Growth of Scandinavian icehockey?

NoMessi

Registered User
Jan 2, 2009
1,697
453
Im from Sweden and I love hockey, most of Sweden do. The hardships of our neighbours have been discussed several times but I want to hear about and shine light on the good things happening, if there are any.

Last year Denmark had the WHC and from what I remember there were good support and a success. Have there been new investments in hockey lately? New arenas? Whats the outlook for the future?

I wanna know the same this about Norway. Mats Zuccarello being a semi-star in the NHL should have had some impact, right?

What do you know and what do you think?
 
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Idlerlee

Registered User
Apr 19, 2013
4,227
806
Im from Sweden and I love hockey, most of Sweden do. The hardships of our neighbours have been discussed several times but I want to hear about and shine light on the good things happening, if there are any.

Last year Denmark had the WHC and from what I remember there were good support and a success. Have there been new investments in hockey lately? New arenas? Whats the outlook for the future?

I wanna know the same this about Norway. Mats Zuccarello being a semi-star in the NHL should have had some impact, right?

What do you know and what do you think?

Mats has certainly increased the overall attention to hockey in Norway without a doubt. Most noteably the Zuccarello all-star match (Now Henke and Zucc) event that's been taking place in Norway yearly, attracting some big name NHLers that making for a overall great event.

As for recruitment to the game itself that I do not believe has had a *huge* influence although surely some kids are now playing hockey because of Mats.

The real issue with Norway in particular is that all our publicly funded projects have been decided that it must have a multi-purpose function to justify cost. As a consequence we only have 49 ice rinks for all year usage in the entire country. A stark contrast to Swedens 350+ or Finlands 250+ permanent icerinks. Currently the available infrastructure means that even if kids wanted to get into hockey, they couldnt due to no ice available where they live.
 

singlesliceofcheese

Registered User
May 9, 2018
220
106
Mats has certainly increased the overall attention to hockey in Norway without a doubt. Most noteably the Zuccarello all-star match (Now Henke and Zucc) event that's been taking place in Norway yearly, attracting some big name NHLers that making for a overall great event.

As for recruitment to the game itself that I do not believe has had a *huge* influence although surely some kids are now playing hockey because of Mats.

The real issue with Norway in particular is that all our publicly funded projects have been decided that it must have a multi-purpose function to justify cost. As a consequence we only have 49 ice rinks for all year usage in the entire country. A stark contrast to Swedens 350+ or Finlands 250+ permanent icerinks. Currently the available infrastructure means that even if kids wanted to get into hockey, they couldnt due to no ice available where they live.

That's good to hear. I've always wanted Norway and Denmark to make a mark on hockey. I'm glad that, at least, participation numbers in Norway increase by a decent margin annually. If Norway does (and I think they have a good chance) ever produce top-20 talent, then I think it would be huge for the sport.
 

CraftyVeteran

Lunatic
Apr 15, 2017
663
823
Mats is a national hero in Norway. Anytime he does something, he gets front page news. It's so surreal. My Mrs is from Norway and she isn't a sports fan and even she knows who he is. They are starting to gain some momentum but I don't think they can ever produce players like Sweden does, it's just not their interest. In fact, Anreas Martinsen is from her hometown of Baerum but I think he's just a AHL level talent.

I would love to see some more. For now I have to enjoy some Valerenga hockey.
 

EvilDead

Shop smart. Shop S-Mart.
Nov 6, 2014
9,696
8,200
Taiwan
Hate to bump a dead thread, but I am genuinely curious about what the state of hockey is currently in Denmark and Norway four years on from this post?
 

RussianRifle27

Registered User
Dec 3, 2007
838
30
I don’t live in Norway but I visit fairly often. I was surprised to see that there was a tv show that followed the Vålarenga team on one of the main channels- much like the HBO 24/7 series. Crazy to see David Booth playing for them. Also saw a hockey-themed tv commercial. This gave me the impression that maybe hockey is getting more popular.
 
