TheLondon Lions were an independent professionalice hockey team in London, England, that played 72 games during the 1973–74 season against the top European hockey teams. It was started byDetroit Red Wings ownerBruce Norris with a vision of building a league to be affiliated with theNational Hockey League (NHL). The vice-chairman of the team wasJohn Ziegler, who went on to become president of the NHL in 1977.
The Lions played their home games atWembley Arena and had a record of 52 wins, 13 losses and 7 ties. They toured Europe to promote a proposed European professional ice hockey league, originally scheduled to start for the 1974–75 season. The original plan for this new league was to have the top teams participate in theStanley Cup playoffs against the traditional North American NHL teams. The league did not gain support and never started play.
The team was named for an earlier London Lions, which was founded in 1924 byBlane Sexton, played at Westminster from 1927, then at Golders Green and theHammersmith Palais until 1934, when they moved toWembley Arena as theWembley Lions. In 1930, they won the first everBritish Championship.
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