Luleå HF facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Luleå Hockey |
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|---|---|
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| City | Luleå, Sweden |
| League | Swedish Hockey League |
| Founded | 2 May 1977 |
| Home arena | Coop Norrbotten Arena |
| Colors | |
| General manager | Stefan Nilsson |
| Head coach | Thomas Berglund |
| Captain | Erik Gustafsson |
| Website | luleahockey.se |
| Franchise history | |
| 1977–1979 | GroKo Hockey |
| 1979–present | Luleå HF |
| Le Mat Trophy | 1996 |
Luleå Hockeyförening, often called Luleå Hockey, is a professional ice hockey team from Luleå, Sweden. They play in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), which is the top ice hockey league in Sweden. Luleå Hockey has been part of this top league since the 1984–85 season.
This team is special because it's the northernmost team in the SHL. They have won the Swedish championship once, in 1996. Since joining the top league in 1984, Luleå Hockey has never had to play games to avoid being moved down to a lower league. This shows how strong and consistent they have been!
Contents
The History of Luleå Hockey
Luleå Hockeyförening started on May 2, 1977. At first, it was called GroKo Hockey. This new team was formed when two local ice hockey clubs, IFK Luleå and Luleå SK, joined their hockey sections together. The name "GroKo" came from one of the team's main sponsors at the time. Later, the team changed its name to Luleå HF, which is what it's known as today.
Recent Seasons and Achievements
Luleå Hockey has had some great seasons recently. They often finish high up in the league standings. For example, in the 2019–20 SHL season, they finished in first place! However, the playoffs that year were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the 2021–22 SHL season, Luleå Hockey had another strong year. They finished second in the regular season. They made it all the way to the finals of the Swedish Championship playoffs. Even though they played very well, they lost in the finals to Färjestad BK. This was a big achievement for the team.
Players and Team Members
Luleå Hockey has a roster of skilled players who work together as a team. The team includes players from Sweden and other countries like Canada and Finland.
Current Team Roster
| # | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 |  |
Frédéric Allard | D | R | 27 | 2023 | Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, Canada |
| 96 |  |
Pontus Andreasson | C | L | 26 | 2023 | Munkedal, Sweden |
| 96 | |
Mathias Bromé | W | L | 30 | 2024 | Örby, Sweden |
| 14 | |
Jonas Berglund | C | L | 34 | 2017 | Älvsbyn, Sweden |
| 10 | |
Einar Emanuelsson | RW | R | 28 | 2016 | Kiruna, Sweden |
| 29 | |
Erik Gustafsson (C) | D | L | 36 | 2018 | Sundsvall, Sweden |
| 5 | |
Marcus Hardegård | D | L | 28 | 2023 | Älvsbyn, Sweden |
| 6 | |
Isac Hedqvist | C | L | 20 | 2022 | Örnsköldsvik, Sweden |
| 9 | |
Ludvig Jansson | D | R | 21 | 2023 | Stockholm, Sweden |
| 13 |  |
Eetu Koivistoinen | C | L | 29 | 2024 | Tampere, Finland |
| 27 | |
Oskari Laaksonen | D | R | 26 | 2023 | Tampere, Finland |
| 34 | |
Joel Lassinantti | G | L | 32 | 2021 | Luleå, Sweden |
| 76 | |
Anton Levtchi | LW | L | 29 | 2024 | Varkaus, Finland |
| 40 | |
David Lilja | LW | L | 25 | 2023 | Karlskoga, Sweden |
| 33 | |
Albin Lundin | C | L | 29 | 2024 | Stockholm, Sweden |
| 15 | |
Carl Mattsson | C | L | 25 | 2018 | Gammelstad, Sweden |
| 51 | |
Markus Nurmi | RW | R | 27 | 2024 | Turku, Finland |
| 91 |  |
Brian O'Neill | C | R | 37 | 2024 | Yardley, Pennsylvania, United States |
| 67 | |
Linus Omark (A) | LW | L | 38 | 2023 | Övertorneå, Sweden |
| 23 | |
