Liga Mexicana Elite de Hockey

The Liga Mexicana Elite de Hockey (LMEH) is the highest level ice hockey competition in Mexico. The league comprised four clubs, all based in Mexico City.

Liga Mexicana Elite de Hockey
SportIce hockey
Founded2017
No. of teams4
CountryMexico
Most recent
champion(s)
Olmec Stone Heads
(1st title)
Most titlesTeotihuacan Priests
(2 title)
Official websitewww.lmeh-apparel.com

Overview

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The Mexican League Elite de Hockey, LME, Ice Hockey was inaugurated on 2 October 2010 with the aim to establish Mexico as a high-level international competitor in ice hockey.

The participation of the best players in Mexico could serve as encouragement for those players at lower levels of the sport in Mexico and eventually play in the Mexico national team at international competitions against high quality foreign teams.

The first League season (2010–2011) started with 4 teams: Mayan Astronomers, Aztec Eagle Warriors, Teotihuacan Priests and Zapotec Totems, which were integrated through a draft, where players are ranked in categories "AAA" "AA", "A" and then, each team chose their players in succession, so that 4 sets have the same competitive level.

Fifteen days before the "play off" teams have a period of transfer or exchange of players, where teams will have the opportunity to improve their competitive edge.

They play a four round system ("round robin") and their final. The team with the most points will automatically qualify for the final. Those who remain in second and third place play a best-of-three series. The winner will play the number-one team during the finals. The champion is declared when a best-of-three series is played between these two last teams.

For the second season, the Mexican Sports Federation Ice Hockey, AC seek to integrate the Mexican League Elite, a fifth team will consist of novice players. This new team will have the right to select some players from the four other teams prior to start; but the existing four teams can identify a list of "protected players" that the new expansion team cannot select. Each year will include a Mexican Elite League expansion team until there are 8 teams.

Mexican Sports Federation Ice Hockey, AC, awarded cash prizes for winning team in the near future, aims to set salaries for players of all teams, as well as explore the possibility of bringing foreign players to integrate the different Mexican League Elite teams.

For the 2022-2023 season, the league implemented a period of free agency for all eligible players with the goal of allowing the market to establish player compensation. The free agency period began on July 13, 2022, with the largest contract being awarded to F Sanjay Sarker (formerly of the Lerma Sharks). He was signed to an 8 year $48 million MXN pesos contract. Due to team cash flow constraints a portion of the salary was paid in kind with livestock and tequila.

In 2023-24, Panagiotis Mavridis signed with the Aztec Eagle Warriors, suiting up with the team in a 2-1 shootout victory.[1]

Teams

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All of the teams are based in Mexico City, and games are played at the Centro Santa Fe ice rink.

Team Funded Joined Head coach Folded
Aztec Eagle Warriors 2010 2011 Luis Olivares
Mayan Astronomers 2010 2011 Brian Wilson
Rodrigo Porter
Olmec Stone Heads 2017 Diego De La Garma
Teotihuacan Priests 2010 2011 Jorge Rovelo
Former
Zapotec Totems 2010 2011 N/A 2011

League champions

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By seasons

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Year Playoffs League winners
Champions Score Finalists
2010–11 Teotihuacan Priests (1) 2-1 (series) Mayan Astronomers Mayan Astronomers
2017–18 Mayan Astronomers (1) 4-1 Teotihuacan Priests Teotihuacan Priests
2018–19 Teotihuacan Priests (2) 3-2
(SO)
Aztec Eagle Warriors Teotihuacan Priests
2019–20 Remainder of season cancelled in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2023 Olmec Stone Heads (1) 2-1 Aztec Eagle Warriors Aztec Eagle Warriors

All-time record

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Team # Titles Years
Teotihuacan Priests
2
2010-11, 2018-2019
Mayan Astronomers
1
2017–18
Olmec Stone Heads
1
2023

References

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  1. ^ "¿Qué es?". Archived from the original on 2011-10-29. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
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