View source for Slovak Extraliga

{{Short description|Ice hockey league in Slovakia}}
{{For|the basketball league, formerly also called Extraliga|Slovak Basketball League}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox Sports league
| current_season  = 2025–26 Slovak Extraliga season
| title           = Tipsport Liga
| logo            = Logo of the Slovak Hockey League, Tipsport Liga.jpg
| pixels          = 155px
| formerly        = [[Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League]]
| sport           = Ice hockey
| founded         = 1993
| teams           = 12
| relegation      = [[Slovak 1. Liga]]
| country         = [[Slovakia]]
| TV              = [[TV JOJ]] (Slovakia)<br />[[Sport1 (Eastern Europe)|Sport1]] (Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia)
| champion        = [[HC Košice]]<br>(10th title)
| most_champs     = [[HC Košice]] (10 titles)
| ceo             = 
| related_comps   = [[Slovak 1. Liga]]<br />[[Slovak 2. Liga]]
| website         = [https://www.hockeyslovakia.sk/sk/stats/home/995/tipos-extraliga hockeyslovakia.sk]
}}
The '''Slovak Extraliga''', known as the '''Tipsport liga''' since the [[2025–26 Slovak Extraliga season|2025–26 season]] for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level [[ice hockey]] league in [[Slovakia]]. From [[2018–19 Slovak Extraliga season|2018–19]] to 2020–21, the league included one or two teams from Hungary.<ref>{{cite web|title=VIDEO: Potvrdené, dva kluby z Maďarska rozšíria slovenskú Tipsport ligu| date=14 June 2018| url=https://sport.aktuality.sk/c/341633/potvrdene-dva-kluby-z-madarska-rozsiria-slovensku-tipsport-ligu/|access-date = 14 Jun 2018}}</ref>

Teams from the Extraliga can participate in the [[International Ice Hockey Federation|IIHF]]'s annual [[Champions Hockey League]] (CHL). Participation is based on the strength of the various leagues in Europe (excluding the [[KHL]]). In the [[2022–23 Champions Hockey League|2022–23 CHL season]], the Extraliga was [[Champions Hockey League#League ranking|ranked the No. 10 league]] in Europe, so the champion of the previous season competed in the CHL.

The 1993–94 season was the first of the Slovak Extraliga following the [[Dissolution of Czechoslovakia|peaceful dissolution]] of [[Czechoslovakia]] midway through the [[1992–93 Czechoslovak Extraliga season]]{{snd}}which all [[Slovakia|Slovak]] and [[Czech Republic|Czech]] teams played to completion.

==Game==
{{main|Ice hockey}}

Every regular season game is composed of three 20-minute periods, with an intermission of a maximum of 18 minutes between periods.<ref>{{cite web | title=PRAVIDLÁ ĽADOVÉHO HOKEJA | publisher= Slovak Ice Hockey Federation | language=sk | url=https://www.hockeyslovakia.sk/userfiles/file/Pravidla/Pravidlá%20ĽH_%20verzia%20pre%20tlač_12.pdf | access-date=2018-03-07}}</ref> If the game is tied following the 60-minute regulation time, a five-minute three-on-three [[sudden death (sport)|sudden death]] [[Overtime (ice hockey)|overtime]] period is played.  If a game is still tied after the overtime, a [[shootout (ice hockey)|shootout]] decides the winner of the game. In a shootout, the team that scores the most [[penalty shot (ice hockey)|penalty shots]] out of five attempts wins the game. If a game is still tied after five penalty-shot rounds, the shootout continues round by round, until one team scores while the other team fails to score.

