 | Amanda Gour | Defence |
| 13 | Samantha Jones | Defence |
| 14 | Molly Lewis | Forward |
| 16 | Brooke Wasylyshyn (Rookie) | Forward |
| 17 | Emma Kelly | Forward |
| 19 | Jalena Marelic | Forward |
| 21 | Rebecca Bastien | Defence |
| 23 | Abby Manson | Forward |
| 25 | Alyssa Wong (Rookie) | Defence |
| 30 | Rachael Pelisek | Goalie |
| 32 | E Harvie (AP/GUEST) | Goalie |

#### Gatineau Fusion

The Gatineau Fusion is a ringette team in the National Ringette League (NRL) based in Gatineau, Quebec. The team competes in the NRL Eastern Conference in the Red Division and was founded in 2008.
The following is the Fusion's roster for the 2022–23 season.
Gatineau Fusion 2022–23 :
| No | Player | Position |
| 5 | Amy Whyte (Rookie) | Defence |
| 6 | Amanda Moisan | Forward |
| 7 | Émily Chénier | Forward |
| 9 | Heidi Wippel | Defence |
| 10 | Jasmine Menard | Forward |
| 13 | Mariane-Alexandra Fraser | Defence |
| 15 | Camdyn Wilson (Rookie) | Forward |
| 17 | Jennifer Hartley | Forward |
| 18 | Cassandra Duquette | Defence |
| 20 | Danika Osborne (Rookie) | Forward |
| 21 | Taylor Maisonneuve | Defence |
| 26 | Sophie Chenier | Forward |
| 27 | Sara Plouffe | Forward |
| 28 | Julie Vandal | Defence |
| 32 | Gabrielle Ednie | Goalie |
| 33 | Stéphanie Caron | Goalie |
| 61 | Alexann Legault | Forward |
| 66 | Maxim Moisan (Rookie) | Forward |
| 71 | Véronique Laurin | Goalie |
| 74 | Alex Violette (AP/GUEST) | Forward |
| 91 | Chantal St-Laurent | Forward |

#### Rive-Sud Révolution

The Rive-Sud Révolution [fr], ("South Shore Revolution" in English), is a ringette team in the National Ringette League (NRL) based in Montérégie, the southwestern part of Québec. The Revolution competes in the NRL Eastern Conference in the White Division and was founded in 2004. The Revolution is one of the oldest teams in the NRL.
The team's home arena is in Québec and its headquarters are located in South Shore, Montreal. The South Shore is located within the Quebec administrative region of Montérégie. Its team affiliate is the U19 South Shore Revolution.
The Revolution began competing for their 16th year as a club during the NRL 2022–23 season. The following is the Révolution's roster for the 2022–23 season.
Rive-Sud Révolution 2022–23 :
| No | Player | Position |
| | Évelyne Martel | |
| | Eléonore Sezia | |
| 4 | Erin Gaudet | Defence |
| 5 | A Carrier (AP/GUEST) | |
| 7 | Camille Dumont | Defence |
| 8 | Audrey Vachon | Forward |
| 9 | Laurence Larocque | Centre |
| 10 | Ariane Sagala | Forward |
| 11 | Emilie Cunial | Defence |
| 12 | Sarah Bernard-Lacaille | Defence |
| 19 | Caroline Viola (Rookie) | Forward |
| 20 | Lauriane Alain (Rookie) | Defence |
| 21 | Chloé Marcoux (AP/GUEST) | |
| 22 | Élodie Bourke (AP/GUEST) | |
| 25 | Brittany Lanouette (Rookie) | Forward |
| 26 | Laurianne Bourke | Defence |
| 28 | M Marcoux (AP/GUEST) | |
| 29 | Sabrina St-Pierre (AP/GUEST) | |
| 30 | Evelyne Martel | Goalie |
| 31 | Laurie St-Pierre | Goalie |
| 77 | Eleonore Sezia (Rookie) | Forward |
| 88 | Mélissa Demers (AP/GUEST) | |
| 91 | Audrey-Anne Plante | Forward |
| 93 | C Cartier (AP/GUEST) | Forward |
| 96 | Alex Raymond-Couturier | Centre |
| 97 | Laurence Lacombe (Rookie) | Forward |
| 99 | Camille Lavoie | Centre |
Rive-Sud Révolution players have competed for the Canada national ringette team at the World Ringette Championships (WRC) and are listed in the table below.
| Year | Team | Player |
| 2007 | 2007 Team Canada | Julie Primard |
| 2010 | 2010 Team Canada | Julie Primard |
| 2013 | 2013 Team Canada Senior | Julie Primard |

