Ice hockey is one of Sweden's most popular sports and participation in women's ice hockey is increasing; the number of registered women's ice hockey players in Sweden increased from 3,425 in 2011 to 5,973 in 2020.
History The first organized women's ice hockey game in Sweden was played in 1969 between Modo AIK and Timrå IK. The Swedish women's national team played its first games in April 1987, during the 1987 Women's World Tournament in Ontario, Canada.
The first, unofficial National Championship was played in 1985. Three unofficial championships were held, in 1984–85, 1985–86, and 1986–87. The championships were played with round-robin tournament structure. Nacka HK won the National Championship title in all three seasons.
The Swedish Ice Hockey Association (SIF) established the first, official Swedish Championship for the 1987–88 season. Division 1 served as the qualifying league for the Swedish Championship. This league had a variable number of teams distributed into some small regional leagues, followed by a national playoff.
During the 2007–08 season, the best Division 1 teams qualified for a new league, the Riksserien (‘National Series’), which became the top-tier league. Division 1 became the second level of women's hockey in Sweden. The Riksserien comprised eight teams. Each team would face the seven opposing teams in four games, two at home and two away. The top two teams at the end of the regular season would qualify for the semi-finals. The teams classified in third to sixth place would each play a three-game playoff qualifying series. In the semifinals, the match for the third place and final depend on a simple match. The teams ranked seventh and eighth at the end of the regular season would face the top two from Division 1 in a promotion/relegation series to remain in the Swedish Women's Hockey League or be relegated Division 1
The Riksserien was reorganized and rebranded as the Svenska damhockeyligan (SDHL, ) prior to the 2016–17 season. The change was meant to increase public interest and sponsorship of the teams by branding the league in the style of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and to encourage SHL teams to promote their sister teams.
Domestic league structure
Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL; ), organized by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association 10 teams 36 games in regular season Playoffs for top eight teams, winner is named Swedish Ice Hockey Champion Bottom two teams progress to qualifiers against top teams from Nationella Damhockeyligan, relegation to NDHL DamEttan is possible Nationella Damhockeyligan (NDHL; ), comprises multiple stages of play that are organized by regional organs of the SIF (NDHL DamEttan) or by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association itself (Dam HockeyAllsvenskan) 25 teams began the 2022–23 season in the NDHL DamEttan regional series, split into four geographic divisions: Norra (North), Östra (East), Södra (South), and Västra (West) NDHL DamEttan Norra: 5 teams (30 games per team) NDHL DamEttan Östra: 6 teams (14 games per team) NDHL DamEttan Södra: 8 teams (21 games per team) NDHL DamEttan Västra: 7 teams (20 games per team) Two teams from the top of each division move on to the Dam HockeyAllsvenskan, and are grouped geographically in two divisions: Norra and Södra Dam HockeyAllsvenskan Norra: 4 teams (6 games per team) Dam HockeyAllsvenskan Södra: 4 teams (6 games per team) Playoffs for top-three teams from each Dam HockeyAllsvenskan division, plus the top-two teams from regional qualification (); uses the Dam HockeyAllsvenskan two-division structure and two league champions are named each season Dam HockeyAllsvenskan champions proceed to qualifiers against the bottom teams from SDHL, in which promotion to SDHL is possible Team finishing the regular season with the fewest points of any team in the league is relegated to DamTvåan DamTvåan, organized by regional organs of the Swedish Ice Hockey Association 15 teams in the 2019–20 season, split into three geographic regions: Södra (South), Västra (West), and Norra (North) DamTvåan Södra: 4 teams DamTvåan Västra: 7 teams DamTvåan Norra: 4 teams Number of games in regular season varies by region, from 6–12 games in 2019–20 regular season DamTvåan, Region Norr: 6 games DamTvåan Västra: 12 games DamTvåan, Region Syd: 9 games Team finishing the regular season with the most points of any team in the league gains promotion to NDHL DamEttan Various local and district-level recreational leagues, regulated by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association but generally overseen by constituent entities
