The 2017–18 SM-liiga season was the 43rd season of the SM-liiga (branded simply as "Liiga"), the top level of ice hockey in Finland, since the league's formation in 1975. Tappara was the season as a defending champion. This season included a record number of matches played on Fridays and Saturdays. In autumn, there was a national team break from 5 November until 13 November.
The specialties of the season included, for the first time in SM-liiga history, double games between KooKoo and Vaasan Sport. Teams met twice in October in consecutive evenings in Kouvola and in February twice in succession in Vaasa. In December, HIFK and Kärpät met in the hockey outdoor show at Kaisaniemi, Helsinki.
In 2018, the SM-liiga continued on Wednesday, 3 January. Ice hockey at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea's Pyeongchang start with the Finland men's national ice hockey team on February 14, 2018. In SM-liiga, a full round was played on Saturday 17 February, after which the Olympic Games started. Liiga games resumed on Tuesday, February 27.
Kärpät won the championship by winning Tappara in the final series 4–2.
Teams
Team City Head coach Arena Capacity Captain HIFK Helsinki Ari-Pekka Selin Helsingin jäähalli Lennart Petrell HPK Hämeenlinna Antti Pennanen Patria-areena Otto Paajanen Ilves Tampere Karri Kivi Tampereen jäähalli Tapio Laakso Jukurit Mikkeli Risto Dufva Kalevankankaan jäähalli Miika Roine JYP Marko Virtanen Synergia-areena Juha-Pekka Hytönen KalPa Kuopio Sami Kapanen Niiralan monttu Tommi Jokinen KooKoo Kouvola Tuomas Tuokkola Lumon arena Toni Kähkönen Kärpät Oulu Mikko Manner Oulun Energia Areena Lasse Kukkonen Lukko Rauma Pekka Virta Äijänsuo Arena Janne Niskala Pelicans Lahti Petri Matikainen Isku Areena Stefan Lassen SaiPa Lappeenranta Tero Lehterä Kisapuisto Ville Koho Sport Vaasa Tomek Valtonen Vaasa Arena Markus Kankaanperä Tappara Tampere Jukka Rautakorpi Tampereen jäähalli Jukka Peltola TPS Turku Kalle Kaskinen HK Arena Tomi Kallio Pori Jyrki Aho14 Jan 2018Mikael Kotkaniemi Porin jäähalli Matti Kuparinen
Regular season Top six advance straight to quarter-finals, while teams between 7th and 10th positions play wild card round for the final two spots. The SM-liiga is a closed series and thus there is no relegation.
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) 3-point wins 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Head-to-head points.
Playoffs
Bracket
Wild card round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Bronze medal game
Finals
Kärpät wins the series 4-2 and wins the championship.
Final rankings Kärpät Tappara HIFK4 TPS5 JYP6 KalPa7 SaiPa8 Ässät9 Lukko10 Pelicans11 Ilves12 HPK13 Jukurit14 KooKoo15 Sport
See also 2017–18 Mestis season
References