Bulgarian Hockey League

The Bulgarian Hockey League is the top-level ice hockey league in Bulgaria. The Balkan League, a multi-national amateur outfit, lies below it.

1956-57 BUL — A league match in 1956-57.

History[]

The Bulgarian Hockey League was first contested for the 1951-52 season. Prior to its formation, championships of various names had been organized since 1927.

Cerveno Zname Sofia was the top team in the league during its early years, winning the title eight times between 1952 and 1963, before merging with HC CSKA Sofia. CSKA then became the dominant force in the league for much of the 1960s and 1970s, winning 11 titles in 13 years. Only Metallurg Pernik, who won the title in 1968 and 1970, was able to break their streak of dominance.

Levski-Spartak Sofia won seven consecutive championships between 1976 and 1982. The title then changed hands between CSKA, Slavia, and Levski-Spartak from 1983 to 1992.

Between 1993 and 2012, HC Slavia Sofia won the title 15 times, only having their run broken by Levski in 1995, 1999, and 2003, and Akademika Sofia in 2006 and 2007. CSKA Sofia claimed back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014, which were their first since 1986.

The quality of the Bulgarian Hockey League, and Bulgarian hockey as a whole, is generally considered to have regressed in recent years. In 2013-14, only eight games were played in total, due to many forfeits and cancellations. The lack of adequate funds and the poor condition of Sofia's ice rinks has contributed to the league's decline.

1962-63 BUL — A league match in 1962-63.

List of teams[]

As of 2015-16, the Bulgarian Hockey League consists of the following teams:

Bulgarian League Champions[]

1952 Cherveno Zname Sofia
1953 HK Udarnik Sofia
1954 HK Udarnik Sofia
1955 HK Torpedo Sofia
1956 Cerveno Zname Sofia
1957 Cerveno Zname Sofia
1958 Not Played
1959 Cerveno Zname Sofia
1960 Cerveno Zname Sofia
1961 Cerveno Zname Sofia
1962 Cerveno Zname Sofia
1963 Cerveno Zname Sofia
1964 CDNA Sofia
1965 HK CSKA Sofia
1966 HK CSKA Sofia
1967 HK CSKA Sofia
1968 Metallurg Pernik
1969 HK CSKA Sofia
1970 HK Krakra Pernik
1971 HK CSKA Sofia
1972 HK CSKA Sofia
1973 HK CSKA Sofia
1974 HK CSKA Sofia
1975 HK CSKA Sofia
1976 Levski-Spartak Sofia
1977 Levski-Spartak Sofia
1978 Levski-Spartak Sofia
1979 Levski-Spartak Sofia
1980 Levski-Spartak Sofia

1981 Levski-Spartak Sofia
1982 Levski-Spartak Sofia
1983 HK CSKA Sofia
1984 HK CSKA Sofia
1985 HK Slavia Sofia
1986 HK CSKA Sofia
1987 HK Slavia Sofia
1988 HK Slavia Sofia
1989 Levski-Spartak Sofia
1990 Levski-Spartak Sofia
1991 HK Slavia Sofia
1992 Levski-Spartak Sofia
1993 HK Slavia Sofia
1994 HK Slavia Sofia
1995 HK Levski Sofia
1996 HK Slavia Sofia
1997 HK Slavia Sofia
1998 HK Slavia Sofia
1999 HK Levski Sofia
2000 HK Slavia Sofia
2001 HK Slavia Sofia
2002 HK Slavia Sofia
2003 HK Levski Sofia
2004 HK Slavia Sofia
2005 HK Slavia Sofia
2006 Akademika Sofia
2007 Akademika Sofia
2008 HK Slavia Sofia
2009 HK Slavia Sofia
2010 HK Slavia Sofia
2011 HK Slavia Sofia
2012 HK Slavia Sofia
2013 HK CSKA Sofia
2014 HK CSKA Sofia
2015 HK CSKA Sofia
2016 Irbis-Skate SK Sofia

Titles by team[]

Titles	Team	Year
21	Slavia Sofia HK Udarnik Sofia (1951-1957)	1953, 1954, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
16	CSKA Sofia CDNA Sofia	1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1983, 1984, 1986, 2013, 2014, 2015
13	HC Levski Sofia Levski-Spartak Sofia (1969-1990)	1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1999, 2003
8	Cerveno Zname Sofia	1952, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963
2	Akademika Sofia	2006, 2007
1	Irbis-Skate SK Sofia	2016
1	HK Krakra Pernik	1970
1	Metallurg Pernik	1968
1	Torpedo Sofia	1955