View source for IF Björklöven

{{Infobox hockey team
| team        = IF Björklöven
| colour      = #0B610B
| colour text = #ffec00
| logo        = Bjorkloven.png
| logosize    = 175px
| city        = [[Umeå]], [[Sweden]]
| league      = [[HockeyAllsvenskan]]
| conference  = 
| division    = 
| founded     = May 15, 1970
| operated    = 
| arena       = [[Winpos Arena]]
| colours     = Green, yellow <br />{{Color box|#0B610B}} {{Color box|#ffec00}}
| owner       = 
| affiliates  = 
| parentclub  = 
| farmclub    = 
| website     = [http://www.bjorkloven.com/ www.bjorkloven.com]
| name1   = [[Le Mat Trophy|Le Mat Trophies]]
| dates1  = 1
| name2   = Seasons in Sweden's highest division
| dates2  = 26
| name3   = Swedish Championship Finals appearances
| dates3  = 3
}}
'''IF Björklöven''' (often simply referred to as '''Björklöven''' or '''Löven''') is a [[Sweden|Swedish]] professional ice hockey club in [[Umeå]], [[Västerbotten]], in northern Sweden. The club is currently playing in the second-tier league [[HockeyAllsvenskan]], but has played 15 seasons in the top Swedish league [[Swedish Hockey League|Elitserien]] (1976–77, 1978–79 to 1988–89, 1993–94, 1998–99 and 2000–01).

From 2001 to 2010, Björklöven played in [[HockeyAllsvenskan]], the second highest ice hockey league for men in Sweden. Although the team finished 12th in the [[2009–10 HockeyAllsvenskan season]] (which meant that the team was set to play in HockeyAllsvenskan the following season), the club was in big economical problems in March–May 2010. The club went bankrupt in April 2010, but managed to get the bankruptcy alleged a month later. Despite big further efforts by the club in order to be given elite license to play in HockeyAllsvenskan the following season, the [[Swedish Ice Hockey Association]] (SIHA) decided not to give Björklöven elite license and thus the team was relegated to the third-tier league [[Swedish Division 1 (ice hockey)|Division 1]] for the 2010–11 season. Björklöven was eventually promoted back to HockeyAllsvenskan in the 2012–13 season.

==History==
IF Björklöven was formed in 1970 when the ice hockey sections of [[IFK Umeå]] and [[Sandåkerns SK]] were merged. The IFK Umeå team had already at times been referred to as 'björklöven' (the birch leaves) as a tongue in cheek reference to Canadian hockey and [[Umeå]] being known as the 'city of birch trees', and after the merger the nickname became the official team name.

The team was quite successful at the [[Swedish Hockey League|Elitserien]] (SEL) level, the highest league in [[Sweden]], during the 1980s and won the Swedish championship in 1987. They were, however, relegated only two years later, and has since then not been able to establish themselves permanently in the Elitserien again, but have mostly played in the second-tier league Allsvenskan, except for a few short stints in the 90s.

===Season-by-season record===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Season
! rowspan="2" | Level
! rowspan="2" | Division
! colspan="2" | Record
! rowspan=2 | {{abbr|Avg.<br>home<br>atnd.|Average home attendance}}
! rowspan="2" | Notes
! rowspan="2" | {{abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
! Position
! W-OTW-OTL-L
|-
| colspan=8 | 

|-
| rowspan=4 | '''1999–00'''
| rowspan=3 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[1999–2000 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#Regular season|Allsvenskan North]]'''
| '''1st'''<small> of 12</small>
| 17–6–4–5
| 2,050
| 
| rowspan=4 | <ref name="historical">[[Swedish Ice Hockey Association]]: [http://historical.stats.swehockey.se/ Official statistics: historical database]</ref>

|-
| '''[[1999–2000 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#Superallsvenskan|SuperAllsvenskan]]'''
| 3rd<small> of 8</small>
| 8–2–1–3
| 2,962
| 

|-
| [[1999–2000 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#Playoffs|Playoff to Elitserien qual.]]
| —
| 2–0–0–1
| 3,181
| 
|-
| colspan=2 | [[2000 Kvalserien|Elitserien qualifiers]]
| 2nd<small> of 6</small>
| 6–1–1–2
| 3,948
| {{increase}} '''Promoted''' to [[Swedish Hockey League|Elitserien]]

|-
| rowspan=2 | '''2000–01'''
| style="background:#FFFF00;" | Tier 1
| '''[[2000–01 Elitserien season|Elitserien]]'''
| 12th<small> of 12</small>
| 12–4–5–29
| 3,519
| 
| rowspan=2 | <ref name="historical"/>
|-
| colspan=2 | [[2001 Kvalserien|Elitserien qualifiers]]
| 3rd<small> of 6</small>
| 5–2–1–2
| 4,070
| {{decrease}} '''Relegated''' to [[HockeyAllsvenskan|Allsvenskan]]