## National Ringette League champions

National Ringette League (NRL) champions compete annually at the Canadian Ringette Championships at the end of the NRL season. The 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

### List of NRL champions by season

List of Jeanne Sauvé Memorial Cup winners at the Canadian Ringette Championships:

### NRL final standings season by season

The table below provides a chronological list of Jeanne Sauvé Memorial Cup winners at the Canadian Ringette Championships and the NRL's teams who won the gold, silver, and bronze medals.
National Ringette League Champions 2003–2023 :
| Season | Location | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 2003–04 (CRC Open) | Calgary | Alberta | Ontario Wild Card | Manitoba |
| 2004–05 (CRC Open) | Winnipeg | Alberta | Ontario | Ontario Wild Card |
| 2005–06 (CRC Open) | Longueuil | Cambridge Turbos (Ontario) | Alberta | Quebec |
| 2006–07 (CRC Open) | Halifax | Edmonton WAM! (Alberta) | Western Wild Card | Ontario |
| National Ringette League division established |
| 2007–08 | St. Albert | Cambridge Turbos | Montreal Mission | Calgary RATH |
| 2008–09 | Charlottetown | Cambridge Turbos | Edmonton WAM! | Montreal Mission |
| 2009–10 | Saskatoon | Edmonton WAM! | Cambridge Turbos | Winnipeg Prairie Fire |
| 2010–11 | Cambridge | Edmonton WAM! | Cambridge Turbos | Calgary RATH |
| 2011–12 | Burnaby | LMRL Thunder (Lower Mainland Ringette League) | Montreal Mission | Ottawa Ice |
| 2012–13 | Fredericton | Calgary RATH | Winnipeg Prairie Fire | Cambridge Turbos |
| 2013–14 | Regina | Ottawa Ice | Cambridge Turbos | Edmonton WAM! |
| 2014–15 | Wood Buffalo | Cambridge Turbos | Richmond Hill Lightning | Edmonton WAM! |
| 2015–16 | London | Cambridge Turbos | Gloucester Devils | Ottawa Ice |
| 2016–17 | Leduc | Cambridge Turbos | Atlantic Attack | Waterloo Wildfire |
| 2017–18 | Winnipeg | Atlantic Attack | Edmonton WAM! | Cambridge Turbos |
| 2018–19 | Charlottetown and Summerside | Calgary RATH | Atlantic Attack | Cambridge Turbos |
| 2019–20 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021–22 | Calgary | Calgary RATH | Edmonton WAM! | Cambridge Turbos |
| 2022–23 | Regina | Edmonton WAM! | Montreal Mission | Calgary RATH |
| 2023–24 | Dieppe | Edmonton WAM! | Calgary RATH | Waterloo Wildfire |