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SwedishFire

Registered User
Mar 3, 2011
5,332
1,863
Im from Sweden and I love hockey, most of Sweden do. The hardships of our neighbours have been discussed several times but I want to hear about and shine light on the good things happening, if there are any.

Last year Denmark had the WHC and from what I remember there were good support and a success. Have there been new investments in hockey lately? New arenas? Whats the outlook for the future?

I wanna know the same this about Norway. Mats Zuccarello being a semi-star in the NHL should have had some impact, right?

What do you know and what do you think?

Denmark is doing fine, much thanks to Malmö Red Hawks, where danish talents can run out of the country. The sport in Denmark will have a hard time to grow, because the rinks are just to few. I think it was just 15-20 icerinks in the whole country.

Norway, I dont get what they are doing. They have been in the bottom 12-16 for decades now, and no sign of growing out of it. Norway is just so much more into skiing and fotball. And they are just 4-5 millions.

I think that sweden already is so far ahead, make it uninterresting. Always being beat up by big brother. In fotball there are at least a fair game. Norway needs some success.

Even Denmark is above Norway.
 

Fjorden

Registered User
Jan 17, 2021
262
225
Bergen, Norway
www.bergenishockey.no
Denmark is doing fine, much thanks to Malmö Red Hawks, where danish talents can run out of the country. The sport in Denmark will have a hard time to grow, because the rinks are just to few. I think it was just 15-20 icerinks in the whole country.

Norway, I dont get what they are doing. They have been in the bottom 12-16 for decades now, and no sign of growing out of it. Norway is just so much more into skiing and fotball. And they are just 4-5 millions.

I think that sweden already is so far ahead, make it uninterresting. Always being beat up by big brother. In fotball there are at least a fair game. Norway needs some success.

Even Denmark is above Norway.
Norway have been better than Denmark on u18 and u20 level for a while now. This years u20 team has many good players that have dominated in the swedish j20 espescially in Mora plus some in the american NCAA. In fact Norway have improved a lot on u18 and u20 level lately with teams in the elite group for both u18 and u20 with many potential draft prospects like Stian Solberg, Petter Vesterheim and Michael Brandsegg Nygård. This years u20 team is likely the best ever u20 Norway's ever had.

If we can materialize these players into good senior players we'll become more competiive on senior level.

But I agree Denmark are better now on senior level than Norway, and have been that for the last 5-6 years.
 
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Gubbhornet

Registered User
Dec 5, 2019
436
233
In all honesty, I'm a but worried about the sport in Sweden. It has become very expensive.
 

Fjorden

Registered User
Jan 17, 2021
262
225
Bergen, Norway
www.bergenishockey.no
There are millions tons of migrants in Sweden, and nobody significant in hockey except zibanedjad?
We have a very good team now in Norway with immigrants from Sdyshor Kharkiv in Ukraine playing in the norwegian youth league. (u16).

Det ukrainske ishockeylaget Sdyshor 2007 vant den norske serien

"With the help of the Stavanger Oilers, the Ukrainian team has established itself in Norway.
- We feel that we are part of a big family together with the Oilers. We get very good support from the club and the owner"
 
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Jakub97

Registered User
Jun 5, 2023
31
30
Guys would make any sense for Norway and Denmark to create one top tier league? For example consisting of 12-14 teams (6 to 7 teams per country).

Can it happen in near future? I believe that I could be beneficial for both sides hockey-wise.
Perhaps the Norwegian league has a little bit higher level in comparison to Danish one yet they are neighbours and for most of southern cities in Norway is Denmark closer then northern Norway.

For example:

Norway

Stavanger Oilers
Vålerengå
Storhamar
Lillehammer
Stjernen Hockey
Sparta Sarpsborg
Frisk Asker

Denmark

Henring Blue Fox
Aalborg Pirates
Rungsted Seier Capital
Esbjerg Energy
SonderjyskE
Odense Bulldogs
Fredrikshavn White Hawks





Any thoughts?
 
