gable. The season is over for Briannas.
This fall they play in Hockeyallsvenskan, which is becoming an increasingly strong series.
– We will get more SM gold than there is in the SHL if Djurgården stays, says Erik Ryman, sports director of Hockeyallsvenskan.
It didn’t work out for Brynas, they fell into negative playoffs and for the first time in 63 years were knocked out of the top division of Swedish hockey.
Brinass is a loser on many levels. You lose 30-40 million in league contributions and instead of the derby match against Leksand and the big game against Färjestad, Östersund and Kristianstad are waiting.
But Hockeyallsvenskan as a series is the winner. In recent years, the league has been filled with strong clubs that have come out, but have not succeeded in returning to the first league.
Like Modo, maybe Djurgården, Björklöven, AIK and Södertälje, for example. Clubs with a long history, top-league dynasties and large gatherings of supporters.
– It is not difficult to calculate what this means for us. A very strong team is coming to us and we are very happy about that. Hockey may be redrawn. It is a pleasure to get strong teams for our series, while it is a sadness for a club that is leaving. If we count the golden SM, and Djurgården remains in our series, there are more Swedish leagues in Hockeyallsvenskan than in the SHL, says Erik Ryman, sports director of Hockeyallsvenskan.
You want to reduce teams in higher leagues
He likes the current series system of promotion and relegation and in that system Hockeyallsvenskan has been enriched with HV71, Djurgården and now Brynäs in the last three years.
– And the great thing about the new chain system is that we only compete with each other. We will of course have to revise that series system and there should probably be another SHL venue for the teams to compete for, he explains.
With such strong teams in Hockeyallsvenskan, discussion of expanding the SHL comes like a letter in the mail. Ryman to shrink teams in the major leagues.
– Get down to 12 teams in the SHL and 12 teams in Hockeyallsvenskan. Tournaments will become more intense and hockey will be better.