Jesper Sellgren | D | L | 27 | 2022 | Örnsköldsvik, Sweden |
| 24 | |
Brendan Shinnimin | C | L | 34 | 2021 | East St. Paul, Manitoba, Canada |
| 39 | |
Pontus Själin | D | L | 29 | 2015 | Östersund, Sweden |
| 31 | |
Matteus Ward | G | L | 24 | 2022 | Nyköping, Sweden |
Updated 17 August 2024
Team Captains Through the Years
The team captain is a very important player who leads the team. Here are some of the players who have been captains for Luleå Hockey:
- Thorbjörn Köhler, 1979–84
- Lars Lindgren, 1984–88
- Lars-Gunnar Pettersson, 1988–92
- Stefan Nilsson, 1992–99
- Roger Åkerström, 1999–2005
- Mikael Renberg, 2005–07
- Anders Burström, 2007–11
- Niclas Wallin, 2011–12
- Chris Abbott, 2012–15
- Johan Harju, 2015–2017
- Niklas Olausson, 2017–2018
- Erik Gustafsson, 2018–present
Honored Members and Retired Numbers
Some players are so important to a team that their jersey numbers are "retired." This means no other player on the team will ever wear that number again. It's a special way to honor their contributions. Luleå HF has retired several numbers:
| No. | Player | Position | Career | No. retirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Stefan Nilsson | C | 1984–1998, 2001–2004 | 6 January 2015 |
| 12 | Johan Strömwall | C | 1984–1998 | October 1998 |
| 22 | Hans Norberg | RW | 1979–1983, 1985–1989 | – |
| 28 | Roger Åkerström | D | 1984–1991, 1994–2007 | 5 January 2017 |
| 35 | Jarmo Myllys | G | 1994–2001 | 23 November 2011 |
Team Records and Top Players
Luleå Hockey has had many amazing players over the years who have set impressive records.
Regular Season Records
Here are some of the best individual records from the regular season:
- Most goals in one season: Lars-Gunnar Pettersson scored 30 goals in the 1990–91 season.
- Most assists in one season: Stefan Nilsson made 40 assists in the 1991–92 season.
- Most points in one season: Linus Klasen earned 57 points (goals + assists) in the 2013–14 season.
- Most points in one season by a defenseman: Timo Jutila had 37 points in the 1991–92 season.
- Most shutouts in one season: Several goalies have achieved 6 shutouts in a season, including Jarmo Myllys, Anders Nilsson, and Johan Gustafsson.
- Most penalty minutes in a career: Thomas Berglund spent 1083 minutes in the penalty box during his career.
All-Time Scoring Leaders
Many players have scored a lot of points for Luleå Hockey since they joined the top league in 1984. Some of the top point-scorers include Stefan Nilsson, Johan Strömwall, and Lars-Gunnar Pettersson. These players have scored hundreds of points, showing their skill and dedication to the team.
Trophies and Awards
Luleå Hockey has won several important trophies and awards, both as a team and for individual players.
Team Trophies
- Le Mat Trophy: This is the trophy for winning the Swedish Championship. Luleå Hockey won it once in 1996.
- Champions Hockey League: They won this big European club competition in 2014–15.
- European Trophy: They also won this European tournament in 2012.
- Tampere Cup: They won this cup in 1995.
Individual Player Awards
Several Luleå Hockey players have won special awards for their great performances:
Guldhjälmen (Golden Helmet - awarded to the league's most valuable player as voted by the players)
- Jarmo Myllys: 1996–97
Guldpucken (Golden Puck - awarded to the best Swedish ice hockey player of the year)
- Mikael Renberg: 2000–01
Håkan Loob Trophy (awarded to the player who scores the most goals in the regular season)
- Lars-Gunnar Pettersson: 1998–99
Honken Trophy (awarded to the best goaltender in the SHL)
- Joel Lassinantti: 2014–15
Salming Trophy (awarded to the best defenseman in the SHL)
- Erik Gustafsson: 2018–19
Rookie of the Year (awarded to the best first-year player)
- Jan Mertzig: 1995–96