==Teams==

{{ Location map+
 | Slovakia
 | float=right
 | width=400
 | caption=<small>Teams competing in Tipos Extraliga in the 2025–26 season.</small>
 | places=
   {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=49|lat_min=04|lat_sec=3|lon_deg=21|lon_min=21|lon_sec=28|position=top|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|[[HC Prešov|Prešov]]}}}}
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=48|lat_min=53|lat_sec=31|lon_deg=18|lon_min=02|lon_sec=12|position=left|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label=[[HK Dukla Trenčín|Trenčín]]}}
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=48|lat_min=18|lat_sec=25|lon_deg=18|lon_min=05|lon_sec=11|position=right|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label=[[HK Nitra|Nitra]]}}
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=49|lat_min=13|lat_sec=22|lon_deg=18|lon_min=44|lon_sec=24|position=top|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|mark=Red pog.svg|label=[[Vlci Žilina|Žilina]]}}
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=48|lat_min=43|lat_sec=57|lon_deg=19|lon_min=08|lon_sec=57|position=left|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|[[HC ’05 Banská Bystrica|Banská Bystrica]]}}}}
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=48|lat_min=34|lat_sec=14|lon_deg=19|lon_min=07|lon_sec=03|position=right|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label=[[HKM Zvolen|Zvolen]]}}
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=48|lat_min=45|lat_sec=19|lon_deg=21|lon_min=54|lon_sec=48|position=right|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label=[[HK Dukla Michalovce|Michalovce]]}}      
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=49|lat_min=03|lat_sec=34|lon_deg=20|lon_min=17|lon_sec=51|position=top|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label=[[HK Poprad|Poprad]]}}   
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=48|lat_min=43|lat_sec=00|lon_deg=21|lon_min=15|lon_sec=00|position=bottom|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label=[[HC Košice|Košice]]}}  
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=49|lat_min=05|lat_sec=03|lon_deg=19|lon_min=36|lon_sec=08|position=left|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|[[MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš|Liptovský Mikuláš]]}}}}
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=48|lat_min=08|lat_sec=38|lon_deg=17|lon_min=06|lon_sec=35|position=top|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label=[[HC Slovan Bratislava|Bratislava]]}}
    {{Location map~|Slovakia|lat_deg=48|lat_min=56|lat_sec=38|lon_deg=20|lon_min=34|lon_sec=03|position=bottom|background=#FFFFFF|label_size=70|label={{nowrap|[[HK Spišská Nová Ves|Spišská Nová Ves]]}}}}
}}

===2025–26 season===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Team Name
! City
! Venue
! Capacity
|-
| '''[[HC Košice]]'''
| [[Košice]]
| [[Steel Aréna|Steel Arena]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 8,378
|-
|'''[[HC Prešov]]'''
| [[Prešov]]
| Zimný štadión Prešov	
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,600
|-
| '''[[HC Slovan Bratislava]]'''
| [[Bratislava]]
| [[Ondrej Nepela Arena|Tipos Arena]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 10,055
|-
| '''[[HC ’05 Banská Bystrica|HC 05 Banská Bystrica]]'''
| [[Banská Bystrica]]
| [[Banská Bystrica Ice Stadium|Tipsport Arena Banská Bystrica]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,016
|-
| '''[[Vlci Žilina]]'''
| [[Žilina]]
| [[Niké Aréna (Žilina)|Niké Arena]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 6,200
|-
| '''[[HK Dukla Trenčín]]'''
| [[Trenčín]]
| [[Pavol Demitra Ice Stadium|Zimný štadión Pavla Demitru]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 6,150
|-
| '''[[HK Nitra]]'''
| [[Nitra]]
| [[Nitra Aréna|Tipsport Arena Nitra]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,600
|-
| '''[[HK Poprad]]'''
| [[Poprad]]
| [[Poprad Ice Stadium|Zimný štadión Poprad]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 4,233
|-
| '''[[HKm Zvolen|HKM Zvolen]]'''
| [[Zvolen]]
 |TiposBet Arena Zvolen
| style="text-align:right;" | 5,675
|-
| '''[[MHk 32 Liptovský Mikuláš|MHK 32 Liptovský Mikuláš]]'''
| [[Liptovský Mikuláš]]
| [[Liptovský Mikuláš Ice Stadium|JL Aréna]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,680
|-
| '''[[HK Dukla Michalovce]]'''
| [[Michalovce]]
| TiposBet Arena Michalovce
| style="text-align:right;" | 4,000
|-
| '''[[HK Spišská Nová Ves]]'''
|  [[Spišská Nová Ves]]
| [[Spiš Aréna|TiposBet Arena Spišská Nová Ves]]
| style="text-align:right;" | 5,503
|}

==Season structure==
The Tipsport Liga season is divided into a [[regular season]] from late September through the beginning of March, when teams play against each other in a pre-defined schedule, and [[playoff]]s from March to April, which is an elimination tournament at which two teams play against each other to win the [[best-of-seven playoff|best-of-seven series]] in order to advance to the next round. The winner of playoffs is crowned the [[List of Slovak ice hockey champions|Slovak champion]], (''Slovenský majster'' in Slovak) and receives the Vladimir Dzurilla Trophy.