|-
| rowspan=4 | '''2001–02'''
| rowspan=3 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2001–02 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#Regular season|Allsvenskan North]]'''
| '''1st'''<small> of 12</small>
| 26–1–1–4
| 2,639
| 
| rowspan=4 | <ref name="historical"/>
|-
| '''[[2001–02 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#SuperAllsvenskan|SuperAllsvenskan]]'''
| 5th<small> of 8</small>
| 5–1–1–7
| 3,262
| 
|-
| [[2001–02 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#Playoffs|Playoff to Elitserien qual.]]
| —
| 2–2–0–1
| 4,471
| Round 1: Won 2–0 in games vs [[Hammarby Hockey (1921–2008)|Hammarby IF]]<br>Round 2: Won 2–1 in games vs [[Skellefteå AIK]]
|-
| colspan=2 | [[2002 Kvalserien|Elitserien qualifiers]]
| 4th<small> of 6</small>
| 3–0–1–6
| 3,827
| 

|-
| rowspan=3 | '''2002–03'''
| rowspan=3 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2002–03 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#Regular season|Allsvenskan North]]'''
| 3rd<small> of 12</small>
| 19–3–1–5
| 2,772
| 
| rowspan=3 | <ref name="historical"/>
|-
| '''[[2002–03 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#SuperAllsvenskan|SuperAllsvenskan]]'''
| 5th<small> of 8</small>
| 6–1–1–6
| 3,917
| 
|-
| [[2002–03 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#Playoffs|Playoff to Elitserien qual.]]
| —
| 2–0–0–2
| 3,302
| Round 1: Won 2–0 in games vs [[Mörrums GoIS IK]]<br>Round 2: Lost 2–0 in games vs [[AIK IF]]

|-
| rowspan=2 | '''2003–04'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2003–04 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#Regular season|Allsvenskan North]]'''
| 8th<small> of 12</small>
| 9–5–3–15
| 2,384
| 
| rowspan=2 | <ref name="historical"/>
|-
| [[2003–04 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#Regular season|Allsvenskan North (spring)]]
| 4th<small> of 8</small>
| 7–0–3–4
| 2,187
| 

|-
| rowspan=2 | '''2004–05'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2004–05 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#Regular season|Allsvenskan North]]'''
| 3rd<small> of 12</small>
| 19–6–7
| 2,947
| 
| rowspan=2 | <ref name="historical"/>
|-
| '''[[2004–05 Allsvenskan (ice hockey) season#SuperAllsvenskan|SuperAllsvenskan]]'''
| 8th<small> of 8</small>
| 2–1–11
| 3,304
| 

|-
| '''2005–06'''
| style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2005–06 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 5th<small> of 15</small>
| 21–5–16
| 3,423
| 
| <ref name="historical"/>

|-
| rowspan=3 | '''2006–07'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2006–07 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 5th<small> of 16</small>
| 23–7–15
| 3,248
| 
| rowspan=3 | <ref name="historical"/>
|-
| [[2006–07 HockeyAllsvenskan season#Playoffs|Playoff to Elitserien qual.]]
| —
| 2–2–1–1
| 3,290
| Round 1: Won 2–1 in games vs [[Växjö Lakers HC]]<br>Round 2: Won 2–1 in games vs [[Nyköpings HK]]
|-
| colspan=2 | [[2007 Kvalserien|Elitserien qualifier]]
| 4th<small> of 6</small>
| 3–4–3
| 3,731
| 

|-
| rowspan=2 | '''2007–08'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2007–08 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 4th<small> of 16</small>
| 26–6–13
| 3,447
| 
| rowspan=2 | <ref name="historical"/>
|-
| [[2007–08 HockeyAllsvenskan season#Playoffs|Playoff to Elitserien qual.]]
| —
| 0–0–1–1
| 3,066
| 1st round: Lost 2–0 in games vs [[Borås HC]]

|-
| '''2008–09'''
| style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2008–09 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 9th<small> of 16</small>
| 16–6–6–17
| 3,447
| 
| <ref name="historical"/>

|-
| '''2009–10'''
| style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2009–10 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 12th<small> of 14</small>
| 12–7–5–28
| 2,461
| {{decrease}} '''Relegated''' to Division 1 (due to financial troubles)
| <ref name="historical"/>

