2012–13 Elitserien season

The 2012–13 Elitserien season was the 38th season of Elitserien. The regular season began on 13 September 2012 and ended on 5 March 2013. The playoffs began on 12 March 2013 and ended on 18 April 2013. The 2012–13 Elitserien season was the last season under the name "Elitserien"; on 17 June 2013, the league was renamed "Swedish Hockey League" (SHL).
Skellefteå AIK clinched the Swedish Championship for the first time since 1978, defeating Luleå HF 4–0 in the Finals. It was the team's second Swedish Championship in club history. Skellefteå also won the regular season for the first time since the 1980–81 season, and the second time in club history. Their 114-point finish is the highest amount of points since Färjestad BK won the 2001–02 regular season with 118 points. Luleå HF improved on the record for fewest goals surrendered in a 55-game regular season that they set last season by only having 102 goals scored against them.
In the 2012 Kvalserien, Timrå IK defended its Elitserien spot and Rögle BK returned to Elitserien for the first time in two years.
== Participating teams ==
Team 	City 	Arena 	Capacity
AIK 	Stockholm 	Hovet 	8,094
Brynäs IF 	Gävle 	Läkerol Arena 	8,585
Frölunda HC 	Gothenburg 	Scandinavium 	12,044
Färjestad BK 	Karlstad 	Löfbergs Lila Arena 	8,647
HV71 	Jönköping 	Kinnarps Arena 	7,000
Linköpings HC 	Linköping 	Cloetta Center 	8,500
Luleå HF 	Luleå 	Coop Arena 	6,300
Modo Hockey 	Örnsköldsvik	Fjällräven Center 	7,600
Rögle BK 	Ängelholm 	Lindab Arena 	5,150
Skellefteå AIK	Skellefteå 	Skellefteå Kraft Arena	6,001
Timrå IK 	Timrå 	E.ON Arena 	6,000
Växjö Lakers 	Växjö 	Vida Arena 	5,700
*Note: Frölunda HC played their final three home games of the regular season in Frölundaborg, which has a smaller capacity of 7,600 spectators.
== Summary ==
===Short-term contracts===
Short-term contracts and the possibility of signing players affected by the 2012–13 NHL lockout was a controversial issue for several months. The board of hockey operations for Elitserien (Hockeyligan) decided to continue rejecting short-term contracts (i.e. contracts not lasting for the entire season) on 23 August 2012. On 21 September 2012, the Swedish Competition Authority (SCA) examined the matter and responded with a ruling that allowed short-term contracts. Hockeyligan appealed the SCA ruling to the Market Court. On 18 December 2012, the Market Court ruled against the SCA and allowed Hockeyligan to forbid short-term contracts. The uncertainty and concerns of legal punishment caused a number of Elitserien clubs to refrain from signing short-term contracts and await the Market Court's decision. In the end, Cody Franson played 26 Elitserien games with Brynäs, Alexander Steen played 20 games with Modo, and Matt Duchene played 19 games and Viktor Stålberg 11 games with Frölunda before their short-term contracts expired.
===Outdoor game===
For the fourth consecutive season, an outdoor game was played. As part of Brynäs IF celebrating their 100th year as a club, they hosted Timrå IK on December 8, 2012, in a temporary arena called Gävlebocken ("Gävle Goat") Arena. Brynäs won the game 3–0 in front of 15,009 spectators.
===Decline in attendance===
The average attendance in Elitserien fell by 10.5% from 6,385 to 5,717 spectators per game, the lowest average since the 2002–03 season. The drop meant that Elitserien was fifth in average attendance among professional hockey leagues (fourth in Europe) – after the NHL, NLA, DEL and KHL. In the 2011–12 season, Elitserien had the second highest average attendance among professional hockey leagues (first in Europe).
There were several reasons for the decline; Frölunda HC saw a 18.1% decrease to an average of 8,588 fans per game. The second most attended team last season, Djurgårdens IF, was relegated to HockeyAllsvenskan. Nine of the eleven returning teams from last season had lower attendance numbers, with Skellefteå AIK and Luleå HF being the only teams to increase their average attendance. HockeyAllsvenskan, on the other hand, improved its attendance average this season from 2,606 to 3,227 spectators per game, an improvement of 23.8% from the 2011–12 season.
