Ukrainian Hockey League

The Ukrainian Hockey League is the name of the highest ice hockey league in Ukraine since the 2016–17 season, playing for the Ukrainian Hockey Championship. The league was created in June 2016.[1]

Ukrainian Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Founded2016
Inaugural season2016–17
No. of teams8
CountryUkraine
ContinentEurope
Most recent
champion(s)		HC Donbass (2020–21)
Most titlesHC Donbass (4)
Official websiteuhl.com.ua

Seasons

Teams
Location of teams in 2020–21 Ukrainian Hockey League
Team Home city Founded Arena Capacity
Bilyi Bars Bila Tserkva 2008 Ice Arena Bila Tserkva 500
Dnipro Kherson Kherson 2018 Favorite Arena 400
Donbas Druzhkivka 2005 Altair Arena 400
Kramatorsk Kramatorsk 2020 KOVZANKA named after S. Petrov 430
Kremenchuk Kremenchuk 2010 Aisberg Arena 300
Kryzhani Vovky Brovary 2017 Ice Arena Terminal 1,500
Mariupol Mariupol 2020 Mariupol Ice Center 300
Sokil Kyiv Kyiv 1963

(reestablished in 2020)

 ATEK 500

2021-22 Racism Controversy

On September 26, 2021, Kremenchuk and Ukraine national hockey team forward Andri Deniskin made a racist gesture of eating a banana in front of former Arizona Coyotes prospect Jalen Smereck. Smereck who is Black took offence to this and so did many other black players. Current and former NHL players Nazem Kadri, J.T. Brown, Anthony Duclair, Georges Laraque and Akim Aliu came to Smereck's support, along with them at the time UHL general manager Yevgeni (Eugene) Kolychev also came to his aide. On September 29, Deniskin was given a 13-game suspension with an option to void 10 games of it for the Ukrainian equivalent of US$1,870. This outraged many hockey fans, players and teams alike, and due to this Smereck stated that he wouldn't play in the UHL until Deniskin was given a heavier punishment. On September 30, 2021, the aforementioned Kolychev was fired by the league, causing more outrage online. However, he stated he will continue supporting Smereck regardless. On October 10, 2021, Smereck and Donbass agreed to a mutual termination, ending his time in the UHL.

See also

References
  1. "Восемь клубов создали Украинскую хоккейную лигу". XSPORT.ua.


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