English National Ice Hockey League

The English National Ice Hockey League is an amateur ice hockey league below the English Premier Ice Hockey League which is administered by the English Ice Hockey Association. It is split into two conferences, north and south. The league is now the third tier in ice hockey after the demise of the British National League
The league has now been further split for 2008/2009 with 2 divisions in both the north and south with promotion/relegation between the two divisions.
==History==
The ENIHL was formed in 1996. 
In April 2007, the EIHA lowered the upper age limit within the junior leagues, abolishing the under 19 age limit to become under 18. Due to the large gap from junior level to the EPIHL, many teams were forced to enter a reserve team into the ENIHL. This increased the size of the league from 22 teams through to 30 teams for the 2007/2008 season.
Later in the 2007 off-season, the EIHA suggested introducing an under 25 age limit across the league. However, this age limit was removed within weeks in favour of a drive towards developing players.
==Rules==
Follows International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) rules, as used by countries in all major European leagues. There are significant differences between the National Hockey League rules and IIHF rules, including rink dimension, netminder puck handling, and icing. 
The ENIHL also operates under additional EIHA regulations.
Additional discipline rules are also enforced by the EIHA, which include;
* Team fines of up to £5,000 for failure to complete a fixture
* A points system for misconduct and match penalties
* Player suspensions based upon accumulation of points
** 10 points - 2 game suspension
** 15 points - 3 game suspension
** 20 points - 4 game suspension
** 25 points - 5 game suspension
* Penalty Points for coach/managers and bench officials
* For every 20 penalty points accumulated against the team (players, coaches,managers and bench official) - £25 fine
* 50 team penalty points - £100 fine
* 75 team penalty points - £250 fine plus suspension
* 100 team penalty points - £250 plus the £250 suspended fine awarded at 75 points = £500 total fine
==Season Structure==
Any team play each of the other teams in their league a total of four times; twice home, twice away.
At the end of the regular season, the top 4 from each division enter the playoffs, the quarter finals of which are over two legs. The semi finals are a single match between teams from the same division, and the champions are decided by a single final. 
Relegation is decided by two games between top of league two and bottom of league one for each division; winner goes up, loser goes down.
There is also an ENIHL cup with two groups of five teams who play each other team twice. The winners of the two groups play each other in two final games.
==Players==
The league itself is considered to be a development league, and as such the players are normally amateur. Many teams have affiliate teams in higher leagues. Other teams are aligned with junior ice hockey clubs, and exist to ensure that when players hit 18 there is still a possibility for them to play competitive hockey if they have not joined a professional team. Examples of this include the Bracknell Hornets and the Lancashire Raptors.
==Clubs==
Teams correct for 2009/10 season.
League 	Team 	Town/City 	Home Arena 	Capacity 	
North Division	North Division 	North Division 	North Division 	North Division	North Division
North 1 	Blackburn Hawks 	Blackburn, Lancashire 	Blackburn Arena 	3200 	
North 1 	Coventry Blaze 	Coventry, West Midlands 	SkyDome Arena, Coventry 	3000 	
North 1 	Kingston Jets 	Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire	Hull Arena, Kingston upon Hull 	N/A 	
North 1 	Nottingham Lions 	Nottingham, Nottinghamshire 	National Ice Centre, Nottingham 	1000 	
North 1 	Sheffield Spartans 	Sheffield, South Yorkshire 	iceSheffield, Sheffield 	1500 	
North 1 	Telford Titans 	Telford, Shropshire 	Telford Ice Rink 	2250 	
