THE format for next season for ice hockey’s National League has been finalised, after a league meeting.

The 10 teams will be split into two conferences with the Bison in one along with the Bracknell Bees, Peterborough Phantoms, Raiders from Romford and the Swindon Wildcats.

The other five team conference with be made up of the Hull Pirates, Leeds Chiefs, MK Lightning, Sheffield Steeldogs and Telford Tigers

Teams will play their own conference teams four times home and away, while they face the other conference twice home and away.

At the end of the regular season, the top eight teams will qualify for the play-offs.

This will be played in two groups of four, one game home and away. The groups being made up of the teams who finished first, fourth, fifth and eighth. The other group will see the sides second, third, sixth and seventh.

The top two sides from each groups qualify for the finals weekend in Coventry.

There will also be a National Cup where the first home game for each club against the other nine will count towards the qualifying standings. The top four will then qualify for semi-finals.

The highest placed qualifier will choose their semi final opponent, with the two remaining sides also matching up.