SM-sarja

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
SM-Sarja
Sport
SM-Liiga
No. of teams3-12
Country Finland
Level on pyramidLevel 1
Relegation toSuomensarja (1936-1974) I-Divisioona (1974-75)

SM-Sarja was the top level of ice hockey in Finland from 1928 to 1975. SM-sarja is a common abbreviation for Suomen mestaruussarja, "Finnish Championship Series".

There was variable number of teams playing for the Finnish championship during the time of SM-sarja. The lowest number of participating teams was during the

1935 SM-sarja season
when there was 3 teams. The most common number of participating teams was 12.

Since

1944-45 SM-sarja season there was relegations for lowest-ranking teams of each season. In the relegations the lowest-ranking teams either faced the winner of the 1. Divisioona
(1st Division) or was straightly relegated from SM-sarja.

History

Anssi Koskinen as the host of the Tamvision´s hockey television show Lätkäruutu, 1964

The first SM-sarja season took place in 1928. The first championship was competed as a cup. Viipurin Reipas was the winning team and they became the first Finnish ice hockey champions. SM-sarja was cancelled in 1930 because of bad winter in Finland. SM-sarja was also cancelled in 1940, 1942 and during the 1944 season because of the Winter War and the Continuation War

SM-sarja was played in amateur principles so the clubs were not supposed to pay their players beyond compensation for lost wages. However, as ice hockey evolved in Finland some teams started to be handled like

. These teams were run by the money of the owning companies and the players were bought from the neighbouring teams. This would be the first steps towards professionalism.

By the 1970s the concept of amateur ice hockey was turning out of date as there was commercials on players uniforms and bigger money involved in teams and in 1975 SM-sarja played its last

1976
season.

The last team to win the Finnish championship under SM-sarja was Tappara.

Formats

Between 1928 and 1933 SM-sarja Championship was contested under Cup rules.

After 1933 SM-sarja was contested as a league. In 1951 SM-sarja was divided to 2 groups and the Play Offs were introduced.

The SM-sarja moved back to one group play in 1959 though the two group-system returned for 1965–66 SM-sarja season.

SM-sarja Teams

Viipurin Reipas was first Finnish Champions in 1928
TBK (Tammerfors Bollklubb) in 1945
Ilves against HJK in 1949

Teams in bold still play in

SM-liiga
.

Winners

Until 1955 the Winner of the SM-sarja received the Aaro Kivilinna memorial award. After 1955 the winner was given the Kanada-malja ("Canada Cup") as the official rotating award of SM-sarja.

year champions
1928
Viipurin Reipas
1929
HJK
1931
TaPa
1932
HJK
1933
HSK
1934
HSK
1935
HJK
1936
Ilves
1937
Ilves
1938
Ilves
1939
KIF
1941
KIF
1943
KIF
1945
Ilves
1946 Ilves
1947 Ilves
1948 Tarmo
1949 Tarmo
1950 Ilves
1951 Ilves
1952
Ilves
1953 TBK
1954 TBK
1955 TBK
1956
TPS
1957 Ilves
1958 Ilves
1959 Tappara
1960 Ilves
1961 Tappara
1962 Ilves
1963 Lukko
1964 Tappara
1965
Karhut
1966 Ilves
1967
RU-38
1968
KooVee
1969
HIFK
1970
HIFK
1971 Ässät
1972 Ilves
1973 Jokerit
1974
HIFK
1975 Tappara
  • Ilves team picture in 1936
    Ilves team picture in 1936
  • TBK against Ilves in 1949
    TBK against Ilves in 1949
  • RU-38 team picture in 1959
    RU-38 team picture in 1959
  • Tappara champion of Finland in 1961
    Tappara champion of Finland in 1961
  • Jerry Sullivan played in Helsinki IFK in 1963
    Jerry Sullivan played in
    Helsinki IFK
    in 1963
  • Porin Karhut team picture in 1965
    Porin Karhut team picture in 1965
  • Matti Reunamäki and the Finnish ice hockey championship trophy in 1968
    Matti Reunamäki and the Finnish ice hockey championship trophy in 1968
  • HIFK's Esa Isaksson after scoring a goal against Reipas in 1969.
    HIFK's Esa Isaksson after scoring a goal against Reipas in 1969.
  • Helsinki IFK players getting ready for a game in 1971
    Helsinki IFK
    players getting ready for a game in 1971
  • Porin Ässät celebrating the finnish championship of ice hockey in 1971
    Porin Ässät celebrating the finnish championship of ice hockey in 1971
  • Ilves champion of Finland in 1972
    Ilves
    champion of Finland in 1972

Notable players

See also