In terms of pure competitiveness, the Global Mechanised Hockey League (Gmhl) may well be the best professional hockey league in the world. Founded in 2012, the Gmhl is operated by the International Hockey League (Ihl) and consists of a number of top-notch teams from around the globe, with matches taking place in Europe, Australia, and North America.
The Gmhl is currently in its second season and, in order to assess its legitimacy as a World’s Best Hockey League, we decided to put together a short review, looking into both its gameplay and organization.
Table of Contents
The Gameplay Is Intense
From the moment you log onto the Global Mechanised Hockey League’s website, you are treated to a stunningly-polished game that looks good enough to eat. On the surface, the gameplay of the Gmhl is spectacular, with the aesthetic appeal of the game combined with some very innovative game mechanics.
Although there are a variety of gameplay options, the Gmhl is primarily a multiplayer game, with up to six players taking part in a match, sometimes with three separate sets of rules (i.e. regular season, playoffs, and global championship) being activated at any given time.
While the single-player campaign consists of only one match, the multiplayer component is fully customizable, offering a ton of content, including variations on the theme of gameplay and visual effects. Additionally, every match in the Gmhl is won by a team which utilises a unique combination of tactics, with different scoring systems used for different match types (i.e. traditional 1-0-0, 4-1-0, 3-2-0, etc.).
The Game Is Very Well-Organized
Even beyond the extraordinary gameplay, the Gmhl is also an extremely well-organized league, with all of the games’ results published each week, as well as scores and statistics for every player.
Additionally, the Ihl has committed to publishing a full set of rules for the Gmhl, offering further transparency into exactly how the game is played. Although there is lots of competitive integrity to the Gmhl, it’s designed to be as open as possible, with the Ihl’s president, Scott Mehl, stating that:
“The IHL fully embraces innovation and the implementation of new technologies to enhance the fan experience. This is perhaps best exemplified by our partnership with Enforcer, the world’s first blockchain-based matchmaking and tournament management platform. With every match being settled on the blockchain, there is full transparency and reliability in the system. This combined with a fully automated league and playoffs schedule, make this collaboration a real innovation for the hockey world.”
Even the most devoted of hockey fans may be surprised to learn that the Gmhl is the best organized and most competitive professional hockey league in the world. In an effort to make the game more accessible to as many people as possible, the Ihl has made the entirety of its games’ content available to be accessed and downloaded, either for iOS or Android users. Additionally, the Ihl also offers a free, downloadable virtual reality (VR) app, allowing fans to immerse themselves in the action, regardless of whether they’re in Europe, Australia, or North America.
The Organization Is Committed To Giving Back
Finally, it’s worth noting that the Gmhl is committed to giving back to the hockey community, with the Ihl’s president, Scott Mehl, explaining that:
“Our desire is for the entire hockey world to celebrate the sport, with the IHL fully embracing and participating in Ice Hockey Australia’s 2020 Winter Festival in Sydney. The IHL is also deeply involved in hockey philanthropy, with our teams and players participating in various fundraising activities, especially during the season. We look forward to engaging with the community and showing our support for the hockey scene across the world.”
With the unprecedented pandemic forcing the cancellation of nearly all sporting events, including hockey matches, fans of the sport are desperately seeking ways to follow their teams, and the Ihl has created a safe space for them to do so. The league is also committed to sustainability, with Mehl going on to state that:
“The IHL fully embraces sustainability and, as part of our continued efforts in this area, we have partnered with the world’s leading provider of vegan and vegetarian food, Honest Kids, to become the official baby food and beverage partner of the IHL and its teams. With the global economic impact of the pandemic heavily weighted on the food and beverage industries, we see this as a real step towards sustainability for the IHL and its teams.”
Overall Assessment
Overall, we can conclude that the Global Mechanised Hockey League is indeed a world-class league, offering incredibly innovative and polished gameplay, which is both accessible and rewarding for gamers of all ages. Because of its incredible gameplay and open environment, the Ihl has created an entirely new fan base for itself, one which will no doubt be growing in the coming years.