View source for Leksands IF

{{Short description|Swedish ice hockey club}}
{{About|the men's team|the women's team competing in the SDHL|Leksands IF (women)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
{{Infobox hockey team
| current     = 2024–25 SHL season
| team       = Leksands IF
| colour     = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#001489 5px solid; border-bottom:#001489 5px solid;
| colour text = #000000
| logo       = Leksands IF logo.svg
| logosize   = 195px
| city       = [[Leksand Municipality|Leksand]], Sweden
| league     = [[Swedish Hockey League]]
| founded    = {{Start date|df=yes|1919|8|13}}
| operated   =
| arena      = [[Tegera Arena]]
| capacity   = 7,650
| colours    = {{color box|#FFFFFF}} {{color box|#001489}} {{color box|#FFD400}}
| coach      = [[Johan Hedberg]]
| GM         = [[Thomas Johansson (ice hockey)|Thomas Johansson]]
| captain    = 
| affiliates = [[Leksands IF (women)|Leksands IF Dam]]
| parentclub =
| farmclub   =
| dates1     = Championship wins
| name1      = 4 ([[1968–69 Swedish Division I season|1969]], [[1972–73 Swedish Division I season|1973]], [[1973–74 Swedish Division I season|1974]], [[1974–75 Swedish Division I season|1975]])
| dates2     = Runners-up
| name2      = 5 ([[1958–59 Swedish Division I season|1959]], [[1963–64 Swedish Division I season|1964]], [[1970–71 Swedish Division I season|1971]], [[1971–72 Swedish Division I season|1972]], [[1988–89 Elitserien season|1989]])
| website     = [https://www.leksandsif.se/p/ leksandsif.se]
|}}
'''Leksands Idrottsförening''' is a Swedish professional [[ice hockey]] team from the town of [[Leksand]] in the region of [[Dalarna]]. The team plays in the top-tier league, [[Swedish Hockey League]] (SHL), after succeeding through the [[2018–19 HockeyAllsvenskan season#SHL qualifiers|2019 SHL qualifiers]] and thus earning promotion to the SHL. The club's home arena is [[Tegera Arena]], which seats 7,650 spectators.

== History ==
[[File:Åke Lassas staty.JPG|upright=0.8|left|thumb|''Åke Lassa´s'' statue in Tegera Arena.|150px]]
The club was formed on 13 August 1919,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leksandsif.se/om-lif/historia|title=Historia|website=Leksands IF|language=sv|access-date=3 September 2015}}</ref> originally playing [[bandy]] and [[ski]] competitions. In 1920 they also took up [[association football|football]].

The first hockey game was played in 1938, when they beat [[Mora IK]] 11–0, and this sport is now the only sport the club competes in. Despite the fact that the town of [[Leksand]] only has 6,000 inhabitants, Leksands IF is one of the most popular teams in Sweden, and the team averages over 4,000 spectators per game in their home arena despite playing in the second tier. Leksand played in the top hockey division in Sweden from 1951 until 2001. The club was very successful between 1969 and 1975, when they became Swedish champions four times ([[1968–69 Swedish Division I season|1969]], [[1972–73 Swedish Division I season|1973]]–[[1974–75 Swedish Division I season|1975]]). Before the current top division, [[Swedish Hockey League|Elitserien]] (now known as the SHL), was formed prior to the [[1975–76 Elitserien season|1975–76 season]], they had been the runners-up four times: [[1958–59 Swedish Division I season|1959]], [[1963–64 Swedish Division I season|1964]], [[1970–71 Swedish Division I season|1971]] and [[1971–72 Swedish Division I season|1972]]. Leksand has never become SHL champions despite winning the SHL's regular season in [[1979–80 Elitserien season|1980]], [[1993–94 Elitserien season|1994]] and [[1996–97 Elitserien season|1997]], and being the runners-up in [[1988–89 Elitserien season|1989]]. In 2001, they were the club with the second most consecutive seasons in the highest division at that point (the record is held by [[Södertälje SK]], with 53 consecutive seasons between 1925 and 1978).

