Picture by Ian Coyle

The Scottish National League returns this weekend, with nine teams ready to begin the 2026/27 season.

The new campaign follows another year of growth for the SNL, with crowds increasing and the standard on the ice continuing to develop.

Edinburgh Capitals begin as defending League and Scottish Cup champions, while Dundee Rockets lifted the Playoff title last season. Along with Whitley Warriors, the three were involved in the battle at the top for much of the campaign.

But a new season brings new squads, new challenges and another opportunity for all nine teams to make their mark.

Squads strengthened for the new season

Clubs across the league have spent the summer building their squads, with a number of new additions ahead of the opening weekend.

Scottish Ice Hockey Seniors Representative Andy Samuel believes that recruitment could help raise the standard further.

“I think all the teams have tried to strengthen over the summer, with some great additions across the league. A number of players have come in with experience at a higher level, while some of last season’s higher-placed teams have added more depth to already strong squads.

“I’m sure we’ll see a few of those signings become stand-out players and help raise the overall quality of the hockey.”

Several teams have already had a first opportunity to test their squads in pre-season. Edinburgh Capitals have faced Dundee Rockets and Solway Sharks’ NIHL side, while Whitley Warriors and Solway Sharks SNL have also been in action.

Kirkcaldy Kestrels and Paisley Pirates spent much of last season battling closely in the standings, and that rivalry has already resumed, with Kestrels taking the win in pre-season. With little separating the sides last year, it could be one to watch again.

Pre-season results offer an interesting first look, but this weekend is when the points start to count.

A first season under the new structure

The season also marks the first SNL campaign under the newly merged Ice Hockey UK structure.

With the merger only finalised in late June, Andy does not anticipate significant changes immediately.

“For this season, I don’t think we’ll see any significant changes in how we operate. With the merger only being finalised in late June, there hasn’t been much time to implement anything new.

“Looking further ahead, I imagine we’ll become more aligned with England in areas such as governance and possibly disciplinary procedures. I like to think we run things pretty well in Scotland, so hopefully the good procedures we’ve already implemented here will be taken into account as UK-wide procedures develop.”

Growing the SNL

Attendances have continued to increase in recent seasons, with a number of clubs attracting strong crowds and building regular match-night followings.

Strong teams, growing crowds and a rising standard of hockey are all positive signs, but Andy believes the next step is to help close the gap across the league.

“I think that’s probably the most important factor regarding the SNL. It’s great to have quality hockey but it has to be competitive for all teams and also to keep the interest with spectators.

“There’s been a steady increase over the past couple of seasons in the strength of the teams at the upper end of the league table compared to the ones nearer the bottom, and this isn’t great for the league.

“It would be great to see the lower-end teams attract a couple of decent NBT players which would make them a little stronger and help close the gap.”

The growing interest in ice hockey across the UK can also be seen in the scale of events being staged, with Elite League teams set to play at the Hydro in Glasgow towards the end of the year.

Andy hopes that exposure can introduce more people to the sport and ultimately benefit the SNL.

“I certainly think it will attract a lot of interest, although ideally having some of the Elite League hockey on television would, in my opinion, be better to capture a bigger audience and grow even more interest.

“Hopefully, with all the hype around hosting the event in such a well-known facility, there will be a bit more interest in hockey in general and hopefully some of them decide to watch SNL games.”

The challenge now is to build on that momentum across the league, continuing to grow crowds and raise the standard of hockey, while narrowing the gap between teams and creating a more competitive SNL.

It starts this weekend

North Ayrshire Wild face a demanding start, opening at home against Playoff champions Dundee Rockets on Saturday before travelling to Whitley Warriors on Sunday.

Aberdeen Lynx host Kilmarnock Thunder on Saturday after disrupted preparations for both sides. Maintenance at Linx Ice Arena required more work than initially anticipated, although the rink is set to reopen this week ahead of the game.

Thunder have faced greater disruption, with work at the Galleon Centre extending beyond its original schedule and a reopening date for the ice rink yet to be confirmed.

On Sunday, Whitley Warriors begin their campaign at home against Wild, while Solway Sharks SNL host Paisley Pirates. After establishing themselves during their first SNL season last year, it will be interesting to see how Solway develop in year two.

After a summer of recruitment and preparation, the wait is almost over.

The 2026/27 Scottish National League gets underway this weekend.