Czech 1.liga

The 1. národní hokejová liga (First National Hockey League) is the second-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic under the Extraliga. It began in 1993 and is run and administered by Czech Ice Hockey Association.
==Format==
In the first phase, every team plays each other four times, which makes for a 52 game section of the regular season. The fifty two game phase will allow each team to play two home games against each team, which also allows every team to play two road games in every opposing team's arena.
In the end of their 52 game regular season, the first six teams directly qualify for the play-offs, while teams which ended placed 7 to 10 will play a round robin to determine the final two participants in the play-offs.
The First Hockey League, unlike other leagues around the world, has two winners. The play-offs end with the semifinals, with the two winning teams being declared winners. The two teams then go on to face the last and the second-to-last placed team in the czech Extraliga in a round robin. The two highest placed teams at the end of the round robin are promoted to the Extraliga for the next season.
The last team at the end of the regular season is directly relegated to the Second League for the following season. They are replaced by winner of a bast-of-7 series between the winners of the East and the West division of the Second League.
Three points are awarded for a win in regular time, and two points for an overtime victory, while the defeated team in overtime gets one point. If necessary, penalty shots are used to decide games after overtime.
The level of 1.národní hokejová liga is slightly lower than Czech Extraliga but there is a lot of players moving between those two leagues every season. Each team in this league is allowed to have 5 imports. The league has no wage limitations, average wage is $ 2200 a month, but some of the best players reportedly signed contracts for more than $ 5000 a month, plus most of the teams cover accommodation expenses for their players during the season.
==Current teams (2023-24)==
Team 	City 	Arena 	Capacity	Affiliate Team
HC Baník Sokolov 	Sokolov 	Zimni stadion Sokolov 	5,000 	independent
VHK ROBE Vsetín 	Vsetín 	Zimní stadion Na Lapači 	5,386 	independent
HC Slavia Praha 	Prague 	Zimní stadion Eden 	4,000 	independent
HC Stadion Litoměřice 	Litoměřice 	Kalich arena 	1,750 	independent
HC ZUBR Přerov 	Přerov 	Zimní stadion Přerov 	3,000 	independent
HC Frýdek-Místek 	Frýdek-Místek	Hala Polárka 	2,056 	HC Oceláři Třinec (ELH)
LHK Jestřábi Prostějov 	Prostějov 	Zimní hokejový stadion Prostějov	5,125 	independent
HC Dukla Jihlava 	Jihlava 	CZ LOKO Arena 	6,500 	independent
SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč	Třebíč 	Zimní stadion města Třebíče 	5,000 	independent
HC RT TORAX Poruba 	Poruba 	Zimní stadion Ostrava - Poruba 	5,000 	independent
HC Dynamo Pardubice B 	Chrudim 	Zimní stadion Chrudim 	1,744 	HC Dynamo Pardubice (ELH)
SC Kolín 	Kolín 	Zimní stadion Kolín 	5,500 	Mountfield HK (ELH)
Orli Znojmo 	Znojmo 	Nevoga Arena 	4,500 	independent
PSG Berani Zlín 	Zlín 	Zimní stadion Luďka Čajky 	7,000 	independent
==Champions==
* 1993-94 Vsetínská hokejová and HC Slavia Praha
* 1994-95 HC Kometa Brno and TZ Třinec
* 1995-96 HC Přerov and HC Opava
* 1996-97 HC Karlovy Vary and HC Kralupy nad Vltavou
* 1997-98 HC Znojemští Orli
* 1998-99 HC Znojemští Orli
* 1999-2000 HC Dukla Jihlava
* 2000-01 KLH Chomutov
* 2001-02 HC Bílí Tygři Liberec
* 2002-03 HC Vagnerplast Kladno
* 2003-04 HC Dukla Jihlava
* 2004-05 HC České Budějovice
* 2005-06 HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem
* 2006-07 HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem
* 2007-08 BK Mladá Boleslav
* 2008-09 HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi
* 2009-10 KLH Chomutov
* 2010-11 HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi
* 2011-12 Piráti Chomutov
* 2012-13 BK Mladá Boleslav
* 2013-14 BK Mladá Boleslav
* 2014-15 ČEZ Motor České Budějovice and Piráti Chomutov
* 2015-16 HC Dukla Jihlava and HC Slavia Praha
* 2016-17 Motor České Budějovice
* 2017-18 HC Energie Karlovy Vary
* 2018-19 Motor České Budějovice
* 2019–20 Motor České Budějovice
* 2020–21 Rytíři Kladno
* 2021–22 HC Dukla Jihlava
* 2022–23 PSG Berani Zlín
* 2023–24 VHK Vsetín
== External links ==
* Hokej.cz
* Hokej iDNES.cz
Category:Ice hockey leagues