Kelssek Hockey League

The Kelssek Hockey League (KHL) is the highest level of ice hockey competition in Kelssek. The KHL is the most popular domestic sports league in Kelssek measured by match attendance and television audience. The KHL Premiership is awarded to the team with the best regular-season record. Taking the form of a blue and red pennant with the Star of Confederation, it is considered the league championship although the Desjardins Cup is at least equally prestigious. The Premiership pennant was first awarded to the team with the best regular season record in 1896.

Although the national championship, the Desjardins Cup, is technically a separate competition, the only pathway to qualify for the tournament is through the KHL and the tournament is held after the conclusion of the KHL regular season.

The KHL was refounded and season numbering restarted after a corruption and match-fixing scandal led to the original KHL being dissolved. The branding was awarded to Kelssek Hockey Association, the sport's national governing body, which constituted the present incarnation after consultations with the competing clubs. A regional reorganization took place prior to the 18th season. Currently, the league is divided geographically into two conferences. Teams play against those in their conference four times per season and against teams in the other conference twice. Subject to arena infrastructure and financial stability guidelines, the bottom two teams of each conference are may be relegated to the Hockey Kelssek Nationwide League and four teams promoted to replace them. However, due to concerns about finances (due to extra travel costs and inability to meet higher arena infrastructure requirements, with limited additional revenue possible unless they raise ticket prices), Nationwide Division clubs have refused promotion more often than not.

The two conference winners and the team with the next-best overall record earn the right to represent Kelssek in the Hockey Champions League, along with the Desjardins Cup winner.

Media coverage
The KBC's Hockey Night Live broadcast on Saturday nights is a cultural institution. Originally a radio broadcast, it currently shows a double-header of games beginning at 7pm and 10pm Coastal every Saturday during the season on the KBC's main terrestrial network. KBC coverage of the Desjardins Cup playoffs also falls under this brand. The cable channel National Sports Network (NSN) is the other holder of national broadcast rights, and airs a live game on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm Coastal during the regular season. Reseau des sports national carries this broadcast in French branded as Méchants Mercredis à RSN.

Matches not broadcast nationally are usually shown on NSN cable channels on a regional basis. Subject to region-blocking within Kelssek, all matches are also streamed on the internet through the KHL's HockeyNet subscription service. All broadcast rights revenues are pooled and distributed to the league's member clubs based on final league position.

History
The KHL's format has been reorganized several times to meet concerns about travel costs and competitive balance. Prior to the current format, the league consisted of 30 teams divided into three regional divisions of 10 teams each, known as the Northern League, Pacific League, and Western League. Every league season, each team plays four times against other teams in their division and once against teams from the other divisions. The last-place team of each division was relegated to the Hockey Kelssek Nationwide League, which in turn promoted teams to replace them. The top four teams of each division qualified for the octo-finals of the Desjardins Cup playoffs, along with the four teams with the next-best overall records, regardless of division.

Recent winners

 * Bold indicates KHL Premiership winner