Luleå Hockey/MSSK are a semi-professional ice hockey team in the Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL). They play in Luleå, a port city in northeastern Sweden, at Coop Norrbotten Arena. The team is the most successful in SDHL history, having been regular season champions for four consecutive years, 2015–2019, and winning the Swedish Championship seven times within eight years, from 2016 to 2024.

Luleå Hockey/MSSK
CityLuleå, Sweden
LeagueSDHL
Founded2015 (2015)
Home arenaCoop Norrbotten Arena
ColorsRed, black, white, yellow
       
General managerOskar Häggström
Head coachMelinda Olsson
CaptainJenni Hiirikoski
Websitewww.luleahockey.se
Championships
Regular season titles7 (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024)
Playoff championships7 (2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Current uniform
Current season

History

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The team was formed in 2015, after a merger between Luleå HF and Munksund Skuthamn SK (MSSK). In October 2016, the club set an SDHL attendance record with 3,150 spectators for a match against Norrland rivals MODO Hockey.[1]

After winning the Swedish Championship in 2018, they played against that year's Isobel Cup winners, the Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL), in the first-ever Champions Cup of women's ice hockey.[2] Luleå won the match 4-2.[3] In November that year, the club again set a new record for SDHL attendance, with 6,220 spectators for a match against AIK IF.[4]

In 2019, the club hired Mikael Forsberg to replace Fredrik Glader, who had served as head coach for the first four seasons of the club's existence.[5]

Season-by-season results

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This is a list of all seasons completed by Luleå Hockey/MSSK, since the team was founded in 2015.
Code explanation: GP—Games played, W—Wins, OTW—Overtime wins, T—Overtime losses, L—Losses, GF—Goals for, GA—Goals against, Pts—Points. Top Scorer: Points (Goals+Assists)

Season League Regular season Post season results
Finish GP W OTW OTL L GF GA Pts Top scorer
2015-16 SDHL 1st 36 27 2 2 5 161 60 87   M. Karvinen 79 (37+42) Won Championship, 2-1 (Linköping)
2016-17 SDHL 1st 36 32 0 0 4 168 52 96   M. Karvinen 70 (30+40) Lost semi-finals, 0-2 (HV71)
2017-18 SDHL 1st 36 29 3 2 2 160 58 95   M. Karvinen 68 (30+38) Won Championship, 2-1 (Linköping)
2018-19 SDHL 1st 36 30 1 1 4 166 52 93   J. Hiirikoski 63 (19+44) Won Championship, 3-2 (Linköping)
2019-20 SDHL 2nd 36 24 4 1 7 141 61 81   P. Nieminen 55 (25+30) Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020-21 SDHL 1st 36 32 1 1 2 159 52 99   M. Cava 66 (29+37) Won Championship, 3-0 (Brynäs)
2021–22 SDHL 3rd 36 21 4 4 7 131 79 75   P. Nieminen 55 (26+29) Won Championship, 3-2 (Brynäs)
2022–23 SDHL 1st 32 27 3 0 2 140 39 87   N. Tulus 56 (22+34) Won Championship, 3-0 (Brynäs)
2023–24 SDHL 1st 36 29 4 1 2 173 62 96   N. Tulus 61 (22+39) Won Championship, 3-0 (Brynäs IF)