### NRL complete final standings

2003–04
The 2003–04 NRL season marked the National Ringette League's inaugural year with 17 teams competing across Canada. The competition was referred to as the "Open Division" and took place in Waterloo, Ontario.
2003–04 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 17 | Alberta |
| Place | Team |
| | Alberta |
| | Ontario Wild Card |
| | Manitoba |
| 4th | Quebec |
| 5th | British Columbia |
| 6th | Saskatchewan (Saskatoon Wild) |
| 7th | Waterloo (host) |
2004–05
There wasn't an NRL championship for the 2004–05 NRL season but a competition took place at the Canadian Ringette Championships in Calgary, Alberta for the Open division.
2005–06
The 2005–06 season marked the NRL's second season with 19 teams competing and two new teams joined the league, one of which was the Ottawa Ice. These teams were distributed in four conferences: the West Conference (five teams), Central Conference (five teams), Ontario Conference (five teams), and Quebec Conference (four teams). The dominant teams were the Cambridge Turbos in the Ontario Conference, Montreal Mission in the Quebec Conference, Edmonton WAM! in the West Conference, and the champions of the Central Division, the APFG Sixers (Assiniboine Park/Fort Garry, an AA provincial team from Manitoba).
The 2005–06 NRL season finals took place at the 2006 Canadian Ringette Championships in Longueuil, Quebec. The championship match of the NRL/LNR took place in the Centre Étienne Desmarteau in Montreal, on April 1, 2006, and was won by the Cambridge Turbos.
During the off-season three teams folded citing low attendance revenue.
2005–06 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 19 | Cambridge Turbos |
| Place | Team |
| | Cambridge Turbos (Ontario) |
| | Alberta |
| | Quebec |
| 4th | Ontario Wild Card |
| 5th | Manitoba |
| 6th | West Wild Card |
| 7th | Host |
| 8th | Québec Wild Card |
| 9th | Saskatchewan (Saskatoon Wild) |
| 10th | British Columbia |
2006–07
In 2006–07, the NRL entered its third season and consisted of 16 teams distributed in three conferences: the West Conference (seven teams), Ontario Conference (five teams), and Quebec Conference (four teams). The 2006–07 NRL Championship finals were played as the "Open Division" at the 2007 Canadian Ringette Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Championship final match took place in on April 10, 2007, and was won by the Edmonton WAM!.
2006–07 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 16 | Edmonton WAM! |
| Place | Team |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| | Western Wild Card |
| | Ontario |
| 4th | Quebec Wild Card |
| 5th | Manitoba |
| 6th | Ontario Wild Card |
| 7th | British Columbia |
| 8th | Quebec |
| 9th | Saskatchewan (Saskatoon Wild) |
| 10th | Nova Scotia |
2007–08
In 2007–08, seventeen teams competed in two conferences. The Western Conference included seven teams and the Eastern Conference included ten teams. The Cambridge Turbos won the NRL Championship by beating the Montreal Mission 2–1 in overtime.
The 2007–08 NRL Championship finals were played at the 2008 Canadian Ringette Championships in St. Albert, Alberta.
2007–08 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 17 | Cambridge Turbos |
| Place | Team |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| | Montreal Mission |
| | Calgary RATH |
| 4th | Edmonton WAM! |
| 5th | Edmonton Edge |
| 6th | Manitoba Jets |
| 7th | Richmond Hill Lightning |
| 8th | Gloucester Devils |
| 9th | BC Reign |
| 10th | Atlantic Sixers |
2008–09
In 2008–09, the NRL consisted of eighteen teams grouped in a Western Conference with six teams and an Eastern Conference with twelve teams. The 2008–09 NRL season final took place at the 2009 Canadian Ringette Championships in Charlottetown, PEI, with the Cambridge Turbos finishing in first place.
Also in 2008, the first Ringette World Club Championship was held in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Four NRL teams faced two teams from the Finland's elite ringette league, Ringeten SM-sarja [fi], now known as "SM–Ringette". The Cambridge Turbos won the world title having overcome in the Finnish champion team, Luvian Kiekko −82 [fi], in the final.
