Vålerenga Ishockey
Vålerenga Ishockey | |
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City | Oslo, Norway |
League | Fjordkraftligaen |
Founded | 1947 |
Home arena | Jordal Amfi |
Colors | Dark blue, red and white |
General manager | Frikk Juell |
Head coach | Espen Knutsen (interim) |
Captain | Tobias Lindström |
Affiliates | Hasle Løren (1. div) |
Website | http://www.vif-hockey.no/ |
Championships | |
Regular season titles | 30 |
Playoff championships | 1960, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 |
Vålerenga Ishockey (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈvôːɽɛŋɑ] ; abbreviated as VIF) is a Norwegian ice hockey team based in Oslo, Norway. Vålerenga has been the dominant force in Norwegian hockey since the 1960s, claiming 26 national championships and 29 regular season titles. Their old home arena, located in central-eastern Oslo, was Jordal Amfi, built for the 1952 Winter Olympics. In 2020, Vålerenga moved in to their new arena at Jordal.
The team's interim head coach is former NHL player and club legend, Espen "Shampo" Knutsen, with Joachim Svendsen his assistant.
History
Early days
Although the parent club Vålerengens Idrettsforening was founded in 1913, the history of Vålerenga Ishockey starts in 1947, when the junior team participated in the national junior championships for the first time. In the 50s, the junior team won the national junior championships five years in a row.
First dynasty (1960–1973)
Vålerenga won their first national championship in 1960, taking over the throne from local rivals Gamlebyen. More championships were won in 1962 and 1963. From 1965 to 1971, Vålerenga won the championship an incredible seven times in a row, a feat not repeated in Norwegian hockey since. Notable players from this era include Arne "Mikkel" Mikkelsen, Steinar "Bjølle" Bjølbak, Tor "Jern-Gustav" Gundersen, and notably, Roy "Sleipern" Jansen. Another title was added in 1973, but this also marked the end of the first dynasty as the club faced a generational change.
A new generation (1982–1994)
Ten years went by before Vålerenga could celebrate another championship, in 1983. A new generation had emerged, and players such as Jim Marthinsen, Roy Johansen, Geir Myhre, Tor Helge "Totto" Eikeland, Bjørn Kolsrud, Arne Billkvam and Jon Magne Karlstad would go on to become club legends. In 1988, Vålerenga won their 15th title. The next season saw the debut of Espen Knutsen, who would later become the first Vålerenga product to play in the National Hockey League.
Recent era
This marked the start of another dynasty for Vålerenga and the club added several more titles in the 1990s. Kent Forsberg became head coach in 1994 and invited his son Peter and Markus Näslund to play a friendly match for the club during the lockout season in the NHL. The 20th national championship was won in 1999. Notable players from this era include Morten Ask, Kenneth Larsen, and Kjell Richard "Ricky" Nygaard, along with Swedish imports such as Johan Brummer, Patric Englund and Niklas Gällstedt. Six more championships were added after 2000, the last being won in 2009. Vålerenga were in talks to join the Kontinental Hockey League in 2014, but the plans didn't go through.[1]
Vålerenga's home arena through six decades, Jordal Amfi, was demolished in January 2017 and to be replaced by a new arena, projected to be completed in 2019.[2]
Season-by-season results
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by Vålerenga. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Vålerenga Ishockey seasons.
Norwegian Champions | Regular Season Champions | Promoted | Relegated |
Season | League | Regular season[3] | Postseason | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | W | L | OTW | OTL | GF | GA | Pts | Finish | |||
2013–14 | Eliteserien | 45 | 32 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 195 | 95 | 103 | 1st | Lost in Finals, 2–4 (Stavanger) |
2014–15 | Eliteserien | 45 | 24 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 178 | 126 | 74 | 5th | Lost in Semi-finals, 0–4 (Stavanger) |
2015–16 | Eliteserien | 45 | 21 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 122 | 98 | 77 | 5th | Lost in Semi-finals, 1–4 (Lørenskog) |
2016–17 | Eliteserien | 45 | 20 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 135 | 111 | 73 | 5th | Lost in Quarter-finals, 2–4 (Frisk Asker) |
2017–18 | Eliteserien | 45 | 18 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 144 | 132 | 69 | 5th | Lost in Quarter-finals, 1–4 (Lillehammer) |
Players and personnel
Current roster
Template:Vålerenga Ishockey roster
Head coaches
- Jan Molberg, ?-1953
- Georg Hebæk, 1953-?
- Tor Gundersen, 195?-197?
- Lennart Johansson, 1983-1984
- Lennart Åhlberg, 1984-1987
- Erik Ask, 1987-1990
- Geir Myhre, 1990-1993
- Kent Forsberg, 1994-1995
- Staffan Tholson, 1995-1997
- Roy Johansen, 1997-2001
- Petter Thoresen, 2001-2004
- Knut Jørgen Stubdal, 2004-2006
- Espen Knutsen, 2006-2016
- Roy Johansen, 2016-
Honours
- Norwegian Champions (26): 1960, 1962–3, 1965–71, 1973, 1982, 1985, 1987–8, 1991–3, 1998–9, 2001, 2003, 2005–7, 2009
- Regular Seasons (30): 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1998–1999, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19
Individual all-time records
Statistics for regular season only.
- – current active player
Scoring leaders
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Most league matches
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Notable players
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/de/Roy_Jansen_2008.jpg/220px-Roy_Jansen_2008.jpg)
Alexander Bonsaksen
Anders Fredriksen
Anders Myrvold
Arne Billkvam
Atle Olsen
Björn Bjurling
Blake Evans
Brede Frettem Csiszar
Brendan Brooks
Brian Ihnacak
Bård Sørlie
Chris Mason
Christian Chartier
Daniel Sørvik
Einar Bruno Larsen
Erik Follestad Johansen
Espen "Shampo" Knutsen
Evan Cheverie
Frank Vestreng
Gavin Morgan
Geir Hoff
Geir Myhre
Greg Day
Ilkka Kaarna
Jan-Roar Fagerli
Jim Marthinsen
Jiri Latal
Johan Åkerman
Johan Brummer
Jon-Magne Karlstad
Justin Donati
Jørgen Karterud
Ken Andre Olimb
Kent Nilsson
Lars Erik Lund
Lars Haugen
Marius Rath
Mark McCutcheon
Martin Laumann Ylven
Mathis Olimb
Mathias Trygg
Mats Rosseli Olsen
Mats Trygg
Mats Zuccarello
Morten Ask
Sigurd Thinn
Tommy Marthinsen
Travis Brigley
Per-Ragnar Bergkvist
Petter Thoresen
Patric Englund
Patrick Coulombe
Patrick DesRochers
Regan Kelly
Roy Jansen
Roy Johansen
Scott Hartnell
Serge Boisvert
Sergei Pushkov
Simon Gamache
Sondre Olden
Stig Johansen
Tommy Kiviaho
Tyler Donati
Vegar Barlie
Vladimir Machulda
Øystein Olsen
References
- ^ "Vålerenga dropper spill i KHL-ligaen" (in Norwegian). Dagsavisen. 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
- ^ "Slik blir Nye Jordal Amfi" (in Norwegian). VG. 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
- ^ Code explanation; GP—Games Played, W—Wins, L—Losses, OTW—Overtime/Shootout wins, OTL—Overtime/Shootout losses, GF—Goals For, GA—Goals Against, Pts—Points