The Russian Major League or Vysshaya Liga (, Supreme League of the Russian Ice Hockey Championship), also referred as Higher League or Major League and commonly abbreviated as RUS-2, was a second level professional ice hockey league in Russia.
Season structure The league consisted of two divisions (East and West) before 2008 and three divisions for the last two seasons. During 1997–2000 there was a relegation round where the strongest teams of the league played with the weakest RSL clubs for their place in the top division. In 2001–01 this system was replaced with a final round between the league teams only and starting with 2003–04 the Supreme League ultimately switched to playoffs. Its finalists were promoted to the RSL.
In 2008, when the Superleague became defunct, the Supreme League that still was operating under the FHR authority got its own cup.
Champions 1992–93 – CSK VVS Samara 1993–94 – CSK VVS Samara 1994–95 – Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 1995–96 – Amur Khabarovsk 1996–97 – (West) CSKA Moscow / (East) HC Mechel 1997–98 – (West) HC Lipetsk / (East) Neftyanik Almetyevsk 1998–99 – Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 1999–00 – Neftyanik Almetyevsk 2000–01 – Spartak Moscow 2001–02 – Sibir Novosibirsk 2002–03 – Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 2003–04 – Molot-Prikamye Perm 2004–05 – HC MVD 2005–06 – Traktor Chelyabinsk 2006–07 – Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 2007–08 – Khimik Voskresensk 2008–09 – Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk 2009–10 – Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk
Establishment of the VHL
In 2010, it became known that the Vysshaya Liga was to be replaced with the KHL–affiliated Higher Hockey League (VHL) under a new ownership. Most of the Vysshaya Liga clubs re-signed with the new league in the summer of 2010.
In 2010, the Supreme Hockey League was also established.
External links Official Page League schedule and standings