Guides
How each league works
Short explainers for fans who want the format, the scoreboard, and how the trophy is won — without sitting through a half-hour primer.
Rules
North America
- Canada / United States
NHLThirty-two teams. Four rounds. One Stanley Cup.
- Canada / United States
PWHLTwelve clubs. A 3-2-1-0 table. One Walter Cup.
- Canada / United States
AHLThirty-two farm clubs. One Calder Cup. - Canada / United States
WHLTwenty-three major-junior clubs. One Ed Chynoweth Cup. A shot at the Memorial Cup. - Canada / United States
OHLTwenty major-junior clubs. One J. Ross Robertson Cup. A shot at the Memorial Cup. - Canada
QMJHLEighteen major-junior clubs. One President's Cup. A shot at the Memorial Cup.
College
Europe
- Europe
CHLThe continent's top clubs. One European title. - EurasiaKHLEurasia. One table. One Gagarin Cup.
- Sweden
SHLSweden. One table. One Le Mat Trophy. - FinlandLiigaFinland. One table. One Kanada-malja.
- Switzerland
NLSwitzerland. One table. One Swiss championship. - Germany
DELGermany. One table. One German championship. - Czechia
ExtraligaCzechia. One table. One Czech championship. - Austria+
ICEHLAustria+. One table. One ICE Hockey League title. - SlovakiaTIPOSSlovakia. One table. One Slovak championship.
- United Kingdom
EIHLUnited Kingdom. One table. One Elite League title. - France
MagnusFrance. One table. One Coupe Magnus. - Denmark
MetalDenmark. One table. One Danish championship. - NorwayEHLNorway. One table. One Norwegian championship.
- PolandPHLPoland. One table. One Polish championship.
- BelarusBXLBelarus. One table. One Extraleague title.
- Alps
AlpsHLAlps. One table. One Alps Hockey League title. - Belgium / NetherlandsBeNeBelgium / Netherlands. One table. One BeNe League title.
- Sweden
AllsvenskanSweden. One table. One SHL promotion. - Finland
MestisFinland. One table. One Liiga promotion. - Germany
DEL2Germany. One table. One DEL promotion. - Switzerland
SLSwitzerland. One table. One NL promotion. - CzechiaChanceCzechia. One table. One Extraliga promotion.