The vision
Prime Arena is bringing the Republic of Ireland its first professional ice hockey franchise, a founding moment for the sport in this country.
The basics
Ice hockey, known as ‘hockey’, is played by two teams, each with six players on the ice at a time: five skaters and a goaltender. Players use a stick to move a small puck into the opposing team’s net. It’s one of the fastest sports in the world, players reach speeds of over 30km/h on the ice, and full-contact physicality is part of the game. Matches are fast, loud, and built for a live crowd, which is exactly why it fills arenas across North America and Europe every season.
Endorsement
The project has already drawn support from some of the biggest names in the NHL, the top professional league in North America. Backers include Hockey Hall of Famer and Stanley Cup champion Rob Blake, former New York Islanders captain Pat Flatley, two-time World Champion Cory Cross, former Boston Bruins forward Glen Murray, and current NHL players Jake Evans and Alex Newhook, both of the Montreal Canadiens.
Stanley Cup Champion
Former NHL GM- Los Angeles Kings
Former NHL Player- Toronto Maple Leafs
Two-time World Champion
Team Canada
Former NHL Player- New York Islanders
Islanders Hall of Famer
Former Team Canada Captain
Former NHL Player- Boston Bruins
Current NHL Player- Montreal Canadiens
Stanley Cup Champion
Current NHL Player- Montreal Canadiens
the League
Prime Arena is bringing a new Dublin-based franchise to the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), marking a new chapter for the sport in Ireland. As the top professional league in the UK and Ireland, home to established clubs like the Belfast Giants, the EIHL gives the Republic of Ireland a seat at the table alongside some of Europe’s most established teams and the makings of the country’s first cross-border hockey rivalry.
The Irish connection
Ice hockey might feel like a new sport for Ireland, but its origins may not be as foreign as they seem. Hurling is one of Ireland’s oldest and fastest field sports, with a history stretching back over 3,000 years, deeply woven into Irish culture and identity.
When Irish emigrants crossed the Atlantic to Canada in the 18th and 19th centuries, they brought that stick-and-ball tradition with them. Historical accounts describe Irish communities in Nova Scotia adapting hurling to frozen ponds and lakes, playing early forms of “hurley on the ice” that are widely believed to have helped shape the development of modern ice hockey in Canada.
With over 35 million people across the US and Canada identifying as Irish today, that shared history still runs deep.
The pathway
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