Last Wednesday, a meeting of the chairmen of the World Legends Hockey League Association and the national associations of the participating countries to establish the Legends Hockey League took place in Moscow (Russia).
In addition to Pavel Bure, President of the “World Legends Hockey League Association”, representatives from the Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Slovakia and Germany took part. During the meeting, preparations for the implementation of the Wolrd Legends Hockey League in the 2015/16 season were discussed.
In the first season, only the six European nations will participate in the league. However, it is conceivable that Canada and the USA will also be included in the future. Anyone who is at least 45 years old and has taken part in at least one IIHF tournament internationally is eligible to play.
In mid-October, a gala game under the motto “Legends Take up the Challenge” will take place at the VTB Ice Palace, better known as the Legend Arena (Moscow), to mark the opening of the Legends League. The Wolrd Legends Hockey League team will compete against Russia's Hockey Legends Club. Many government representatives, North American ice hockey legends and prominent visitors from all over the world are expected.
The preliminary round of the season will take place in November 2015 in the form of three qualifying games. The Czech Republic meets Slovakia, Sweden plays against Finland and Germany competes against Russia. The winning teams and the statistically best team from the losing nations will play for the first champions of the new Legends League in a final tournament in January 2016 at the VTB Ice Palace (Moscow).
The World Legends Hockey League is officially supported and promoted by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
Rene Fasel, IIHF President: “I am grateful when I see faces again who have already been on the ice at many world championships. It is very important for world ice hockey that these people have made the decision to remain loyal to ice hockey. The IIHF will support the new League of Legends and I am sure the legends can inspire new generations to become legends too.”
Pavel Bure, Legends League Association President: "The idea of establishing a legends league came up three years ago during the 40th anniversary of the 1972 "Super Series" between the USSR and Canada. Since then, we have met with Rene Fasel on several occasions and the support of the leaders of several nations has also been great. We are ready to bring our countries closer together and veteran hockey is known to be very popular among sports fans."
Michael Pfuhl, DEB-General Secretariat: “The initiative of our Russian friends is commendable and we are very happy to be part of this project. The ice hockey legends of this world deserve a league like this. The Legends League is a unique tournament in which former top international ice hockey players who dominated the 20th century have been to the Olympics and won medals, hoisted the Stanley Cup, and members of the NHL Hall of Fame, IIHF Hall of Fame or the Russia ’s Hockey Hall of Fame, compete against each other.”