Amateur Hockey Day: Official Launch of the Ukrainian Amateur Hockey League

Nataliia Horova

PR&Media Relations Specialist

June 12, 2024 3 min read

Quick summary

On June 8, 2024, Kyiv hosted the official launch of the Ukrainian Amateur Hockey League (UAHL). The event gathered players, fans, and representatives of the hockey community from across the country.

The Ukrainian Amateur Hockey League was established in 2024 through a longstanding partnership between Innovecs and the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine. The league will bring together amateur teams from all over the country for a championship starting this fall. Initially, the league will include 40 teams divided into divisions: Kyiv, North, West, Center, South, and the Kyiv Region.

The official presentation of the UAHL took place on June 8, 2024. This day featured two exciting events: a Skills Challenge, similar to those in the NHL, and the official opening of the UAHL with a panel discussion on amateur hockey.

At the ice arena in Kyiv, various hockey skill competitions (Skills Challenge) showcased the talents of the Federation’s and league’s teams. Fans enjoyed an authentic hockey show and had the opportunity to witness the presentation of the League Cup. The event included hockey matches between teams, culminating in a 10-8 victory for the Federation’s team.

Georgiy Zubko

President of the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine

"Before the full-scale invasion, Kyiv had about 100 amateur teams, reflecting a huge community for whom hockey is a way of life. I wholeheartedly support the principles of unity and believe that together we can achieve more and better. The UAHL is a logical response to the demand from amateur teams wanting to make hockey systematic and develop it nationwide. I am delighted to start a new chapter in the history of Ukrainian hockey."

Following the competitions, the formal presentation of the UAHL took place, where participants learned more about the league’s structure, its teams, and regulations. A panel discussion on the development of amateur hockey in Ukraine was a highlight of the event, discussing the new league’s prospects and challenges.

The panel discussion featured Georgiy Zubko, Alex Lutskiy, Andriy Ishchenko, Andriy Andreyev, and Serhiy Nuzhin. The event was hosted by sports journalist and flamingo_hockey founder, Pylyp Shtoda.

Alex Lutskiy

Founder and CEO of Innovecs, and president of the UAHL

"The creation of an official amateur league has been an important step for us. To achieve this goal, we are leveraging the best practices from the world of international business and sports. One of the new features of the UAHL championship, starting this fall, will be a modern and highly informative statistics platform, which we are currently developing. We are pleased to mark this momentous day and officially launch the UAHL together with the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine, introduce the championship regulations, and present the League Cup. I am sincerely grateful to Georgiy Zubko and his team for their support and help in achieving our shared dream."

The official opening of the UAHL was a significant event for Ukrainian amateur hockey, bringing together players, fans, and representatives of the hockey community around this ambitious new initiative. The UAHL aims to promote the development of amateur hockey in Ukraine by attracting new teams and fostering dialogue within the hockey community.

The Ukrainian Amateur Hockey League is a public organization whose primary goal is to build a unified vertical of amateur hockey in Ukraine, implement the best global standards for the rapid development of Ukrainian amateur hockey, advance sports education, and carry out educational work.

Innovecs, the UAHL’s general partner, is a global digital transformation tech company with a presence in the US, the UK, the EU, Latin America, Israel, Australia, and Ukraine. Specializing in software solutions, the Innovecs team has experience in Supply Chain, Healthtech, Software & Hightech, and Gaming. For the fifth year in a row, Innovecs is included in the Inc. 5000, the list of fastest-growing private companies in the US, and a ranking of the best global outsourcing companies.

The Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine is the official governing body for ice hockey in Ukraine, responsible for preparing national teams and organizing ice hockey competitions in Ukraine.