IF Björklöven
Encyclopedia
IF Björklöven is a Swedish
professional ice hockey
club
in Umeå
, Västerbotten
, in northern Sweden. The club is currently playing in Division 1
, but has played 15 seasons in the top Swedish league Elitserien
(1976–77, 1978–79 to 1988–89, 1993–94, 1998–99 and 2000–01).
From 2001 to 2010, Björklöven played in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second highest ice hockey league for men in Sweden. Although the team finished 12th in the 2009–10 HockeyAllsvenskan season
(which meant that the team was set to play in HockeyAllsvenskan the following season), the club was in big economical problems in March–May 2010. The club went bankrupt
in April 2010, but managed to get the bankruptcy alleged a month later. Despite big further efforts by the club in order to be given elite license to play in HockeyAllsvenskan the following season, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association
(SIHA) decided not to give Björklöven elite license and thus the team was relegated to Division 1.
and Sandåkerns SK were merged. The IFK Umeå team had already at times been referred to as "björklöven" (the Birch Leafs) as a tongue in cheek reference to Canadian hockey and Umeå
being known as the "city of birch trees", and after the merger the nickname became the official team name.
The team was quite successful at the Elitserien
level, the highest league in Sweden
, during the 1980s and won the Swedish championship in 1987. They were, however, relegated only two years later, and has since then not been able to establish themselves permanently in the Elitserien again, but have mostly played in the second-tier league Allsvenskan, except for a few short stints in the 90s. Some notable players from Björklöven are Calle Johansson
, Ulf Dahlén
, Tore Öqvist and twins Patrik Sundström
and Peter Sundström
.
The team has recently had many promising young players, including Alexander Hellström, Alexander Sundström
, Patrik Nevalainen, Daniel Rahimi
and Kristoffer Berglund
.
Due to lack of funds however, Björklöven lost all of these young players to other teams.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
club
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
in Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...
, Västerbotten
Västerbotten
', English exonym: West Bothnia, is a province or landskap in the north of Sweden. It borders Ångermanland, Lapland, Norrbotten and the Gulf of Bothnia. It is famous for the cheese with the same name as the province.- Administration :...
, in northern Sweden. The club is currently playing in Division 1
Swedish Division 1 (ice hockey)
The Swedish Division 1 is the third highest-level ice hockey league in Sweden, consisting of 57 teams. The top teams of the league earn the right to take part in the Kvalserien qualification, where the two top teams are promoted to the HockeyAllsvenskan...
, but has played 15 seasons in the top Swedish league Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
(1976–77, 1978–79 to 1988–89, 1993–94, 1998–99 and 2000–01).
From 2001 to 2010, Björklöven played in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second highest ice hockey league for men in Sweden. Although the team finished 12th in the 2009–10 HockeyAllsvenskan season
2009–10 HockeyAllsvenskan season
The 2009–10 HockeyAllsvenskan season was the 28th season of HockeyAllsvenskan, the second highest ice hockey league for men in Sweden.-Standings:...
(which meant that the team was set to play in HockeyAllsvenskan the following season), the club was in big economical problems in March–May 2010. The club went bankrupt
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
in April 2010, but managed to get the bankruptcy alleged a month later. Despite big further efforts by the club in order to be given elite license to play in HockeyAllsvenskan the following season, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association
Swedish Ice Hockey Association
The Swedish Ice Hockey Association or Svenska Ishockeyförbundet in Swedish, is an association of Swedish sports clubs with ice hockey activities....
(SIHA) decided not to give Björklöven elite license and thus the team was relegated to Division 1.
History
IF Björklöven was formed in 1970 when the ice hockey sections of IFK UmeåIFK Umeå
IFK Umeå is a Swedish football club located in Umeå in Västerbotten County.-Background:Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna Umeå was formed on the 6th November 1901. The club has 9 sections covering badminton, bandy, bowling, boxing, football, athletics, orienteering, skiing and weightlifting...
and Sandåkerns SK were merged. The IFK Umeå team had already at times been referred to as "björklöven" (the Birch Leafs) as a tongue in cheek reference to Canadian hockey and Umeå
Umeå
- Transport :The road infrastructure in Umeå is well-developed, with two European highways passing through the city. About 4 km from the city centre is the Umeå City Airport...
being known as the "city of birch trees", and after the merger the nickname became the official team name.
The team was quite successful at the Elitserien
Elitserien
Elitserien, is a professional ice hockey league composed of twelve teams in Sweden...
level, the highest league in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, during the 1980s and won the Swedish championship in 1987. They were, however, relegated only two years later, and has since then not been able to establish themselves permanently in the Elitserien again, but have mostly played in the second-tier league Allsvenskan, except for a few short stints in the 90s. Some notable players from Björklöven are Calle Johansson
Calle Johansson
Carl Christian "Calle" Johansson is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1987 and 2004...
, Ulf Dahlén
Ulf Dahlén
Ulf Dahlén is a retired ice hockey player, currently head coach for HV71 in the Swedish elite league Elitserien.-Biography:...
, Tore Öqvist and twins Patrik Sundström
Patrik Sundström
Patrik Sundström is a retired professional ice hockey centre, who played in the NHL for ten seasons.- Playing career :Sundström was drafted 175th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft....
and Peter Sundström
Peter Sundstrom
Peter W. Sundström is a retired Swedish ice hockey player, and is the twin brother of former NHL'er Patrik Sundström....
.
The team has recently had many promising young players, including Alexander Hellström, Alexander Sundström
Alexander Sundstrom
Patrik Alexander Sundström is a Swedish-Canadian hockey player. He currently plays for Brynäs IF in the Swedish Elitserien....
, Patrik Nevalainen, Daniel Rahimi
Daniel Rahimi
Daniel Rahimi is a Swedish-Iranian professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for HV71 of the Swedish Elitserien. He has previously been a prospect for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
and Kristoffer Berglund
Kristoffer Berglund
Kristofer Berglund is a Swedish professional ice hockey player currently with the Färjestads BK team in the Swedish Elitserien league. He was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the fifth round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, 125th overall....
.
Due to lack of funds however, Björklöven lost all of these young players to other teams.
Retired numbers
- 9 Aleksandrs BeļavskisAleksandrs BeļavskisAleksandrs Beļavskis is former Latvian ice hockey player and captain of team Latvia. He played for two clubs wor most of his player career Dinamo Riga were he started his professional career in 1985 and IF Björklöven. He was a prolific goal scorer and skilled play maker.-References:...
- 23 Roger HägglundRoger HägglundRoger Hägglund was a professional ice hockey defenceman who played three games for the Quebec Nordiques of the National Hockey League in 1984–85.Hägglund was drafted 138th overall in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft by the St...
- 27 Tore Öqvist