Women's ice hockey in Finland

Ice hockey
Country Finland
Governing body Finnish Ice Hockey Association
National team(s) Women's national team
First played 1982
Clubs 8
National competitions
Jääkiekon naisten SM-sarja

Women's ice hockey in Finland had 2,593 players in 2005 and 4,694 in 2011.[1] The Jääkiekon naisten SM-sarja (Finnish national women's league) is the league elite of women's ice hockey in Finland. This league is organized by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association.

History

The first league was created in 1982–1983. Several teams of this first Finnish Women's League were established in the beginning of the 1970s. In 1978, the tournament of lipstick became a kind of "unofficial" national women's championship for some years. Finally in 1982-83 began a series of efforts with the new league, Jääkiekon naisten SM-sarja. The first season was played in two division of five teams each (10 teams). The first playoffs were at Tampere on March 12 and 13, 1983.[2] For 2004-2005, the number of teams was reduced to 6, until it was widened in 2008 to 8 and 9 in 2010.

Teams 2017-18

TeamCity
Espoo BluesEspoo
HPKHämeenlinna
KalPaKuopio
KJTUusimaa
LukkoRauma
Oulun KärpätOulu
Tampereen Ilves (jääkiekko)Tampere
Team KuortaneKuortane

Championships

Developmental league

The number of young women in the junior level increased slowly, from 500 players at the beginning to approximately 2000 today.[3] The growth rate was not satisfactory, so the Finnish Ice Hockey Association decided to invest in development of women's ice hockey by supporting leagues.[3] The number of teams considerably increased: there are now 12 teams in the Women's 1st Division, NAISTEN I-DIVISIOONA (second level after the Finnish National Women's League).

Lohko 1

TeamCity
HPKHameenlinna
IlvesTampere
ReipasLahti
Marski-HockeyMikkeli
SaiPaLappeenranta
ÄssätPori

Lohko 2

TeamCity
EPS EspooEspoo
HG-92Tuusula
Karhu-KissatVantaa
PaKaKuusamo
SportVaasa
TapparaTampere

Tournaments

The following IIHF tournaments were hosted in Finland.

EventLocationFinish
1992 IIHF Women's World ChampionshipTampere3rd, bronze medalist(s) Bronze[4]
1998 3 Nations CupKuortane3rd, bronze medalist(s) Bronze
1999 IIHF Women's World ChampionshipEspoo3rd, bronze medalist(s) Bronze
2001 3 Nations CupVierumäki and Tampere2nd, silver medalist(s) Silver
2005 4 Nations CupHämeenlinna3rd, bronze medalist(s) Bronze
2008–09 IIHF European Women's Champions CupLohja3rd, bronze medalist(s) Bronze (Espoo Blues)
2009 IIHF Women's World ChampionshipHämeenlinna3rd, bronze medalist(s) Bronze[4]
2009 4 Nations CupVierumäkiFourth
2011–12 IIHF European Women's Champions CupHämeenlinna3rd, bronze medalist(s) Bronze (HPK)
2012 4 Nations CupTikkurilaFourth
2012–13 IIHF European Women's Champions CupOulu3rd, bronze medalist(s) Bronze (Oulun Kärpät)
2014–15 IIHF European Women's Champions CupEspoo3rd, bronze medalist(s) Bronze (Espoo Blues)
2016 4 Nations CupVierumäki3rd, bronze medalist(s) Bronze

Leading scorers

IIHF Worlds

  • Riikka Nieminen is Finland’s all-time leader with 41 points (23 goals, 18 assists). She participated in four IIHF Worlds. She led two World Championships (1994 and 1997) in scoring.[5] Her 41 points ranks seventh all-time in World Championship scoring. She appeared in 118 games for Finland, scoring 109 goals, 95 assists and 204 points.[6]
  • Tiia Reima ranks second all-time with 34 points (14 goals, 20 assists) and participated in six tournaments. Her 20 assists is the Finnish career mark for most assists in World Championship play.She earned five bronze medals at the '90, '92, '94, '97 and '99 World Championships.

Olympics

  • Riikka Nieminen ranks as the all time leading Olympic scorer for Finland.[7] She was the top point producer at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games.

Famous firsts

  • 1983: The official start of a women's league in Finland.[8]
  • 1989: The Finnish Women's National Team won the first Women’s European Championships.
  • 1990: Finland claimed the bronze in the first IIHF Women's World Championships.
  • May 21, 2010: Riikka Nieminen was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame on 21 May 2010 in Cologne, Germany, as part of the World Championship festivities. She was only the fourth woman to receive this honor and the first from Finland.

Finnish women in NCAA

PositionNameNCAA schoolSeasons
GNoora RätyMinnesota2009–2013
DMariia PosaMinnesota-Duluth2009–2012
FNina TikkinenMinnesota State–Mankato2007–2010
FMinttu TuominenOhio State2009–2013
FSaara NiemiMinnesota-Duluth2008–2010

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Finland". Iihf.com. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
  2. ↑ "Women's Hockey in Finland". Whockey.com. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
  3. 1 2 "Women's Hockey History in Finland". Whockey.com. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
  4. 1 2 Collins gem Hockey Facts and Stats 2009-10, p.540, Andrew Podnieks, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, Toronto, Canada, ISBN 978-1-55468-621-6
  5. ↑ "Notable Women Hockey Players". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2011-01-14.
  6. ↑ "IIHF Hall of Fame inducts six new members". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 March 2010.
  7. ↑ "Timeline — Evolution Of Women's Hockey". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2011-01-14.
  8. ↑ "Milestones of Finnish Ice Hockey: Years 1975 -". Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2011-01-14.

This page was written with a translation of Jääkiekon naisten SM-sarja on Finnish Wikipedia.

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