===Regular season===
The regular season is a [[round-robin tournament|round-robin]] and each team plays 54 games. Three points are awarded for winning in regulation time, two points for winning in overtime or a shootout, one point for losing in overtime or a shootout, and zero points for losing in regulation time. At the end of the regular season, the team that finishes with the most points is crowned the league champion. The six highest-ranked teams by points qualify directly for the playoffs. The four teams ranked 7–10 play a [[best-of-five playoff|best-of-five series]] and battle for the two remaining playoffs spots. The lowest ranked team after the regular season is a relegated to the second-tier league [[Slovenská hokejová liga]]. <ref name="New playoff qualification format" />

If two or more teams end up tied in points, the seeds are determined by the following [[tiebreaker|tiebreaker format]]:
#Head-to-head points

===Play-in===
Starting in the [[2018–19 Slovak Extraliga season|2018–19 season]], the four teams ranked 7–10 in the regular season play a [[best-of-five playoff|best-of-five series]], known as play-in, and battle for the two remaining playoff spots. The seventh-ranked team faces the tenth-ranked team, and the eighth-ranked team faces the ninth-ranked team. The seventh-ranked team and the eighth-ranked team receive [[home advantage|home-ice advantage]] and play three of the five games at their home venue if it is necessary to determine a winner of the series. The winners of the two best-of-five series take the two remaining playoffs spots.<ref name="New playoff qualification format">{{cite web |url=https://www.hockeyslovakia.sk/sk/article/hokej-tl-nova-sezona-premierovo-s-madarskymi-ucastnikmi-adepti-na-titul-si-v-lete-udrzali-klucovych-hracov |title= Nová sezóna premiérovo s maďarskými účastníkmi, adepti na titul si v lete udržali kľúčových hráčov |language=sk |date=2018-09-03 |access-date=2018-09-03}}</ref>

===Playoffs===
The Tipsport Liga [[playoffs]] is an elimination tournament, at which two teams battle to win a [[best-of-seven playoff|best-of-seven series]] in order to advance to the next round. In the first round of the playoffs (quarterfinals), the top seed faces the lowest-ranked winner of the two best-of-three series (eighth seed, ninth seed or tenth seed); the second-ranked seed faces the other winner of the two best-of-five series; the third-ranked seed faces the sixth-ranked seed; and the fourth-ranked seed faces the fifth-ranked team. In the second round (semifinals), the teams are re-seeded, with the top remaining seed playing against the lowest remaining seed, and the other two remaining teams pairing up. In the third round (finals), the two remaining teams face each other.

In each series, the higher-ranked team of the two has [[home advantage|home-ice advantage]]. Four of the seven games are played at this team's home venue – the first and second, and, when necessary, the fifth and seventh games and all the other games are played at the lower-ranked team's home venue.

==Names and sponsorship==
The name of the league is leased to sponsors and changes frequently. From 1993–94 to 1997–98, it was called ''Extraliga'', then the name changed to ''West Extraliga'' until the end of the [[2000–01 Slovak Extraliga season|2000–01 season]]. In [[2001–02 Slovak Extraliga season|2001–02]], its name was ''Boss Extraliga''. From [[2002–03 Slovak Extraliga season|2002–03]] to [[2004–05 Slovak Extraliga season|2004–05]], the name was ''ST Extraliga'' and in [[2005–06 Slovak Extraliga season|2005–06]] the name was ''T-Com Extraliga'' (same corporate sponsor, rebranded themselves). After starting the [[2006–07 Slovak Extraliga season|2006–07 season]] without a sponsorship, reverting to straightforward Extraliga, the name changed midway through the season to ''Slovnaft Extraliga'', when a general sponsorship agreement with [[Slovnaft]] was signed on 16 January 2007; this name continued through the end of the [[2010–11 Slovak Extraliga season|2010–11 season]]. From [[2011–12 Slovak Extraliga season|2011–12]] to [[2014–15 Slovak Extraliga season|2014–15]], it carried the two part name Tipsport Extraliga and Slovnaft Play-off, reflecting a specific sponsorship arrangement for the playoffs; this name was slightly adjusted, starting with the [[2015–16 Slovak Extraliga season|2015–16 season]], to Tipsport Liga and Slovnaft Play-off. Starting 2020-21, it was renamed to Tipos Extraliga. The current name, starting 2025, is Tipsport Liga.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Period
! Name
! Sponsor 
|-
| 1993–1997
| Extraliga
| none
|-
| 1997–2001
| West extraliga
| [[West (cigarette)|West]]
|-
| 2001–2002
| Boss extraliga
| [[Hugo Boss|Boss]]
|-
| 2002–2005
| ST extraliga
| [[Slovak Telekom]]
|-
| 2005–2006
| T-Com extraliga
| [[Slovak Telekom|T-Com]]
|-
| 2006–2007<br>(half-season)
| Extraliga
| none
|-
| 2007–2011
| Slovnaft extraliga
| [[Slovnaft]]
|-
| 2011–2015
| Tipsport extraliga
| [[Tipsport]]
|-
| 2015–2020
| Tipsport liga
| [[Tipsport]]
|-
| 2020–2025
| Tipos extraliga
| Tipos
|-
| 2025–2030
| Tipsport liga
| [[Tipsport]]
|}