Players and personnel

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2024–25 roster

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As of 30 August 2024[6][7]
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
10   Anna Andersson D L 20 2019 Själevad, Ångermanland, Sweden
31   Frida Axell G L 23 2021 Gothenburg, Västergötland, Sweden
24   Ella Bergström F L 20 2024 Älvsbyn, Norrbotten, Sweden
5   Johanna Fällman D L 34 2024 Luleå, Norrbotten, Sweden
52   Sara Grahn G L 36 2018 Örebro, Närke, Sweden
6   Jenni Hiirikoski (C) D L 37 2016 Lempäälä, Pirkanmaa, Finland
15   Reece Hunt F L 23 2024 Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
77   Linnéa Johansson LW L 22 2023 Ljungby, Småland, Sweden
21   Astrid Lindeberg D L 19 2021 Stocksund, Uppland, Sweden
26   Sara Lindqvist LW L 19 2022 Storuman, Lapland, Sweden
27   Jaycee Magwood F L 27 2023 Killarney, Manitoba, Canada
93   Nadia Mattivi D L 24 2024 Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
16   Petra Nieminen C L 25 2018 Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland
29   Emma Nordin C L 33 2022 Örnsköldsvik, Ångermanland, Sweden
17   Erica Rieder D L 27 2024 Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
11   Akane Shiga F R 23 2024 Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
19   Stella Sjöberg LW L 17 2023 Stockholm, Uppland, Sweden
7   Tilde Sjödin D L 20 2020 Vilhelmina, Lapland, Sweden
14   Wilma Sjölund C R 21 2019 Sundsvall, Medelpad, Sweden
8   Hedvig Sturk D L 18 2023 Österhaninge, Södermanland, Sweden
42   Viivi Vainikka RW/C L 22 2020 Espoo, Uusimaa, Finland
Coaching staff and team personnel

Team captains

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Head coaches

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Franchise records and leaders

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As of 24 March 2023

Regular season

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  • Most goals in a season: Michelle Karvinen, 37 (2015–16)
  • Most assists in a season: Jenni Hiirikoski, 44 (2018–19)
  • Most points in a season: Michelle Karvinen, 79 (2015–16)
  • Most points in a season, defenseman: Jenni Hiirikoski, 63 (2018–19)
  • Best save percentage in a season, over ten games played: Frida Axell, .944 (2022–23)
  • Best goals against average in a season, over ten games played: Frida Axell, 1.00 (2022–23)

Career

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  • Most games played, skater: Jenni Hiirikoski, 239
  • Most games played, goaltender: Sara Grahn, 114
  • Most shutouts in a career: Sara Grahn, 24
  • Most penalty minutes in a career: Ronja Savolainen, 251

Scoring leaders

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The top-ten point-scorers (goals + assists) of Luleå Hockey/MSSK from the 2015–16 season through the 2023–24 season.[9] Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game;   = 2024–25 Luleå HF/MSSK player

Nat Player Pos GP G A Pts P/G
  Emma Nordin C 265 183 222 405 1.53
  Jenni Hiirikoski D 275 99 266 365 1.33
  Noora Tulus RW 254 111 214 325 1.28
  Michelle Karvinen W 152 141 173 314 2.07
  Petra Nieminen C 201 142 137 279 1.39
  Ronja Savolainen D 258 81 146 227 0.88
  Viivi Vainikka C 136 76 83 159 1.17
  Josefine Høegh Persson W 230 62 87 149 0.65
  Linn Peterson RW/C 173 40 66 106 0.61
  Johanna Fällman D 234 26 62 88 0.38

References

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  1. ^ Rönnkvist, Ronnie (14 October 2016). "Landslagsstjärnan imponerad av publikrekordet: "Som en SHL-match"". HockeySverige (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  2. ^ Foster, Meredith (2 April 2018). "Luleå HF Win SDHL Championship". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  3. ^ Oliver, Nathaniel (1 October 2018). "5 Champions Cup Takeaways: Metropolitan Riveters vs Luleå HF/MSSK". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  4. ^ Funqvis, Sixten (16 November 2018). "Nytt publikrekord i SDHL". HockeySverige (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 November 2020.
  5. ^ Nilsson, Jonathan (29 September 2019). ""Man slår upp telefonboken och vill ringa pappa – men det går inte att nå honom"". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Luleå Hockey/MSSK Trupp > Komplett Trupp". Luleå Hockey (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Luleå HF – 2024-2025 Roster". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  8. ^ Nilsson, Jonathan (10 November 2022). "Tränaren lämnar Luleå – mitt i säsongen". Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  9. ^ "Luleå HF - All Time Regular Season Player Stats to season 23/24". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
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