== Regular season ==
=== Standings ===
=== Statistics ===
==== Scoring leaders ====
 
Updated as of the end of the regular season.
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Player 	Team 	 	 	 	 		
Holloway, Bud Bud Holloway 	Skellefteå AIK	55	20	51	71		36
Söderberg, Carl Carl Söderberg 	Linköpings HC 	54	31	29	60		48
Lindström Joakim Lindström 	Skellefteå AIK	53	18	36	54		56
Arlbrandt, Pär Pär Arlbrandt 	Linköpings HC 	54	21	32	53		28
Little, Broc Broc Little 	AIK 	55	16	30	46		24
Krog, Jason Jason Krog 	HV71 	55	17	26	43		18
Hjalmarsson, Simon Simon Hjalmarsson	Linköpings HC 	55	12	31	43		10
Lindberg, Oscar Oscar Lindberg 	Skellefteå AIK	55	17	25	42		54
Järnkrok, Calle Calle Järnkrok 	Brynäs IF 	53	13	29	42		12
Lee, Chris Chris Lee 	Färjestad BK 	54	12	29	41		30
==== Leading goaltenders ====
These are the leaders in GAA among goaltenders who have played at least 40% of the team's minutes. Updated as of the end of the regular season.
GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); GA = Goals Against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average
Player 	Team 	 	 	 	 	 	
Salak, Alexander Alexander Salák 	Färjestad BK 	41	2452:44	66	7	.939	1.61
Eriksson, Joacim Joacim Eriksson 	Skellefteå AIK	30	1726:17	48	5	.931	1.67
Gustafsson, Johan Johan Gustafsson 	Luleå HF 	33	2016:10	57	4	.933	1.70
Engstrand, Christian Christian Engstrand	Linköpings HC 	34	1934:05	61	6	.936	1.89
Hudacek, Julius Július Hudáček 	Frölunda HC 	48	2894:00	91	5	.930	1.89
Lundström, Joakim Joakim Lundström 	Timrå IK 	25	1506:57	50	2	.927	1.99
Wesslau, Gustaf Gustaf Wesslau 	HV71 	43	2522:35	84	7	.928	2.00
Svensson, Markus Markus Svensson 	Skellefteå AIK	27	1587:22	54	3	.920	2.04
Starkbaum, Bernhard Bernhard Starkbaum 	Modo Hockey 	46	2625:43	90	8	.933	2.06
Norrena, Fredrik Fredrik Norrena 	Växjö Lakers 	46	2725:19	95	6	.919	2.09
== Playoffs ==
=== Playoff bracket ===
In the first round, the highest remaining seed chose which of the four lowest remaining seeds to be matched against. In the second round, the highest remaining seed is matched against the lowest remaining seed. In each round the higher-seeded team is awarded home ice advantage. Each best-of-seven series follows an alternating home team format: the higher-seeded team will play at home for games 1 and 3 (plus 5 and 7 if necessary), and the lower-seeded team will be at home for game 2, 4 and 6 (if necessary).
=== Quarterfinals ===
====(1) Skellefteå AIK vs. (8) Brynäs IF====
====(2) Färjestad BK vs. (7) Modo Hockey====
====(3) Luleå HF vs. (6) Frölunda HC====
====(4) HV71 vs. (5) Linköpings HC====
=== Semifinals ===
====(1) Skellefteå AIK vs. (5) Linköpings HC====
Skellefteå won the series 4–1 and advanced to the Finals for the third year in a row, becoming the first team to achieve this feat since HV71 between 2008–2010.
====(2) Färjestad BK vs. (3) Luleå HF====
Luleå won the series 4–1 and advanced to the Finals for the first time since winning the Swedish Championship in 1996.
Linus Persson's game-deciding goal in Game 4, 12 seconds into overtime, is a new record for the fastest overtime goal scored in Elitserien playoff history.
=== Finals: (1) Skellefteå AIK vs. (3) Luleå HF ===
The Finals became a matchup between the league's two northernmost teams: Skellefteå and Luleå. Skellefteå won three of the five regular-season games against Luleå; two of the five games had to be decided in a shootout. This was only the second playoff series between these two teams; in 2011, Skellefteå defeated Luleå in six games to advance to the Finals (where they eventually lost). This was Skellefteå's third consecutive Finals appearance (Skellefteå reached the Finals in 2011 and 2012), and their fourth overall excluding seasons before Elitserien was formed. Luleå made their first Finals appearance since losing the Swedish Championship to Färjestad three games to one in 1997, as well as their third appearance overall (Luleå became Swedish Champions in 1996).