Swedish Championship Results Season Champion Runner-up Score BronzeNational Championship (Riksmästerskapet) 1984–85 Nacka HKModo AIK round-robin Diö GoIF 1985–86 Nacka HK Danderyds SK round-robin Modo AIK 1986–87 Nacka HK Modo AIK round-robin Diö GoIFSwedish Championship (Svenska mästerskapet) 1987–88 Nacka HK FoC Farsta 11–0 Modo Hockey 1988–89 Nacka HK Modo Hockey 3–2 Alvesta SK 1989–90 Nacka HK Alvesta SK 7–0 FoC Farsta 1990–91 Nacka HK Alvesta SK 9–0 FoC Farsta 1991–92 Nacka HK FoC Farsta 3–1 Brynäs IF 1992–93 Nacka HK FoC Farsta 4–3 Vallentuna BK 1993–94 Nacka HK FoC Farsta 3–0 Brynäs IF 1994–95 Foc Farsta Nacka HK 5–1 Västerhaninge IF 1995–96 Nacka HK FoC Farsta 6–5 Västerhaninge IF 1996–97 Foc Farsta Västerhaninge IF 4–3 Nacka HK 1997–98 Nacka HK FoC Farsta 3–0 Veddige HK 1998–99 M/B HockeyAIK IF 8–1 Modo Hockey 1999–00 M/B Hockey AIK IF 4–3 Veddige HK 2000–01 M/B Hockey AIK IF 6–3 Modo Hockey 2001–02 M/B Hockey Modo Hockey 9–1 AIK IF 2002–03 M/B Hockey AIK IF 7–3 Modo Hockey 2003–04 AIK IF Limhamn Limeburners HC 5–2 M/B Hockey 2004–05 M/B Hockey AIK IF 4–3 Modo Hockey 2005–06 M/B Hockey Modo Hockey 2–1 Örebro HK 2006–07 AIK IF Segeltorps IF 2–1 OT Modo HockeyRiksserien 2007–08 Segeltorps IF AIK IF 5–2 Modo Hockey 2008–09 AIK IF Segeltorps IF 5–0 Modo Hockey 2009–10 Segeltorps IF Brynäs IF 6–0 Modo Hockey 2010–11 Segeltorps IF Brynäs IF 2–1 OT Modo Hockey 2011–12 Modo Hockey Brynäs IF 1–0 Segeltorps IF 2012–13 AIK IF Brynäs IF 2–1 2013–14 Linköpings HC Modo HK 3–2 OT – 2014–15 Linköpings HC AIK IF 5–0 – 2015–16 Luleå HF Linköpings HC 4–1 –Swedish Women's Hockey League (Svenska damhockeyligan) 2016–17 Djurgårdens IF HV71 2–0 – 2017–18 Luleå HF Linköpings HC 2–0 – 2018–19 Luleå HF Linköpings HC 3–2 – 2019–20 Playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden Notes:
All-time medal count Updated 1 August 2020 + Team Total 1 Nacka HK 9 1 1 11 2 M/B Hockey 7 0 1 8 3 AIK IF 4 6 1 11 4 Segeltorps IF 3 2 0 5 5 Luleå HF/MSSK 3 0 0 3 6 FOC Farsta 2 6 2 10 7 MODO Hockey 1 4 9 14 8 Linköpings HC 1 2 1 4 9 Djurgården IF 1 0 0 1 10 Brynäs IF 0 4 2 6 11 Alvesta SK 0 2 1 3 12 Västerhaninge IF 0 1 2 3 13 Limhamn HC 0 1 0 1 13 HV71 0 1 0 1 15 Veddige HK 0 0 2 2 16 Vallentuna BK 0 0 1 1 16 Örebro HUF 0 0 1 1
Teams 2010–11 Riksserien AIK IF Brynäs IF Leksands IF Linköpings HC MODO Hockey Munksund-Skuthamns SK Ormsta HC Segeltorps IF
Division I Region South A Grästorp IK Hisingen IK Hovås HC/Järnbrott Lerums BK Munkedal/Stenungsund Trollhättan HC Vårgårda HC
Division I Region South B Borås HC HV71 Queens IF Malmö Redhawks Karlskrona HK Motala AIF Hockey Rögle BK Växjö Lakers
Division I Region West Skogsbo SK Hällefors/Lindlöven Sandviken IK Malungs IF VIK Västerås HK Ungdom Leksands IF 2 Kristinehamns HT
Division I Region East AIK 2 Almtuna IS Järfälla HC Ormsta Hockey 2 Tullinge TP Södertälje SK Segeltorps IF 2 Västerhaninge IF
Division I Region North Modo Hockey Junior Clemnsnäs HC Luleå HF Sundsvall Wildcats IF Björklöven
Tournaments The following are IIHF tournaments that were hosted in Sweden. Event Location Finish 2003 4 Nations Cup SkövdeFourth 2004–05 IIHF European Women's Champions Cup Solna Gold for AIK IF 2005 Women's World Ice Hockey ChampionshipsLinköping, Norrköping BronzeCollins Gem Hockey Facts and Stats 2009–10, p.540, Andrew Podnieks, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, Toronto, Canada, 2005–06 IIHF European Women's Champions Cup Solna Gold for AIK IF 2006–07 IIHF European Women's Champions Cup Katrineholm Gold for AIK IF 2007 4 Nations Cup LeksandFourth 2007–08 IIHF European Women's Champions Cup Vallentuna Gold for AIK IF 2011 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship Stockholm, SwedenNo medal
See also Sweden women's national ice hockey team
References
Links swehockey.se www.svenskdamhockey.se