Last edited:
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Lackhalak

Registered User
May 26, 2017
174
79
Guys would make any sense for Norway and Denmark to create one top tier league? For example consisting of 12-14 teams (6 to 7 teams per country).

Can it happen in near future? I believe that I could be beneficial for both sides hockey-wise.
Perhaps the Norwegian league has a little bit higher level in comparison to Danish one yet they are neighbours and for most of southern cities in Norway is Denmark closer then northern Norway.

For example:

Norway

Stavanger Oilers
Vålerengå
Storhamar
Lillehammer
Stjernen Hockey
Sparta Sarpsborg
Frisk Asker

Denmark

Henring Blue Fox
Aalborg Pirates
Rungsted Seier Capital
Esbjerg Energy
SonderjyskE
Odense Bulldogs
Fredrikshavn White Hawks





Any thoughts?
Great idea, but i think it would be better if they both joined the SHL/allsvenskan system
 

Raimo Sillanpää

Registered User
Mar 11, 2003
1,848
199
Espoo, Finland
Great idea, but i think it would be better if they both joined the SHL/allsvenskan system
I’ve always felt that the only way to build a European league would be to start by merging SHL and Liiga and the division below. Then the existing city rivalries are enough to make it sustainable and then it’s easier to add a franchise team like in Oslo or Copenhagen or Tallin and Riga.
 
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Lackhalak

Registered User
May 26, 2017
174
79
I’ve always felt that the only way to build a European league would be to start by merging SHL and Liiga and the division below. Then the existing city rivalries are enough to make it sustainable and then it’s easier to add a franchise team like in Oslo or Copenhagen or Tallin and Riga.
NEHLTeamsArenaPopulation (metro)
1​
StockholmDjurgardens
13,850​
2,392,000​
2​
StockholmAIK
13,850​
2,392,000​
3​
GothenbergFrolunda
-16,000​
1,058,000​
4​
MalmoRed Hawks
12,600​
749,000​
5​
UppsalaAlmtuna IS
-10,000​
295,000​
6​
LinkopingHC
8,500​
207,000​
7​
KarlstadFarjestad BK
8,646​
180,000​
8​
GavleBrynas IF
7,909​
184,000​
9​
OrebroHK
5,316​
208,000​
10​
JonkopingHV71
7,000​
171,000​
11​
HelsinkiHIFK
-10,500​
1,671,000​
12​
HelsinkiJokerit
13,349​
1,671,000​
13​
TampereIlves
13,455​
448,000​
14​
TurkuTPS
11,820​
362,000​
15​
TampereTappara
13,455​
448,000​
16​
OuluKarpat
6,768​
258,000​
NEHLTeamsArenaPopulation (metro)
1​
VaxjoLakers
5,700​
157,000​
2​
AngelholmRogle BK
5,045​
44,000/243,000​
3​
TimraIK
6,000​
19,000/ 126,000​
4​
LeksandIF
7,650​
69,000​
5​
LuleaFH
6,150​
78,000​
6​
SkellefteaAIK
5,801​
73,000​
7​
AalborgPirates
5,200​
217,000​
8​
CopenhagenEagles
12,500​
2,100,000​
9​
StravangerOilers
4,500​
320,000​
10​
OsloValerenga
5,300​
1,600,000​
11​
JyvaskylaJYP
-7,000​
212,000​
12​
LahtiPelicans
5,371​
191,000​
13​
KuopioKalPa
5,300​
168,000​
14​
PoriAssat
6,300​
137,000​
15​
RigaDinamo
10,300​
1,100,000​
16​
RigaHK Zemgale
10,300​
1,100,000​
NEHLTeamsArenaPopulation (metro)
1​
VasterasIK
4,902​
199,000​
2​
UemaIF Bjorkloven
5,400​
131,000​
3​
OrnskoldsvikModo
7,600​
56,000​
4​
SodertaljeSK
6,200​
101,000​
5​
NorkkopingHC Vita Hasten
4,280​
183,000​
6​
KarlskronaHK
5,050​
67,000​
7​
HerningBlue Fox
11,000​
88,000​
8​
CopenhagenMighty Bulls
12,500​
2,100,000​
9​
OsloGruner
6,500​
1,600,000​
10​
Lillehammer-HamerStorhammer
11,000-7,500​
30,000-88,000​
11​
RaumaLukko
5,400​
66,000​
12​
KouvolaKooKoo
5,950​
61,000​
13​
HameenlinnaHPK
5,360​
67,000​
14​
LapreenrantaSaiPa
4,820​
73,000​
15​
RigaHK Mogo
6,000​
1,100,000​
16​
KaunasHockey
13,762​
588,000​
NEHLTeamsArenaPopulation (metro)
1​
KarlskogaBIK
5,600​
30,000​
2​
NykopingSK
5,500​
58,000​
3​
HalmstadHammers
4,000​
134,000​
4​
BorasHC
3,949​
114,000​
5​
VasbyIK
3,650​
2,392,000​
6​
Gothenberg
7,600​
1,048,000​
7​
OndenseBull Dogs
3,280​
205,000​
8​
Aarhus
5,001​
350,000​
9​
TrondheimNidaros
3,000​
280,000​
10​
BergenIK
-8,320​
420,000​
11​
VassaSport
4,512​
67,000​
12​
EspooKeikko
6,982​
1,671,000​
13​
MikkeliJukurit
4,200​
54,000​
14​
JoensuuJoKP
4,800​
76,000​
15​
TallinPanter
5,840​
455,000​
16​
VilniusHockey Punks
8,750​
810,000​