2008–09 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 18 | Cambridge Turbos |
| Place | Team |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| | Montreal Mission |
| 4th | Calgary RATH |
| 5th | Ottawa Ice |
| 6th | Prairie Fire |
| 7th | Rive-Sud Révolution |
| 8th | Waterloo Wildfire |
| 9th | Cyclones de Quebec |
| 10th | Atlantic Attack |
2009–10
In the 2009–10 season, the National Ringette League for its sixth season with eighteen teams competing. The league consisted of a Western Conference with six teams and an Eastern Conference with twelve teams. The NRL playoffs took place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, during the Canadian Ringette Championships. The Edmonton WAM! became the NRL champions again after being eclipsed for two years by the Cambridge Turbos. Edmonton beat Cambridge 2–0 in the NRL league division final.
2009–10 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 18 | Edmonton WAM! |
| Place | Team |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| | Prairie Fire |
| 4th | Calgary RATH |
| 5th | Ottawa Ice |
| 6th | Saskatoon Wild |
| 7th | Waterloo Wildfire |
| 8th | Montreal Mission |
| 9th | Gloucester Devils |
| 10th | Atlantic Sixers |
2010–11
The 2010–11 NRL Championship finals were played at the 2011 Canadian Ringette Championships in Cambridge, Ontario between March 27, 2011, and April 2, 2011. In the final game of the NRL's league division, the Edmonton WAM! triumphed over the Cambridge Turbos.
2009–10 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| Place | Team |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| | Calgary RATH |
| 4th | Prairie Fire |
| 5th | Richmond Hill Lightning |
| 6th | Ottawa Ice |
| 7th | Montreal Mission |
| 8th | Cyclones de Quebec |
| 9th | Atlantic Attack |
| 10th | Gloucester Devils |
2011–12
In the 2011–12 season, the NRL entered its eighth season with nineteen teams playing in two conferences. The 2011–12 NRL Championship finals were played at the 2012 Canadian Ringette Championships in Burnaby, British Columbia.
The NRL experienced a new expansion during the 2011–12 season, with the creation of two new teams, the Atlantic Attack (of Moncton in New Brunswick) and Lower Mainland Thunder (of British Columbia).
The 2011–12 regular season began on October 15, 2011, and concluded on March 18, 2012. All in all, thirty matches were contested by each of the teams during the regular season. Each of the teams only faced teams within their own conference. This structure allowed teams to reduce the costs of transport given the size of the Canadian territory covered by the league. At the end of the regular season, there is a break of a week when the various individual distinctions are awarded, then a National Ringette League Championship Tournament. This is the year the Elite Eight began.
2011–12 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 19 | LMRL Thunder (Lower Mainland Ringette League) |
| Place | Team |
| | LMRL Thunder (Lower Mainland Ringette League) |
| | Montreal Mission |
| | Ottawa Ice |
| 4th | Cambridge Turbos |
| 5th | Calgary RATH |
| 6th | Richmond Hill Lightning |
| 7th | Prairie Fire |
| 8th | Manitoba Jets |
2012–13
The 2012–13 NRL Championship finals were played at the 2013 Canadian Ringette Championships in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
2012–13 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| ? | Calgary RATH |
| Place | Team |
| | Calgary RATH |
| | Manitoba Prairie Fire |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| 4th | BC Thunder |
| 5th | Gloucester Devils |
| 6th | Montreal Mission |
| 7th | Richmond Hill Lightning |
| 8th | Atlantic Attack |
2013–14
The 2013–14 NRL Championship finals were played at the 2014 Canadian Ringette Championships in Regina, Saskatchewan.
2013–14 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 13 | Ottawa Ice |
| | Team |
| | Ottawa Ice |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| 4th | Richmond Hill Lightning |
| 5th | Calgary RATH |
| 6th | Montreal Mission |
| 7th | Gloucester Devils |
| 8th | Waterloo Wildfire |
2014–15
The 2014–15 NRL Championship finals were played at the 2015 Canadian Ringette Championships in Wood Buffalo, Alberta. The season's winners were the Cambridge Turbos, runners-up were the Richmond Hill Lightning, and the Edmonton WAM! finished in third.