==Previous winners==
===Previous Slovak Extraliga playoffs winners (Slovak Champions)===
{{see also|List of Slovak ice hockey champions}}
{{div col|colwidth=28em|small=yes}}
*1994 – [[Dukla Trenčín]]
*1995 – [[HC Košice]]
*1996 – [[HC Košice]]
*1997 – [[Dukla Trenčín]]
*1998 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*1999 – [[HC Košice]]
*2000 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2001 – [[HKm Zvolen]]
*2002 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2003 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2004 – [[Dukla Trenčín]]
*2005 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2006 – [[Vlci Žilina|MsHK Žilina]]
*2007 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2008 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2009 – [[HC Košice]]
*2010 – [[HC Košice]]
*2011 – [[HC Košice]]
*2012 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2013 – [[HKM Zvolen]]
*2014 – [[HC Košice]]
*2015 – [[HC Košice]]
*2016 – [[HK Nitra]]
*2017 – [[HC '05 Banská Bystrica]]
*2018 – [[HC '05 Banská Bystrica]]
*2019 – [[HC '05 Banská Bystrica]]
*2020 – ''Not held due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]]''
*2021 – [[HKM Zvolen]]
*2022 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2023 – [[HC Košice]]
*2024 – [[HK Nitra]]
*2025 – [[HC Košice]]
{{div col end}}

===Previous Slovak Extraliga regular season winners===
{{div col|colwidth=28em|small=yes}}
*1994 – [[Dukla Trenčín]]
*1995 – [[Dukla Trenčín]]
*1996 – [[HC Košice]]
*1997 – [[Dukla Trenčín]]
*1998 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*1999 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2000 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2001 – [[HKm Zvolen]]
*2002 – [[HKm Zvolen]]
*2003 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2004 – [[Dukla Trenčín]]
*2005 – [[HKm Zvolen]]
*2006 – [[HK Nitra]]
*2007 – [[HC Košice]]
*2008 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2009 – [[HC Košice]]
*2010 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2011 – [[HC Košice]]
*2012 – [[HC Košice]]
*2013 – [[HKM Zvolen]]
*2014 – [[HC Košice]]
*2015 – [[HC Košice]]
*2016 – [[HC Košice]]
*2017 – [[HC '05 Banská Bystrica]]
*2018 – [[HK Nitra]]
*2019 – [[HC '05 Banská Bystrica]]
*2020 – [[HC '05 Banská Bystrica]]
*2021 – [[HKM Zvolen]]
*2022 – [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan Bratislava]]
*2023 – [[HC Košice]]
*2024 – [[HK Poprad]]
*2025 – [[HK Spišská Nová Ves]]
{{div col end}}

==Video games==
Teams from the league are playable in the video games [[EA Sports]]' [[NHL (video game series)|NHL series]] only in [[NHL 2009|NHL 09]].

==See also==
* [[Czech Extraliga]]
* [[Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League|Czechoslovak Extraliga]]
* [[List of Slovak ice hockey champions]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://tipsportliga.hockey/ Official website] – Tipsport liga {{in lang|sk}}
*[https://www.hockeyslovakia.sk/sk/ SZĽH] – Slovak Ice-Hockey Federation {{in lang|sk}}

{{Slovak Extraliga}}
{{Ice hockey in Slovakia}}
{{Top sport leagues in Slovakia}}
{{Ice Hockey Leagues}}

[[Category:Slovak Extraliga| ]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1993]]
[[Category:1993 establishments in Slovakia]]
[[Category:Professional ice hockey leagues in Slovakia]]
[[Category:Professional ice hockey leagues in Hungary]]
[[Category:Multi-national ice hockey leagues in Europe]]
[[Category:Multi-national professional sports leagues]]
[[Category:Top-tier ice hockey leagues in Europe]]