I agree, they should merge. This would easily make a Northern league the 2nd best league in the world.

Sweden - 28 teams
Finland - 18 teams
Norway - 6 teams
Denmark - 6 teams
Baltics - 6 teams
Total - 64 teams

4 levels of relegation
 
Last edited:

apoptygma

2-5-9-11
Apr 9, 2011
501
351
Taking the 6 biggest teams out of the national series would kill hockey in Norway. Hockey is mostly concentrated in the south eastern part of the country, and visiting fans from the bigger clubs is very important for the lower half of the top league teams finances. Without them the rest would have to become amateur clubs with a very limited salary budget for both players and other personal. Having teams from Trondheim and Bergen would also be a miss, as neither have had teams in top league for several years, and have never been good hockey markets.

If you take 6 clubs from Norway it should be something like:

Vålerenga - Oslo
Storhamar - Hamar
Stavanger - Stavanger

and 3 of the following bunch;
Lillehammer- Lillehammer
Frisk/Asker - Oslo (western surburbs)
Sparta - Sarpsborg
Stjernen - Fredrikstad

But for Norwegian hockey the better solution would to keep upgrading facilities and building new arenas (as many is close to 50 year old with terrible placement of arena and bad sightlines).
 
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Lackhalak

Registered User
May 26, 2017
174
79
Taking the 6 biggest teams out of the national series would kill hockey in Norway. Hockey is mostly concentrated in the south eastern part of the country, and visiting fans from the bigger clubs is very important for the lower half of the top league teams finances. Without them the rest would have to become amateur clubs with a very limited salary budget for both players and other personal. Having teams from Trondheim and Bergen would also be a miss, as neither have had teams in top league for several years, and have never been good hockey markets.

If you take 6 clubs from Norway it should be something like:

Vålerenga - Oslo
Storhamar - Hamar
Stavanger - Stavanger

and 3 of the following bunch;
Lillehammer- Lillehammer
Frisk/Asker - Oslo (western surburbs)
Sparta - Sarpsborg
Stjernen - Fredrikstad

But for Norwegian hockey the better solution would to keep upgrading facilities and building new arenas (as many is close to 50 year old with terrible placement of arena and bad sightlines).
My thought was to expand to larger areas to grow the game, kind of how the NHL has moved to non traditional hockey markets.
 

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