<P> From the 2013--14 season onwards, the league has consisted of two conferences; each consisting of five teams . These are the Erhardt Conference and the Gardiner Conference . These can roughly be split into north and south, with the Erhardt featuring the teams from Belfast, Cardiff, Coventry, Nottingham, and Sheffield; and the Gardiner featuring the teams from Dundee, Edinburgh, Fife, and Glasgow along with Hull Stingrays until 2015, and their replacements Manchester Storm from 2015 onwards . </P> <P> On the 27 April 2017 it was announced with Milton Keynes Lightning and Guildford Flames joining for the start of the 2017--18 season that the league will be upped to 56 games in the regular season with 3 new conferences of 4 teams . Conference 1 would consist of Braehead Clan, Dundee Stars, Edinburgh Capitals and Fife Flyers known as the Scottish conference . Conference 2 would consist of Coventry Blaze, Guildford Flames, Manchester Storm and Milton Keynes Lightning known as the southern conference . Conference 3 would consist of Belfast Giants, Cardiff Devils, Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers known as the arena teams . This meant that teams would play teams in their own conference 8 times (4 home & 4 away) totalling 24 games and play other conferences teams 4 times (2 home & 2 away) totalling 32 games, giving the league a total of 56 games . </P> <P> In April 2018, Murrayfield Ice Rink asked for bidders for the Ice time at the arena, Edinburgh Capitals and Murrayfield Racers (a new formed team) bidded for the rights with the Racers winning the opportunity, the racers asked for permission to join the league but on April 30th the league refused their application On May 4th the EIHL released a statement explaining that they would have to move forward without the Edinburgh Capitals with a board meeting on May 22nd to discuss the league future format and decide on any clubs wishing to participate in place of Ednburgh </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th>. </Th> <Th> Club </Th> <Th> Founded </Th> <Th> City </Th> <Th> Arena (s) </Th> <Th> Capacity </Th> <Th> Years in EIHL </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Northern Ireland </Td> <Td> Belfast Giants </Td> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> Belfast </Td> <Td> SSE Arena Belfast </Td> <Td> 9,000 </Td> <Td> 2003--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Cardiff Devils </Td> <Td> 1986 </Td> <Td> Cardiff </Td> <Td> Ice Arena Wales </Td> <Td> 3,088 </Td> <Td> 2003--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Coventry Blaze </Td> <Td> 1965 </Td> <Td> Coventry </Td> <Td> SkyDome Arena </Td> <Td> 3,000 </Td> <Td> 2003--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Dundee Stars </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Dundee </Td> <Td> Dundee Ice Arena </Td> <Td> 2,300 </Td> <Td> 2010--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Fife Flyers </Td> <Td> 1938 </Td> <Td> Kirkcaldy </Td> <Td> Fife Ice Arena </Td> <Td> 3,525 </Td> <Td> 2011--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Glasgow Clan </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Glasgow </Td> <Td> Braehead Arena </Td> <Td> 4,000 </Td> <Td> 2010--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Guildford Flames </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> Guildford </Td> <Td> Guildford Spectrum </Td> <Td> 2,200 </Td> <Td> 2017--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Manchester Storm </Td> <Td> 2015 </Td> <Td> Altrincham </Td> <Td> Silverblades Ice Rink Altrincham </Td> <Td> 2,400 </Td> <Td> 2015--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Milton Keynes Lightning </Td> <Td> 2002 </Td> <Td> Milton Keynes </Td> <Td> Planet Ice Milton Keynes </Td> <Td> 2,800 </Td> <Td> 2017--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Nottingham Panthers </Td> <Td> 1946 </Td> <Td> Nottingham </Td> <Td> National Ice Centre </Td> <Td> 7,500 </Td> <Td> 2003--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Sheffield Steelers </Td> <Td> 1991 </Td> <Td> Sheffield </Td> <Td> FlyDSA Arena Sheffield </Td> <Td> 9,500 </Td> <Td> 2003--present </Td> </Tr> </Table>

When does the elite league ice hockey start