The Latvian Hockey Higher League (), also known as the Optibet Hockey League () since 2017 due to sponsorship by Optibet, is the top tier league of ice hockey in Latvia. The league is competed by nine teams from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Ukraine.

Previously it was also known as the Latvian Open Hockey Championships (Latvijas atklātais čempionāts hokejā) and the Samsung Premier League (Samsung Premjerlīga) from 2006 to 2008. The league was established in 1931.

HK Liepājas Metalurgs, which played in the league between 1999 and 2013, has been the most successful team of the tournament, having won seven titles.

A number of players who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) have played in the league, including Latvians Rodrigo Ābols, Kaspars Astašenko, Uvis Balinskis, Helmuts Balderis, Oskars Bārtulis, Kaspars Daugaviņš, Kristers Gudļevskis, Viktors Ignatjevs, Artūrs Irbe, Raitis Ivanāns, Mārtiņš Karsums, Ronalds Ķēniņš, Aleksandrs Kerčs, Matīss Kivlenieks, Artūrs Kulda, Kārlis Skrastiņš, Pēteris Skudra, Jānis Sprukts, Artūrs Šilovs, as well as imports Darby Hendrickson, Konstantin Pushkaryov, Rob Schremp.

Teams

Teams in 2026–27 Team City Arena Capacity Affiliate(s) Founded Joined Energija Elektrėnai Ice Palace 2,000 1977 2022 Hockey Punks – Mototoja Vilnius Pramogų Arena 2,500 2010 2022 Kyiv Capitals Kyiv Inbox.lv Ice Hall 1,000 2023 2025 Liepājas HK Liepāja LOC Ice Hall 2,283 2017 2025 Mogo/RSU Riga Mogo Ice Hall 600 HK Mārupe (JAHL) 2014 Panter Tallinn Škoda Ice Hall 500 2001 2023 Prizma/RTU Riga Volvo Sports Centre 1,000 HK Prizma Riga-2 (JAHL) 1996 Rīgas HS/Dinaburga Riga Daugavpils Riga Hockey HallDaugavpils Ice Arena 3002,734 HS Riga 17 (JAHL) 2026 Zemgale/LBTU Jelgava Jelgava Ice Hall 1,300 HK Zemgale Juniors (JAHL) 2001

Former teams

Team City Joined Left League titles ASK Rīga Riga 1931 1940 5 LSB Rīga Riga 1931 1940 0 RFK Rīga Riga 1931 1936 0 Unions Rīga Riga 1931 1939 2 US Rīga Riga 1931 1942 3 Dinamo Rīga (original) Riga 1940 1941 1 Sāga Ķekava Ķekava 1991 1996 1 Pārdaugava Rīga Riga 1991 1995 2 Essamika Ogre Ogre 1992 2000 1 Juniors Rīga Riga 1992 2000 0 Nik's Brih Rīga Riga 1992 2000 3 Alianse Rīga Riga 1994 1996 1 Lido/Nafta Rīga Riga 1994 2001 0 HK Liepājas Metalurgs Liepāja 1999 2013 7 HK Rīga 2000 Riga 2000 2009 5 Vilki/OP Rīga Riga 2000 2006 0 ASK/Ogre Ogre 2003 2011 0 DHK Latgale Daugavpils 2005 2012 0 HK Ozolnieki/Monarhs Ozolnieki 2008 2014 0 Dinamo Juniors Rīga Riga 2010 2014 1 HK SMScredit.lv Riga 2012 2013 1 HK Dinaburga Daugavpils 20132019 20142023 0 Kurbads Riga 20132023 20202024 2 HK Liepāja Liepāja 2014 2022 1 HS Rīga Riga 2015 2026 0 HK Lido Riga 2017 2019 0 HK Olimp/Venta 2002 Riga 2019 2022 1 Dinamo Riga Riga 2022 2023 0 Kaunas City Kaunas 2022 2024 0

League champions

1931–32 – Unions Rīga 1932–33 – Unions Rīga 1933–34 – ASK Rīga 1934–35 – ASK Rīga 1935–36 – ASK Rīga 1936–37 – US Rīga 1937–38 – ASK Rīga 1938–39 – ASK Rīga 1939–40 – US Rīga 1940–41 – Dinamo Rīga 1941–42 – US Rīga 1942–43 – not finished due to World War II 1943–1991 – not played during the Soviet occupation of Latvia, substituted with other Soviet tournaments 1991–92 – HK Sāga Ķekava Riga 1992–93 – HK Pārdaugava Rīga 1993–94 – HK Pārdaugava Rīga 1994–95 – HK Nik's Brih Riga 1995–96 – Alianse Riga 1996–97 – LB/Essamika 1997–98 – HK Nik's Brih Riga 1998–99 – HK Nik's Brih Riga 1999–2000 – Liepājas Metalurgs 2000–01 – HK Riga 2000 2001–02 – Liepājas Metalurgs 2002–03 – Liepājas Metalurgs 2003–04 – HK Riga 2000 2004–05 – HK Riga 2000 2005–06 – HK Riga 2000 2006–07 – HK Riga 2000 2007–08 – Liepājas Metalurgs 2008–09 – Liepājas Metalurgs 2009–10 – Dinamo-Juniors Riga 2010–11 – Liepājas Metalurgs 2011–12 – Liepājas Metalurgs 2012–13 – HK SMScredit.lv 2013–14 – HS Rīga/Prizma 2014–15 – HK Mogo 2015–16 – HK Liepāja 2016–17 – HK Kurbads 2017–18 – HK Kurbads 2018–19 – HK Mogo 2019–20 – not finished 2020–21 – HK Olimp/Venta 2002 2021–22 – HK Zemgale/LLU 2022–23 – HK Zemgale/LLU 2023–24 – HK Mogo 2024–25 – HK Mogo 2025–26 – HK Mogo

Titles by team Titles Club Years 7 Liepājas Metalurgs 2000, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 5 ASK Rīga 1934, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939 5 HK Riga 2000 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 5 HK Mogo 2015, 2019, 2024, 2025, 2026 3 US Rīga 1937, 1940, 1942 3 HK Nik's Brih Riga 1995, 1998, 1999 2 Unions Rīga 1932, 1933 2 HK Pardaugava Riga 1993, 1994 2 HK Kurbads 2017, 2018 2 HK Zemgale/LLU 2022, 2023 1 Dinamo Riga 1941 1 HK Sāga Ķekava Riga 1992 1 Alianse Riga 1996 1 LB/Essamika 1997 1 Dinamo-Juniors Riga 2010 1 SMScredit.lv Riga 2013 1 HS Rīga/Prizma 2014 1 HK Liepāja 2016 1 HK Olimp/Venta 2002 2021

References

External links

Latvian league news and stats from Eurohockey Latvian league stats from Elite Prospects