North 1 	Trafford Metros 	Manchester, Lancashire 	Altrincham Ice Dome, Manchester 	2150 	
North 1 	Whitley Warriors 	Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear 	Whitley Bay Ice Rink 	3200 	Current Champions (north)
North 2 	Bradford Bulldogs 	Bradford, West Yorkshire 	Bradford Ice Arena, Bradford 	N/A 	
North 2 	Flintshire Freeze 	Queensferry, Flintshire 	Deeside Leisure Centre, Flintshire 	N/A 	
North 2 	Grimsby Red Wings 	Grimsby, Lincolnshire 	Grimsby Leisure Centre, Grimsby 	N/A 	
North 2 	Lancashire Raptors 	Blackburn, Lancashire 	Blackburn Arena, Blackburn 	3200 	
North 2 	Newcastle Vipers 2 	Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear 	Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle 	4500 	
North 2 	Solihull Barons 	Solihull, West Midlands 	Blue Ice, Solihull 	N/A 	
North 2 	Sutton Sting 	Sheffield, South Yorkshire 	iceSheffield, Sheffield 	1500 	
South Division	South Division 	South Division 	South Division 	South Division	South Division
South 1 	Bracknell Hornets 	Bracknell, Berkshire 	John Nike Leisuresport Complex 	2400 	
South 1 	Cardiff Devils 1 	Cardiff, South Wales 	Cardiff Arena 	2500 	
South 1 	Chelmsford Chieftains 	Chelmsford, Essex 	Riverside Ice & Leisure Centre 	1200 	
South 1 	Haringey Greyhounds 	Wood Green, London 	Alexandra Palace, London 	1750 	
South 1 	Invicta Dynamos 	Gillingham, Kent 	The Ice Bowl, Gillingham 	1500 	
South 1 	Milton Keynes Thunder 	Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire 	Planet Ice Thunderdome, Milton Keynes	2200 	
South 1 	Oxford City Stars 	Oxford, Oxfordshire 	Oxford Ice Rink 	1025 	
South 1 	Peterborough Islanders 	Peterborough, Cambridgeshire 	Planet Ice, Peterborough 	1250 	
South 1 	Streatham Redskins 	Streatham, London 	High Street Ice Rink, Streatham 	1200 	
South 1 	Wightlink Raiders 	Ryde, Isle of Wight 	Ryde Arena 	1000 	
South 2 	Basingstoke Buffalo 	Basingstoke, Hampshire 	Planet Ice Silverdome, Basingstoke 	2000 	
South 2 	Bristol Pitbulls 	Bristol 	John Nike Leisure Centre, Bristol 	1000 	
South 2 	Cardiff Devils 2 	Cardiff, South Wales 	Cardiff Arena 	2500 	
South 2 	Chelmsford Warriors 	Chelmsford, Essex 	Riverside Ice & Leisure Centre 	1200 	
South 2 	Invicta Mustangs 	Gillingham, Kent 	The Ice Bowl, Gillingham 	1500 	
South 2 	Lee Valley Lions 	Leyton, London 	Lee Valley Ice Centre, Waltham Forest	1000 	
South 2 	Romford Fury 	Romford, London 	Romford Ice Arena, Romford 	1500 	
South 2 	Slough Harrier Hawks 	Slough, Berkshire 	Slough Ice Rink, Slough 	1000 	
South 2 	Solent & Gosport Devils	Gosport, Hampshire 	Gosport Ice Rink, Gosport 	N/A 	
South 2 	Streatham Bruins 	Streatham, London 	High Street Ice Rink, Streatham 	1200 	
South 2 	Swindon Wildcats 	Swindon, Wiltshire 	Link Centre, Swindon 	1250 	
South 2 	Wightlink Tigers 	Ryde, Isle of Wight 	Ryde Arena 	1000 	
==League Champions==
Season 	Northern Champions 	Southern Champions 	Playoff Champions 	English National Cup Champions
1996-97	Kingston Jets 	Romford Raiders 	Wightlink Raiders 	NA
1997-98	Solihull Barons 	Invicta Dynamos 	Solihull Barons 	NA
1998-99	Billingham Bombers 	Cardiff Devils 	Billingham Bombers 	NA
1999-00	Billingham Bombers 	Haringey Greyhounds 	Whitley Warriors 	NA
2000-01	Billingham Bombers 	Basingstoke Buffalo 	Whitley Warriors 	Whitley Warriors
2001-02	Whitley Warriors 	Basingstoke Buffalo 	Whitley Warriors 	Whitley Warriors
2002-03	Sheffield Scimitars	Basingstoke Buffalo 	Basingstoke Buffalo	NA
2003-04	Flintshire Freeze 	Invicta Dynamos 	Sheffield Scimitars	Sheffield Scimitars
2004-05	Sheffield Scimitars	Invicta Dynamos 	Sheffield Scimitars	Sheffield Scimitars
2005-06	Billingham Bombers 	Invicta Dynamos 	Invicta Dynamos 	Invicta Dynamos
2006-07	Newcastles Vipers 	Invicta Dynamos 	Sheffield Scimitars	Sheffield Scimitars
2007-08	Nottingham Lions 	Peterborough Islanders	Whitley Warriors 	Sheffield Scimitars
2008-09	Sheffield Scimitars	Invicta Dynamos 	Nottingham Lions 	Sheffield Scimitars
== References ==
Category:Ice hockey leagues
Category:Ice hockey in Great Britain
Category:Established in 1996