|-
| rowspan=3 | '''2010–11'''
| rowspan=3 style="background:#77DD77;" | Tier 3
| '''[[2010–11 Division 1 season (Swedish ice hockey)#Division 1A|Division 1A]]'''
| '''1st'''<small> of 9</small>
| 20–1–2–1
| 2,034
| 
| rowspan=3 | <ref name="historical" />
|-
| '''[[2010–11 Division 1 season (Swedish ice hockey)#AllEttan Norra|AllEttan North]]'''
| 2nd<small> of 8</small>
| 11–0–0–3
| 2,115
| Bye to Playoff 2
|-
| [[2010–11 Division 1 season (Swedish ice hockey)#Playoffs|Playoff to HA qualifiers]]
| —
| 1–0–1–3
| 2,870
| Round 2: Won 2–1 in games vs [[Nybro Vikings IF]]<br>Round 3: Lost 2–0 in games vs [[Asplöven HC]]

|-
| rowspan=3 | '''2011–12'''
| rowspan=3 style="background:#77DD77;" | Tier 3
| '''[[2011–12 Division 1 season (Swedish ice hockey)|Division 1A]]'''
| '''1st'''<small> of 8</small>
| 19–0–1–1
| 2,842
| 
| rowspan=3 | <ref name="historical" />
|-
| '''[[2011–12 Division 1 season (Swedish ice hockey)#AllEttan Norra|AllEttan North]]'''
| 3rd <small> of 8</small>
| 8–1–2–3
| 2,698
| 
|-
| [[2011–12 Division 1 season (Swedish ice hockey)#Playoffs|Playoff to HA qualifier]]
| —
| 3–0–0–2
| 2,983
| Round 1: Won 2–0 in games vs [[Bodens HF]]<br>Round 2: Lost 2–1 in games vs [[Olofströms IK]]

|-
| rowspan=4 | '''2012–13'''
| rowspan=3 style="background:#77DD77;" | Tier 3
| '''[[2012–13 Division 1 season (Swedish ice hockey)#Division 1A|Division 1A]]'''
| '''1st'''<small> of 7</small>
| 22–0–1–1
| 2,503
| 
| <ref>[[Swedish Ice Hockey Association]]: [http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/2895 2012–13 Division 1 A] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001002731/http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/2895 |date=2013-10-01 }}</ref>
|-
| '''[[2012–13 Division 1 season (Swedish ice hockey)#Allettan Norra|AllEttan North]]'''
| '''1st'''<small> of 8</small>
| 13–0–0–1
| 3,085
| Bye to Playoff 3
| <ref>[[Swedish Ice Hockey Association]]: [http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/3597 2012–13 AllEttan North] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001003831/http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/3597 |date=2013-10-01 }}</ref>
|-
| [[2012–13 Division 1 season (Swedish ice hockey)#Playoffs|Playoff to HA qualifier]]
| —
| 2–0–0–0
| 4,369
| Round 3: Won 2–0 in games vs [[Olofströms IK]]
| <ref>[[Swedish Ice Hockey Association]]: [http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/3704 2012–13 Playoff till Allsv. Kval]</ref>
|-
| colspan=2 | [[2013 Kvalserien till HockeyAllsvenskan|HockeyAllsvenskan qualifiers]]
| '''1st'''<small> of 6</small>
| 7–0–0–3
| 4,747
| {{increase}} '''Promoted''' to [[HockeyAllsvenskan]]
| <ref>[[Swedish Ice Hockey Association]]: [http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/3805 2013 Kvalserien till HockeyAllsvenskan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131009091906/http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/3805 |date=2013-10-09 }}</ref>

|-
| rowspan=2 | '''2013–14'''
| style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2013–14 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 14th <small>of 14</small>
| 13–4–3–32
| 3,641
| 
| <ref>{{cite web| url = http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/3906 |title=Allsvenskan: 2013–14: Allsvenskan |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2014 | accessdate = 26 April 2014}}</ref>
|-
| colspan=2 | [[2013–14 HockeyAllsvenskan season#HockeyAllsvenskan qualifiers|HockeyAllsvenskan qualifiers]]
| 2nd <small>of 6</small>
| 6–0–3–1
| 3,632
| 
| <ref>{{cite web| url = http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/4915|title=Allsvenskan: 2013–14: Allsvenskan Qualifier |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2014 | accessdate = 26 April 2014}}</ref> 
|-
| rowspan=2 | '''2014–15'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2014–15 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 6th <small>of 14</small>
| 19–10–4–19
| 3,552
| 
| <ref>{{cite web| url = http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/5057 |title=Allsvenskan: 2014–15: Allsvenskan |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2015 | accessdate = 26 April 2015}}</ref> 
|-
| [[2014–15 HockeyAllsvenskan season#Playoffs|Playoff to SHL qualifiers]]
| 4th <small>of 6</small>
| 1–2–0–2
| 5,118
|
| <ref>{{cite web| url = http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/5964|title=Allsvenskan: 2014–15: Allsvenskan Playoffs |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2015 | accessdate = 26 April 2015}}</ref> 