2014–15 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 14 | Cambridge Turbos |
| Place | Team |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| | Richmond Hill Lightning |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| 4th | Calgary RATH |
| 5th | Montreal Mission |
| 6th | Ottawa Ice |
| 7th | Waterloo Wildfire |
| 8th | Gloucester Devils |
2015–16
The 2015–16 NRL Championship finals were played at the 2016 Canadian Ringette Championships in London, Ontario. The 2015–16 season's winners were the Cambridge Turbos, runners-up were the Gloucester Devils, and the Ottawa Ice finished in third.
2015–16 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 15 | Cambridge Turbos |
| Place | Team |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| | Gloucester Devils |
| | Ottawa Ice |
| 4th | Edmonton WAM! |
| 5th | Montreal Mission |
| 6th | Calgary RATH |
| 7th | Atlantic Attack |
| 8th | Edmonton Black Gold Rush |
2016–17
The 2016–17 NRL Championship finals were played at the 2017 Canadian Ringette Championships in Leduc, Alberta.
2016–17 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 16 | Cambridge Turbos |
| Place | Team |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| | Atlantic Attack |
| | Waterloo Wildfire |
| 4th | Richmond Hill Lightning |
| 5th | Edmonton WAM! |
| 6th | Calgary RATH |
| 7th | Ottawa Ice |
| 8th | Edmonton Black Gold Rush |
2017–18
The 2017–18 NRL season began on September 30, 2017, and ended on April 14, 2018. The 2018 Canadian Ringette Championships took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, from April 9 to 14, 2018.
2017–18 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 15 | Atlantic Attack |
| Place | Team |
| | Atlantic Attack |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| 4th | Calgary RATH |
| 5th | Richmond Hill Lightning |
| 6th | Montreal Mission |
| 7th | Gatineau Fusion |
| 8th | Manitoba Intact |
2018–19
The 2018–19 season's winners were the Calgary RATH, runners-up were the Atlantic Attack, and the Cambridge Turbos finished in third.
2018–19 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| | Calgary RATH |
| Place | Team |
| | Calgary RATH |
| | Atlantic Attack |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| 4th | Waterloo Wildfire |
| 5th | Edmonton WAM! |
| 6th | Montreal Mission |
| 7th | Manitoba Intact |
| 8th | Ottawa Ice |
2019–21
The 2019–20 and 2020–21 National Ringette League seasons were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021–22
The 2021–22 season saw the league begin playing in a hub-format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the league previously played 15 teams, it was reduced to 12 for the season. 5 teams had withdrawn, including: BC Thunder, Bourassa Royal, Richmond Hill Lightning, Lac-Saint-Louis Adrenaline, and the Ottawa Ice. However, two new teams joined: the Nepean Ravens and the Saskatchewan Heat. The Manitoba Intact were renamed the Manitoba Herd.
The season's winners were the Calgary RATH, runners-up were the Edmonton WAM!, and the Cambridge Turbos finished in third.
2021–22 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 12 | Calgary RATH |
| Place | Team |
| | Calgary RATH |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| | Cambridge Turbos |
| 4th | Atlantic Attack |
| 5th | Rive Sud Révolution |
| 6th | Manitoba Herd |
| 7th | Waterloo Wildfire |
| 8th | Gatineau Fusion |
| 9th | Montreal Mission |
| 10th | Edmonton Black Gold Rush |
| 11th | Nepean Ravens |
| 12th | Saskatchewan Heat |
2022–23
The 2023 Canadian Ringette Championships were hosted in Regina, Saskatchewan from April 9–15, 2023.
2022–23 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 13 | Edmonton WAM! |
| Place | Team |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| | Montreal Mission |
| | Calgary RATH |
| 4th | Waterloo Wildfire |
2023–24
The 2024 Canadian Ringette Championships were hosted in Dieppe, New Brunswick from April 7–13, 2024.
2023–24 National Ringette League season :
| Number of teams | Season champions |
| 13 | Edmonton WAM! |
| Place | Team |
| | Edmonton WAM! |
| | Calgary RATH |
| | Waterloo Wildfire |
| 4th | Montreal Mission |
2023–24

