2014–15 SHL season

The 2014–15 SHL season was the 40th season of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). The regular season began on 10 September 2014 and ended on 5 March 2015. The following playoffs began on 12 March and ended on 23 April 2015.
Skellefteå AIK won the regular season for the third consecutive season. Växjö Lakers won the Swedish Championship title by defeating Skellefteå in six games in a series where none of the two teams won at home until Växjö in game six. The title was Växjö's first in only their second play-off appearance.
Modo Hockey and Leksands IF were forced to play in the Direktkval till SHL to defend their SHL status. Modo swept the series against HC Vita Hästen while Leksand lost to Malmö Redhawks over seven games. Therefore Malmö were promoted to the SHL on the expense of Leksand.
== Pre-season ==
On 29 April 2014, the Swedish Sports Confederation (RF) informed that Modo Hockey player Edwin Hedberg had tested positive for the banned substance sibutramine in February. Hedberg voluntarily suspended himself for the duration of the investigation. On 9 July 2014, the RF handed Hedberg a six-month suspension from all organised sporting activity; the suspension ended on 24 October 2014.
On 7 July 2014, the RF suspended Luleå HF goaltender Mark Owuya from all sporting activity for one year. The verdict came due to an incident in February, in which Owuya disappeared without supervision during out-of-competition testing for doping. Owuya would have missed the entire 2014–15 season as a result, but appealed the decision to the top instance of the RF on 28 July 2014. On 4 September 2014, the instance decided to lift the suspension.
== Regular season ==
=== Standings ===
Final Standings.
Key to colours in group tables
Top six teams advance directly to the playoffs
Teams placed 7-10 advance to the play-in for the playoffs
Bottom two teams qualify for relegation series
|}
=== Statistics ===
==== Scoring leaders ====
 
List shows the ten best skaters based on the number of points during the regular season. If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Player 	Team 	 	 	 	 	 	
Ryan, Derek Derek Ryan 	Örebro HK 	55	15	45	60	+18	18
Taffe, Jeff Jeff Taffe 	Linköpings HC	54	18	41	59	+12	43
Little, Broc Broc Little 	Linköpings HC	55	28	19	47	+14	38
Micflikier, Jacob Jacob Micflikier	Linköpings HC	54	24	23	47	+13	26
Johansson, Martin Martin Johansson	Örebro HK 	54	24	22	46	+18	10
Olimb, Mathis Mathis Olimb 	Frölunda HC 	51	7 	39	46	+19	65
Rosen, Robert Robert Rosén 	Växjö Lakers 	53	23	21	44	+27	16
Christensen, Erik Erik Christensen	HV71 	46	13	31	44	+7 	14
Scott, Greg Greg Scott 	Brynäs IF 	47	18	24	42	+4 	20
Sweatt, Bill Bill Sweatt 	Brynäs IF 	54	19	22	41	+3 	36
==== Leading goaltenders ====
These are the leaders in GAA 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.
GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); GA = Goals Against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average
Player 	Team 	 	 	 	 	 	
Lassinantti, Joel Joel Lassinantti 	Luleå HF 	38	2071:48	65	5	92.79	1.88
Hudacek, Julius Julius Hudacek 	Örebro HK 	45	2640:54	84	4	92.99	1.91
Svensson, Markus Markus Svensson 	Skellefteå AIK	30	1789:47	57	3	91.88	1.91
Nilstorp, Cristopher Cristopher Nilstorp	Växjö Lakers 	38	2134:52	70	5	91.28	1.97
Fernström, Linus Linus Fernström 	Frölunda HC 	33	1851:50	61	4	90.63	1.98
Pogge, Justin Justin Pogge 	Färjestad BK 	30	1642:59	55	4	92.60	2.01
Johansson, Lars Lars Johansson 	Frölunda HC 	30	1492:46	50	3	91.50	2.01
Rautio, David David Rautio 	Linköpings HC 	33	1851:07	63	7	92.13	2.04
Hanses, Erik Erik Hanses 	Skellefteå AIK	25	1415:06	48	2	91.50	2.04
Högberg, Marcus Marcus Högberg 	Linköpings HC 	27	1462:55	56	3	91.72	2.30
== Playoffs ==
The top six teams will qualify directly for the playoffs, while the four teams ranked 7–10 will play a best-of-three series and battle for the two remaining playoff spots.
=== Play-in ===
The teams ranked 7 and 10, and the teams ranked 8 and 9, respectively, will face each other in a best-of-three series in order to qualify for the playoffs. The better-ranked teams in the two series will receive home advantage, i.e. two home games, if necessary. The two winners will take the two remaining playoff spots.
==== (7) Färjestad BK vs. (10) Brynäs IF ====
==== (8) Luleå HF vs. (9) Djurgårdens IF ====
=== Playoff bracket ===
In the first round, the top-ranked team will face the lowest-ranked winner of the two best-of-three series, the 2nd-ranked team will face the other winner of the two best-of-three series, the 3rd-ranked team will face the 6th-ranked team, and the 4th-ranked team will face the 5th-ranked team. 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 advantage. Each series is a best-of-seven series that 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 and 4 (plus 6 if necessary).
=== Quarterfinals ===
==== (1) Skellefteå AIK vs. (10) Brynäs IF ====
==== (2) Frölunda HC vs. (8) Luleå HF ====
==== (3) Växjö Lakers vs. (6) Örebro HK ====
==== (4) Linköpings HC vs. (5) HV71 ====
=== Semifinals ===
==== (1) Skellefteå AIK vs. (4) Linköpings HC ====
==== (2) Frölunda HC vs. (3) Växjö Lakers ====
=== Finals ===
=== Statistics ===
==== Playoff scoring leaders ====
 