|-
| rowspan=1 | '''2015–16'''
| rowspan=1 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2015–16 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 12th <small>of 14</small>
| 20–2–9–22
| 3,472
| 
| <ref>{{cite web| url = http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/6053|title=Allsvenskan: 2015–16: Allsvenskan |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2016 | accessdate = 26 April 2016}}</ref> 
|-
| rowspan=1 | '''2016–17'''
| rowspan=1 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2016–17 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 11th <small>of 14</small>
| 20–1–5–26
| 3,802
| 
| <ref>{{cite web| url = http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/7157|title=Allsvenskan: 2016–17: Allsvenskan |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2017 | accessdate = 26 April 2017}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2 | '''2017–18'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2017–18 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 5th <small>of 14</small>
| 20–6–8–18
| 3,902
| 
| <ref>{{cite web| url = http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/8122|title=Allsvenskan: 2017–18: Allsvenskan |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2018 | accessdate = 26 April 2018}}</ref> 
|-
| [[2017–18 HockeyAllsvenskan season#HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs|Playoff to SHL qualifiers]]
| 3rd <small>of 6</small>
| 2–2–0–1
| 4,028
|
| <ref>{{cite web| url = http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Schedule/9064|title=Allsvenskan: 2017–18: Allsvenskan Playoffs |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2018 | accessdate = 26 April 2018}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=1 | '''2018–19'''
| rowspan=1 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2018–19 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 10th <small>of 14</small>
| 16–6–8–22
| 3,879
| 
| <ref>{{cite web| url = http://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/8122|title=Allsvenskan: 2017–18: Allsvenskan |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2018 | accessdate = 26 April 2018}}</ref> 
|-
| rowspan=2 | '''2019–20'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2019–20 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| '''1st''' <small>of 14</small>
| 36–5–3–8
| 4,754
| 
| <ref>{{cite web| url = https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/10333|title=Allsvenskan: 2019–20: Allsvenskan |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2022 | accessdate = 26 April 2022}}</ref> 
|-
| [[2019–20 HockeyAllsvenskan season#Finals|HockeyAllsvenskan Finals]]
| –
| 1–0–1–0
| 5,400
| Playoffs cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]
| <ref>{{cite web| url = https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/10337|title=Allsvenskan: 2019–20: Allsvenskan Playoffs |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2022 | accessdate = 26 April 2022}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2 | '''2020–21'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2020–21 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 3rd <small>of 14</small>
| 26–6–3–17
| 23
| 
| <ref>{{cite web| url = https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/11449|title=Allsvenskan: 2020–21: Allsvenskan |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2022 | accessdate = 26 April 2022}}</ref> 
|-
| [[2020–21 HockeyAllsvenskan season#HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs|HockeyAllsvenskan Playoffs]]
| –
| 6–2–3–5
| 56
| Won in quarterfinals 3–1 in games vs [[Mora IK]]<br>Won in semifinals 4–3 in games vs [[BIK Karlskoga]]<br>Lost in finals 1–4 in games vs [[Timrå IK]]
| <ref>{{cite web| url = https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/12268|title=Allsvenskan: 2020–21: Allsvenskan Playoffs |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2022 | accessdate = 26 April 2022}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2 | '''2021–22'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#87CEFA;" | Tier 2
| '''[[2021–22 HockeyAllsvenskan season|HockeyAllsvenskan]]'''
| 4th <small>of 14</small>
| 26–7–6–13
| 3,855
| 
| <ref>{{cite web| url = https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/12320|title=Allsvenskan: 2021–22: Allsvenskan |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2022 | accessdate = 26 April 2022}}</ref> 
|-
| [[2021–22 HockeyAllsvenskan season#HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs|HockeyAllsvenskan Playoffs]]
| –
| 8–2–2–6
| 5,176
| Won in quarterfinals 4–1 in games vs [[Västerås IK]]<br>Won in semifinals 4–3 in games vs [[Modo Hockey]]<br>Lost in finals 2–4 in games vs [[HV71]]
| <ref>{{cite web| url = https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/13332|title=Allsvenskan: 2021–22: Allsvenskan Playoffs |website= Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 26 April 2022 | accessdate = 26 April 2022}}</ref>
|}

==References==

<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.bjorkloven.com/ IF Björklöven official website]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before = [[Färjestad BK]] | title = [[Swedish ice hockey champions]] | years = '''1987''' | after = [[Färjestad BK]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{Wikipedia}}

[[Category:Ice hockey teams in Sweden]]