## Broadcasting

The National Ringette League championship final has usually been broadcast on Rogers TV.

## Team history

Over thirty teams have competed in the NRL during different periods of the league's existence. The first NRL season began in November 2004 with 17 teams. During the second NRL season in 2005–06, two new teams joined the league bringing the league total to nineteen. The teams were then divided into four conferences. However, during the off season, three teams folded, citing low attendance revenue. While the Manitoba Jets and Manitoba Prairie Fire teams folded, a new team was later created in the province in their stead, the Manitoba Intact, which competed in the NRL Western Conference. For the 2021–22, the Intact were renamed the "Manitoba Herd".
For the 2021–22 season, the National Ringette League had a number of teams withdraw from the league for various reasons, primarily due to COVID-19. For the prior 2020–21 season, the NRL had fifteen teams competing, with the BC Thunder failing to put forward a team and withdrawing. In 2021–2022 a new team was formed in Ontario, the Nepean Ravens, and the NRL returned to Saskatchewan with a new team, the Saskatchewan Heat. For the 2022–23 season, the BC Thunder rejoined the league. On January 13, 2025, the League announced that the Rocky Mountain Rage would begin play in the 2025–26 season.
(* = returned to league)
NRL team history as of 2022–23 season :
* National Ringette League teams |

## Regular season team records

Initial record was from 2007–08 season. Stats updated as of end of 2017–18 season. Teams in italics no longer compete in the National Ringette League as of the 2021–22 season.
2017–18 season :
| Team | Season | GP | W | L | SOL | GDNP | Pt |
| Atlantic Attack | 7 | 186 | 95 | 82 | 9 | 0 | 199 |
| Rive-Sud Révolution | 11 | 309 | 109 | 188 | 12 | 1 | 230 |
| Montreal Mission | 11 | 308 | 244 | 53 | 11 | 2 | 499 |
| Edmonton Black Gold Rush | 3 | 74 | 19 | 47 | 8 | 0 | 46 |
| Calgary RATH | 10 | 250 | 161 | 67 | 22 | 0 | 340 |
| Edmonton WAM! | 10 | 250 | 151 | 85 | 14 | 0 | 316 |
| Cambridge Turbos | 11 | 309 | 261 | 31 | 17 | 1 | 539 |
| Gatineau Fusion | 10 | 279 | 72 | 193 | 14 | 0 | 158 |
| Waterloo Wildfire | 11 | 309 | 134 | 158 | 17 | 1 | 285 |
| BC Reign | 1 | 18 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Gloucester Devils | 10 | 288 | 150 | 117 | 21 | 0 | 321 |
| Manitoba Jets | 4 | 103 | 40 | 55 | 8 | 1 | 88 |
| Prairie Fire | 5 | 127 | 91 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 187 |
| Quebec City Cyclones | 6 | 182 | 87 | 80 | 15 | 0 | 189 |
| Saskatoon Wild | 4 | 104 | 24 | 76 | 4 | 0 | 52 |
| Whitby Wild | 4 | 123 | 23 | 89 | 11 | 0 | 57 |
| Bourassa Royal | 11 | 310 | 86 | 207 | 17 | 0 | 189 |
| Lac St.Louis Adrenaline | 11 | 308 | 89 | 204 | 15 | 2 | 193 |
| BC Thunder | 6 | 151 | 67 | 76 | 8 | 0 | 142 |
| Manitoba Intact | 2 | 48 | 26 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 56 |
| Ottawa Ice | 11 | 307 | 208 | 82 | 17 | 3 | 433 |
| Richmond Hill Lighting | 11 | 308 | 178 | 113 | 17 | 2 | 373 |

## Notable people
### Keely Brown

Keely Brown, a former Team Canada ringette goaltender and coach, played for the Edmonton WAM! for 10 years as its goaltender and helped form the National Ringette League in 2002 and 2003. She has been inducted into the Ringette Canada Hall of Fame.

### Terry McAdam

Terry McAdam from Saskatchewan was inducted into the Ringette Canada Hall of Fame in 2021. McAdam was instrumental in helping begin the development of the National Ringette League as well as one of its first teams, the Saskatoon Wild. During its time in the NRL, the Wild had also acquired Erin Cumpstone.

### Erin Cumpston

Erin Cumpstone was a player for the NRL's Saskatoon Wild and was also a member of Canada's 2010 National Ringette Team during the 2010 World Ringette Championships. Cumpstone also played ringette at the 1999 Canada Winter Games. She was also a highly accomplished softball player and played for Canada's women's national softball team which finished in 5th place at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Cumpston later became a coach for the National Ringette League's, Saskatchewan Heat.

### Salla Kyhälä

Salla Kyhälä is one of a number of ringette players from Finland who competed in the NRL. Kyhälä played for the now defunct NRL team, the Saskatoon Wild, and also played for the Finland national ringette team and SM Ringette

### Anna Vanhatalo

Anna Vanhatalo was a goaltender for the Montreal Mission. Originally from Finland, Vanhatalo also played for Finland's national ringette team in 2004 and 2007.

## Gallery

* 2019 NRL Silver: Atlantic Attack
* Atlantic Attack players: 2018
* Atlantic Attack: 2016 NRL Playoffs
* Montreal Mission player: 2012
* Montreal Mission: 2012
* Bourassa Royal vs Montreal Mission: 2012