SM-sarja
Sport | SM-Liiga |
---|---|
No. of teams | 3-12 |
Country | Finland |
Level on pyramid | Level 1 |
Relegation to | Suomensarja (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
Since
History
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
By the 1970s the concept of amateur ice hockey was turning out of date as there was commercials on players uniforms and bigger money involved in teams and in 1975 SM-sarja played its last
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
Teams in bold still play in
- HPS
- TaPa
- Viipurin Reipas
- HJK
- KIF
- HIFK
- Tampereen Pyrintö
- ÅIFK
- ViPS
- Turun Riento
- Ilves
- HSK
- Tarmo
- TPS
- TBK/Tappara
- Karhu-Kissat
- TuPK
- Arsenal
- HPK
- Lukko
- TP-V
- KuPS
- KyPa
- Töölön Vesa/Jokerit
- Jymy-Kiekko
- KalPa
- KooVee
- SaiPa
- Kärpät
- Karhut
- WU
- RU-38
- Lahden Reipas
- TuTo
- SaPKo
- Hermes
- Upon Pallo
- VehU
- Ässät
- Hilpara
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
-
TBK against Ilves in 1949
-
RU-38 team picture in 1959
-
Tappara champion of Finland in 1961
-
Jerry Sullivan played inHelsinki IFKin 1963
-
Porin Karhut team picture in 1965
-
Matti Reunamäki and the Finnish ice hockey championship trophy in 1968
-
HIFK's Esa Isaksson after scoring a goal against Reipas in 1969.
-
Helsinki IFKplayers getting ready for a game in 1971
-
Porin Ässät celebrating the finnish championship of ice hockey in 1971
-
Ilveschampion of Finland in 1972