National League

The National League (NL) is a professional ice hockey league in Switzerland. It is the top tier of the Swiss hockey league system and of the two-tier National League. Prior to the 2017–18 season, the league was officially called National League A. The NL has the most attended hockey club in Europe, SC Bern, and is also the second most attended league within the same continent, only surpassed by the Swedish Elitserien.
==Season structure==
During the regular season, each of the 12 teams play 50 games. The top eight teams after the regular season qualify for the playoffs to determine the Swiss champion in best-of-seven series. The bottom four teams in the standings play a relegation tournament, called playouts, in which each team retains their regular season points and play an additional six matches. Following those matches, the two bottom ranked teams will play each other in a best-of-seven series, with the loser then playing the winner of the Swiss League playoffs in a best-of-seven series for a spot in the successive NL season.
==Current teams==
Team 	City 	Arena 	Capacity
HC Ambrì-Piotta 	Ambrì 	Valascia 	6,500
SC Bern 	Bern 	PostFinance Arena 	17,031
EHC Biel 	Biel/Bienne 	Tissot Arena 	6,521
HC Davos 	Davos 	Vaillant Arena 	6,800
Fribourg-Gottéron 	Fribourg 	BCF Arena 	6,500
Genève-Servette HC 	Geneva 	Patinoire des Vernets 	7,135
Lausanne HC 	Lausanne 	Temporary arena (2017–2019)	6,700
HC Lugano 	Lugano 	Cornèr Arena 	7,800
Rapperswil-Jona Lakers	Rapperswil-Jona 	St. Galler Kantonalbank Arena 	6,200
SCL Tigers 	Langnau im Emmental	Ilfis Stadium 	6,000
ZSC Lions 	Zürich 	Hallenstadion 	11,200
EV Zug 	Zug 	Bossard Arena 	7,200
==Past champions==
For a season-by-season articles, see List of NLA seasons.
*2024 - ZSC Lions
*2023 - Genève-Servette HC
*2022 - EV Zug
*2021 - EV Zug
*2020 - no winner
*2019 - SC Bern
*2018 - ZSC Lions
*2017 - SC Bern
*2016 - SC Bern
*2015 - HC Davos
*2014 – ZSC Lions
*2013 – SC Bern
*2012 - ZSC Lions
*2011 - HC Davos
*2010 - SC Bern
*2009 - HC Davos
*2008 - ZSC Lions
*2007 - HC Davos
*2006 - HC Lugano
*2005 - HC Davos
*2004 - SC Bern
*2003 - HC Lugano
*2002 - HC Davos
*2001 - ZSC Lions
*2000 - ZSC Lions
*1999 - HC Lugano
*1998 - EV Zug
*1997 - SC Bern
*1996 - Kloten Flyers
*1995 - Kloten Flyers
*1994 - Kloten Flyers
*1993 - Kloten Flyers
*1992 - SC Bern
*1991 - SC Bern
*1990 - HC Lugano
*1989 - SC Bern
*1988 - HC Lugano
*1987 - HC Lugano
*1986 - HC Lugano
*1985 - HC Davos
*1984 - HC Davos
*1983 - EHC Biel
*1982 - EHC Arosa
*1981 - EHC Biel
*1980 - EHC Arosa
*1979 - SC Bern
*1978 - EHC Biel
*1977 - SC Bern
*1976 - SCL Tigers
*1975 - SC Bern
*1974 - SC Bern
*1973 - HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
*1972 - HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
*1971 - HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
*1970 - HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
*1969 - HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
*1968 - HC La Chaux-de-Fonds
*1967 - Kloten Flyers
*1966 - Grasshopper-Club Zürich
*1965 - SC Bern
*1964 - HC Villars
*1963 - HC Villars
*1962 - EHC Visp
*1961 - ZSC Lions
*1960 - HC Davos
*1959 - SC Bern
*1958 - HC Davos
*1957 - EHC Arosa
*1956 - EHC Arosa
*1955 - EHC Arosa
*1954 - EHC Arosa
*1953 - EHC Arosa
*1952 - EHC Arosa
*1951 - EHC Arosa
*1950 - HC Davos
*1949 - ZSC Lions
*1948 - HC Davos
*1947 - HC Davos
*1946 - HC Davos
*1945 - HC Davos
*1944 - HC Davos
*1943 - HC Davos
*1942 - HC Davos
*1941 - HC Davos
*1940 - not played (see: 1939-40 Swiss National Tournament)
*1939 - HC Davos
*1938 - HC Davos
==References==
==External links==
* National League, official website
* National League, official website
* Puck.ch Results of Swiss Ice Hockey - in English, French, German and Italian
* Meltzer, Bill. "Hockey a Hot Ticket in Switzerland" at NHL.com. Retrieved 04-06-06.
* Meltzer, Bill. "Former NHLers Shining in Switzerland" at NHL.com. Retrieved 10-25-06.
* Pat Schafhauser Foundation
* An Analysis Of The Swiss NLA
* All-time standings 1909-2008
Category:Ice hockey leagues