| Malmö Redhawks | |
|---|---|
| 2011–12 Malmö Redhawks season | |
| City | Malmö, Sweden |
| League | HockeyAllsvenskan |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Home arena | Malmö Arena |
| Colors | Black, red and white |
| Owner(s) | Hugo Stenbeck |
| General manager | Stefan Nyman |
| Head coach | Ulf Taavola |
| Captain | Linus Klasen |
| Franchise history | |
| 1947–1972 | Malmö FF Ishockey |
| 1972–2001 | Malmö IF |
| 2001–2004 | MIF Redhawks |
| 2004–present | Malmö Redhawks |
| Le Mat Trophy | 1992, 1994 |
The Malmö Redhawks is an ice hockey club from Malmö, Sweden. The team is currently playing in the second highest league in Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan. Malmö has played 16 seasons in the top Swedish league Elitserien (1990–91 to 2004–05 and 2006–07).
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The team was founded on 28 February 1972 when the ice hockey section of the Swedish sports club Malmö FF became an own club. The Malmö Redhawks played in the Elitserien from 1990–91 to 2004–05. They were the Swedish champions in 1992 and 1994 and European champions in 1992.
The Redhawks, previously known as "MIF" became famous in Sweden when they started buying very talented players to an anonymous team in the late eighties. They signed players such as Peter "Pekka" Lindmark, one of the greatest goaltenders all-time, Daniel Rydmark and Raimo Helminen and basically brought money into the sport in Sweden.
At the end of the 2004–05 season, the Redhawks played in the qualification series to stay in Elitserien, lost and were relegated. Thus, as of the 2005–06 season, they played in the HockeyAllsvenskan, the second division hockey league in Sweden; at the end of the season, the top 4 teams played the qualification series with the bottom two teams of Elitserien. Malmö won the qualification round and played in Elitserien during the 2006–07 season with limited success. Finishing the season as 12th (last) meant playing Kvalserien in order to avoid relegation for the second time in three years. On 1 April 2007, the Redhawks finished third in 2008-09 Kvalserien and was relegated to the Allsvenskan league.
In 2007, Malmö Redhawks participated in a qualification series (Kvalserien) consisting of the top four teams of HockeyAllsvenskan and the bottom two teams from Elitserien, having finished 12th in the 2007–08 Elitserien season. Malmö were considered favourites alongside the second team from Elitserien, Skellefteå AIK, but failed to re-qualify for Elitserien, falling two points behind Södertälje SK. In 2008 the team once again managed to reach Kvalserien, and had a golden opportunity to advance to Elitserien, leading the series during a majority of rounds. The Redhawks, however, lost in overtime of the final round while their arch rivals, Rögle BK, claimed the Elitserien spot with a margin of two points by scoring twice in the last minute of play. The Redhawks only managed to get 2 points in the 2008 Kvalserien's last four rounds, despite having gotten 15 points after the first six games.
During the 2008–09 season, Malmö Redhawks moved to the new Malmö Arena, a top-modern sports and entertainment venue. The club originally aimed on being back in Elitserien before the premiere.
On 29 January 2009, while still playing in HockeyAllsvenskan, the team released all its contracted players due to financial debt and to avoid bankruptcy. The players were made free to find and sign with new clubs. By then the Redhawks were ranked 10th in the league with only one month of games remaining to play, instead of the top three or seven required for Kvalserien and possible Elitserien qualification. The team finished 8th and thus missed the playoffs, although the team was just one point short from reaching the playoffs.
Malmö Redhawks finished fifth in HockeyAllsvenskan in the 2009–10 season and thus reached the playoffs, which was an improvement over last season. The Redhawks started the playoffs by knocking out Bofors IK in two straight games, and the Redhawks were now set to face Almtuna IS for a series that would decide which would be HockeyAllsvenskan's fourth team in Kvalserien. The Redhawks beat Almtuna 2–1 at home in the first game, but lost the two following games (which the Redhawks played on away ice) and thus were eliminated from the playoffs. In the 2010–11 season, things went worse, as the Redhawks failed to reach the playoffs, finishing 8th and four points short from a playoff spot.
On 28 January 2011, during the 2010–11 season, the Redhawks announced that they had agreed to a 3-year 70-million SEK ($10.6 million USD) deal with businessman Hugo Stenbeck. The goal with the 3-year-long deal is to get Malmö Redhawks back in Elitserien.[1]
Malmö's efforts to reach Elitserien started immediately prior to the 2011–12 season. Several players from higher divisions, including Hannu Toivonen, Daniel Josefsson, J.D. Forrest, Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre and Linus Klasen, joined the club. When Linus Klasen joined the team on May 17, 2011, he was immediately appointed the team's captain. Linus Klasen's three-year contract with the club includes an annual salary of 4 million SEK ($0.6 million USD), making Klasen the best paid Swedish ice hockey player.[2]
On December 10, 2011, the Redhawks' then head coach Leif Strömberg was fired following disappointing results as the Redhawks placed sixth in the league with 47 points, which at that time was ten points away from the third Kvalserien spot. He was replaced by the team's then assistant coach Ulf Taavola. Patrik Sylvegård was acquired as the team's new assistant coach.[3][4]
Players under contract for the 2011–12 season, as of October 24, 2011.[5][6]
Retired numbers
Alumni:
All with experience from their respective national teams.
| Preceded by Djurgårdens IF |
Swedish ice hockey champions 1992 |
Succeeded by Brynäs IF |
| Preceded by Brynäs IF |
Swedish ice hockey champions 1994 |
Succeeded by HV71 |
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