Skellefteå won the series 4–0, and became Swedish champions for the first time since 1978, and only the second time in club history. Luleå became the first team since 2003 to get swept in the Finals, in four straight games. Skellefteå finished the playoffs with a 12–1 record, the best playoff record since Färjestad's playoff run in 2009.
In Game 4, Skellefteå clinched the Swedish Championship with a 4–0 shutout over Luleå. Goaltender Joacim Eriksson stopped all 32 shots against Skellefteå's crease. After the first period, Skellefteå was up 2–0, following goals by Oscar Möller at 3:33 and Erik Forssell at 15:22. 5:32 into the second period, Johan Forsberg netted his first goal of the playoffs to give Skellefteå a three-goal lead. With less than four minutes to go in the third period, Erik Forssell sealed the Swedish Championship for Skellefteå with an empty netter, his second goal of the game.
=== Statistics ===
==== Scoring leaders ====
 
Updated as of the end of the playoffs.
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Player 	Team 	 	 	 	 		
Persson, Linus Linus Persson 	Luleå HF 	15	8	4 	12		6
Arlbrandt, Pär Pär Arlbrandt 	Linköpings HC 	10	7	5 	12		4
Lee, Chris Chris Lee 	Färjestad BK 	10	7	5 	12		6
Lindberg, Oscar Oscar Lindberg 	Skellefteå AIK	13	4	8 	12		16
Klasen, Linus Linus Klasen 	Luleå HF 	14	4	8 	12		4
Hjalmarsson, Simon Simon Hjalmarsson	Linköpings HC 	10	5	6 	11		8
Lindström, Joakim Joakim Lindström 	Skellefteå AIK	13	4	7 	11		4
Olausson, Niklas Niklas Olausson 	Luleå HF 	15	1	10	11		4
Forssell, Erik Erik Forssell 	Skellefteå AIK	13	5	5 	10		2
Möller, Oscar Oscar Möller 	Skellefteå AIK	13	5	5 	10		2
==== Leading goaltenders ====
These are the leaders in GAA and save percentage among goaltenders who played at least 40% of the team's minutes. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded. Updated as of the end of the playoffs.
GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); GA = Goals Against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average
Player 	Team 	 	 	 	 	 	
Eriksson, Joacim Joacim Eriksson 	Skellefteå AIK	10	623:01	11	3	.952	1.06
Ullmark, Linus Linus Ullmark 	Modo Hockey 	2 	122:49	3 	0	.955	1.47
Gustafsson, Johan Johan Gustafsson	Luleå HF 	15	946:10	32	0	.925	2.03
Hudacek, Julius Július Hudáček 	Frölunda HC 	6 	388:29	15	1	.920	2.32
Salak, Alexander Alexander Salák 	Färjestad BK 	10	616:06	24	1	.922	2.34
== Elitserien awards ==
Guldhjälmen: Bud Holloway, Skellefteå AIK
Guldpucken: Jimmie Ericsson, Skellefteå AIK
Honken Trophy: Gustaf Wesslau, HV71
Håkan Loob Trophy: Carl Söderberg, Linköpings HC
Rookie of the Year: William Karlsson, HV71
Stefan Liv Memorial Trophy: Oscar Lindberg, Skellefteå AIK
Guldpipan: Ulf Rönnmark
== Suspensions and fines ==
==Team Photos==
12-13AIK.jpg|AIK
12-13BryIF.jpg|Brynas IF
12-13FarBK.jpg|Färjestad BK
12-13FroInd.jpg|Frolunda HC
12-13HV71.jpg|HV71
12-13LulHF.jpg|Lulea HF
12-13ModHoc.jpg|MODO Hockey
12-13SkeAIK.jpg|Skelleftea AIK
== See also ==
* 2013 Kvalserien
* List of Elitserien seasons
== References ==
==External links==
Category:2012–13 in European ice hockey leagues
Category:SHL Seasons