Ice hockey - Leagues and championships - Most popular leagues

The United States Hockey League (USHL) welcomed the first female professional hockey player in 1969–70, when the Marquette Iron Rangers signed Karen Koch.[66] One woman, Manon Rhéaume, has played in the NHL, as a goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning in pre-season games against the St. Louis Blues and the Boston Bruins. In 2003, Hayley Wickenheiser played with the Kirkkonummi Salamat in the Finnish men's Suomi-sarja league. Several women have competed in North American minor leagues, including Rhéaume, goaltenders Kelly Dyer and Erin Whitten and defenceman Angela Ruggiero.

Reference 1: Average Attendance[67].

Reference 2: National Hockey League, National League A, Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Kontinental Hockey League, American Hockey League, Swedish Hockey League, Czech Extraliga, Western Hockey League, ECHL, Liiga, Ontario Hockey League, NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Champions Hockey League, Southern Professional Hockey League, Austrian Hockey League, Elite Ice Hockey League, DEL2, United States Hockey League, HockeyAllsvenskan, National League B, GET-ligaen, Ligue Magnus, Slovak Extraliga, WSM Liga, Metal Ligaen, Supreme Hockey League (VHL), Asia League, Eredivisie, Mestis, Polska Hokej Liga, Elite.A, Belarusian Extraleague and MOL Liga.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hockey