List shows the ten best skaters based on the number of points during the playoffs. If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.
}
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Player 	Team 	 	 	 	 		
Holmström, Axel Axel Holmström 	Skellefteå AIK	15	7	11	18		0
Little, Broc Broc Little 	Linköpings HC 	11	5	9 	14		8
Tambellini, Jeff Jeff Tambellini 	Växjö Lakers 	18	5	8 	13		2
Zackrisson, Patrik Patrik Zackrisson	Skellefteå AIK	15	4	9 	13		4
Kiiskinen, Tuomas Tuomas Kiiskinen 	Växjö Lakers 	18	4	9 	13		2
Rakhshani, Rhett Rhett Rakhshani 	Växjö Lakers 	18	8	4 	12		8
Rosen, Robert Robert Rosén 	Växjö Lakers 	18	5	7 	12		6
Lajunen, Jani Jani Lajunen 	Växjö Lakers 	18	6	5 	11		8
Calof, Andrew Andrew Calof 	Skellefteå AIK	15	4	7 	11		2
Heed, Tim Tim Heed 	Skellefteå AIK	15	2	9 	11		0
==== Playoff 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.
GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); GA = Goals Against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average
Player 	Team 	 	 	 	 	 	
Nihlstorp, Cristopher Cristopher Nihlstorp	Växjö Lakers 	16	1012:57	29	3	92.12	1.72
Lassinantti, Joel Joel Lassinantti 	Luleå HF 	7 	417:06 	13	0	92.74	1.87
Svensson, Markus Markus Svensson 	Skellefteå AIK	15	932:20 	29	1	91.92	1.87
Johansson, Lars Lars Johansson 	Frölunda HC 	13	815:16 	27	2	92.11	1.99
Wesslau, Gustaf Gustaf Wesslau 	HV71 	6 	357:35 	16	0	90.86	2.68
== SHL awards ==
Guldhjälmen: Derek Ryan, Örebro HKhttp://www.hockeysverige.se/2015/03/16/guldhjalmen-till-derek-ryan/
Guldpucken: Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning
Honken Trophy: Joel Lassinantti, Luleå HFhttp://www.hockeysverige.se/2015/03/19/honken-trophy-gar-till-rookiesensationen/
Håkan Loob Trophy: Broc Little, Linköpings HC
Rookie of the Year: Marcus Sörensen, Djurgårdens IF
Salming Trophy: Tim Heed, Skellefteå AIK
Stefan Liv Memorial Trophy: Noah Welch, Växjö Lakers
Guldpipan: Mikael Nord
== See also ==
* List of SHL seasons
* 2014 in ice hockey
* 2015 in ice hockey
* 2014–15 HockeyAllsvenskan season
== References ==
 
2014-15
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