Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian Ice Hockey Association (NIHF) is the governing body of all ice hockey
, sledge hockey
and in-line hockey in Norway
.
NIHF has its office at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo
.
Current president is Mr. Ole Jakob Libæk, and current Secretary General is Mr. Jon Haukeland.
Current head coach of Team Norway
is Mr. Roy Johansen
who has coached the team since 2001 and signed a two-year contract extension before the 2008 IIHF World Championships. Prior to the 2007/08 season former Team Norway and San Jose Sharks
coach George Kingston
was hired as the head coach of the NIHF's women's team.
The logo of the NIHF has a polar bear
in its centre spot.
The first President of the NIHF was Rolf Gjertsen from the club Trygg
. The first vice president was Ludvig Christiansen, also from Trygg. The ten teams that founded the NIHF were: Forward, Furuset, Gjøa, Hasle, Holmen, Strong, Trygg
, NTHI, Trond and Trondheim.
The first game was played at Furuset Stadion on January 4, 1935 between Gjøa and Furuset. Gjøa won 5–0. The referee was Johan Narvestad.
In the Olympic games, Norway has competed nine times, but hasn't won any medals. Their best result was in 1972 when they finished in 8th place. During this time, the Norwegian team was known to let up a lot of goals, which kept them from winning a lot of games. In the 1980
, the team competed in the top division for the first time since 1952. They started off by facing Czechoslovakia
, who was known as the second best team in the world and had received the silver medal four years earlier. The Czechs dominated the game and won 11–0. Their next game was against West Germany
, who had won the bronze in the 1976 tournament. The West Germans also ran up the score to a 10–4 victory. So far, the Norwegians had been outscored 21–4 by their opposition and continued to struggle with losses against USA (5–1) and Sweden
(7–1). Their last game was the only bright spot in the tournament, as they came from behind to tie Romania
3–3 and give themselves a point in the standings.
Today, Norway competes in the top division for the World Championships and finished 11th out of 16 teams in the 2009
tournament.
.
Players who have played 50 official games (Winter Olympic- and Olympic qualification games, as well as IIHF World Championship games for Team Norway receive the Polar Bear Trophy
from the NIHF.
Each year the NIHF hands out the His Rojal Majesty's Cup to the winner of the playoffs of the GET-ligaen
, and the winning team becomes Norwegian Champions.
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...
, sledge hockey
Sledge hockey
Sledge hockey is a sport that was designed to allow participants who have a physical disability to play the game of ice hockey. Ice sledge hockey was invented in the early 1960s in Stockholm, Sweden at a rehabilitation center...
and in-line hockey in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
NIHF has its office at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
.
Current president is Mr. Ole Jakob Libæk, and current Secretary General is Mr. Jon Haukeland.
Current head coach of Team Norway
Norwegian national ice hockey team
The Norwegian men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team from Norway that participates at the IIHF World Championships. The team is governed by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association and is coached by Roy Johansen.-History:...
is Mr. Roy Johansen
Roy Johansen
Roy Einar Johansen is a former Norwegian ice hockey player who played for the Norwegian national ice hockey team. He participated at the Winter Olympics in 1984, 1988, and 1994....
who has coached the team since 2001 and signed a two-year contract extension before the 2008 IIHF World Championships. Prior to the 2007/08 season former Team Norway and San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
coach George Kingston
George Kingston (hockey)
George Kingston is a Canadian ice hockey coach. He is best known as the long-time coach of the University of Calgary hockey team, as well as coaching the Canadian national team at the 1994 Ice Hockey World Championships and being the first head coach of the San Jose Sharks.Kingston started his...
was hired as the head coach of the NIHF's women's team.
The logo of the NIHF has a polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
in its centre spot.
History
NIHF was founded September 18, 1934 and has been a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation since January 20, 1935.The first President of the NIHF was Rolf Gjertsen from the club Trygg
Trygg
Trygg can have a number of meanings:*Trygg is a surname of people including:**Carl Johan Trygg Scandinavian woodcarver.**Carl Olaf Trygg Scandinavian woodcarver....
. The first vice president was Ludvig Christiansen, also from Trygg. The ten teams that founded the NIHF were: Forward, Furuset, Gjøa, Hasle, Holmen, Strong, Trygg
Trygg
Trygg can have a number of meanings:*Trygg is a surname of people including:**Carl Johan Trygg Scandinavian woodcarver.**Carl Olaf Trygg Scandinavian woodcarver....
, NTHI, Trond and Trondheim.
The first game was played at Furuset Stadion on January 4, 1935 between Gjøa and Furuset. Gjøa won 5–0. The referee was Johan Narvestad.
In the Olympic games, Norway has competed nine times, but hasn't won any medals. Their best result was in 1972 when they finished in 8th place. During this time, the Norwegian team was known to let up a lot of goals, which kept them from winning a lot of games. In the 1980
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, the team competed in the top division for the first time since 1952. They started off by facing Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, who was known as the second best team in the world and had received the silver medal four years earlier. The Czechs dominated the game and won 11–0. Their next game was against West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, who had won the bronze in the 1976 tournament. The West Germans also ran up the score to a 10–4 victory. So far, the Norwegians had been outscored 21–4 by their opposition and continued to struggle with losses against USA (5–1) and 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....
(7–1). Their last game was the only bright spot in the tournament, as they came from behind to tie Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
3–3 and give themselves a point in the standings.
Today, Norway competes in the top division for the World Championships and finished 11th out of 16 teams in the 2009
2009 IIHF World Championship
The 2009 IIHF World Championship took place in Switzerland from 24 April to 10 May. The games were played in the PostFinance Arena in Bern and Schluefweg in Kloten....
tournament.
Jerseys
These are the jerseys worn by Team Norway at the 2008 IIHF World Championships in Halifax, CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
NIHF Awards
The NIHF annually awards the Golden Puck award to the best male Norwegian born hockey player. The similar award for women is the Valemon trophy, which has been awarded twice.Players who have played 50 official games (Winter Olympic- and Olympic qualification games, as well as IIHF World Championship games for Team Norway receive the Polar Bear Trophy
Polar bear trophy
The Polar Bear Trophy is an award given out by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation to Norwegian ice hockey players who have played a minimum of 50 official games for the Norwegian national ice hockey team....
from the NIHF.
Each year the NIHF hands out the His Rojal Majesty's Cup to the winner of the playoffs of the GET-ligaen
GET-ligaen
GET-ligaen is the premier Norwegian ice hockey league, organised by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Federation. The league was known as 1. divisjon until 1990, when it was reorganized and named Eliteserien . That name was held until 2004 when cable TV company UPC became main sponsor...
, and the winning team becomes Norwegian Champions.