Following the relegation to [[HockeyAllsvenskan]] in April 2001, Leksand commuted between the top and second divisions until [[2005–06 Elitserien season|2005–06]], when the team was relegated to the second tier again, where they would find themselves until the [[2012–13 HockeyAllsvenskan season|2012–13 season]].
[[File:Mora IK vs Leksand in Stockholm 2013-01-05 05.jpg|thumb|Leksand players celebrating a victory against arch rivals [[Mora IK]] in 2013.]]
For the [[2007–08 HockeyAllsvenskan season|2007–08 season]], Leksand signed former [[National Hockey League|NHL]] goaltender [[Ed Belfour]] in an attempt to regain top league status. After winning the second league with relative ease, the team failed in the final qualification stage, [[Kvalserien]], to gain promotion. Ed Belfour retired after the 2007–08 season.

Leksand once again won Allsvenskan in the [[2008–09 HockeyAllsvenskan season|2008–09 season]], but once again failed to qualify for the Elitserien in the [[2009 Kvalserien]]. The managers [[Thomas Kempe]] and [[Thomas Jonsson]] were sacked following three straight defeats in the beginning of the [[Kvalserien]]. The team finished the 2009 Kvalserien with five wins in the last six games, but still failed to qualify. For the 2009–10 season, Leksand employed [[Leif Strömberg]], who had previously successfully guided [[Södertälje SK]] through Kvalserien. The team once again won Allsvenskan and qualified for the [[2010 Kvalserien]], finishing three points ahead of [[AIK IF|AIK]]. In the ninth round of the 2010 Kvalserien, Leksand had a good chance to put them in the driver's seat for promotion to Elitserien, but Leksand failed to beat the Kvalserien's worst ranked team [[Växjö Lakers Hockey|Växjö Lakers]] and, despite a win in the tenth and final round, Leksand missed Elitserien as both AIK and [[Rögle BK]] won their respective games in the final round.

After failing promotion, Leif Strömberg was replaced by ex-Leksand forward [[Niklas Eriksson]], under whom the following season Leksand attempted to reach the Kvalserien for the seventh consecutive season. The team finished fourth in Allsvenskan and missed automatic qualification for the Kvalserien and had to play in a pre-qualification series to reach the Kvalserien, but Leksand finished third and missed the Kvalserien. Before the 2011/12 season, assistant head coach [[Christer Olsson]] took over the reins, but was sacked following a defeat at [[Sundsvall Hockey]] in late November and replaced by [[Andreas Appelgren]].

After winning the regular season in the [[2012–13 HockeyAllsvenskan season|2012–13 season]], Leksand once again qualified for play in [[Kvalserien]]. In the [[2013 Kvalserien]], Leksand finally promoted back to the [[Swedish Hockey League]] (SHL; formerly Elitserien), the top-tier league, for the first time since the [[2005–06 Elitserien season|2005–06 season]].

==Season-by-season record==
''This is a partial list, featuring the five most recent completed seasons. For a more complete list, see [[List of Leksands IF seasons]].''
{|class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan="2" | Year
!rowspan="2" | Level
!rowspan="2" | Division
!colspan="2" | Record
!rowspan=2 | {{abbr|Avg.<br>home<br>atnd.|Average home attendance}}
!rowspan="2" | Notes
! rowspan=2 | {{abbr|Ref.|References}}
|-
!Position
!W-OTW-OTL-L
|-
| rowspan=2 | '''[[2020–21 SHL season|2020–21]]'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#FFFF00;" | Tier 1
| '''[[2020–21 SHL season|SHL]]'''
| 3rd
| 25–7–5–15
| 22
|
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/11450 |title=SHL: 2020–21: SHL |website=Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 17 February 2023 | accessdate = 17 February 2023 }}</ref>
|-
| [[2020–21 SHL season#Play In|Swedish Championship playoffs]]
| —
| 0–0–1–3
| 16
| Lost in 1st round 0–4 in games vs [[Örebro HK]]
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/12266 |website=Swedish Ice Hockey Association |title=SHL: 2020–21: Play In | date = 17 February 2023 | accessdate = 17 February 2023}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2 | '''[[2021–22 SHL season|2021–22]]'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#FFFF00;" | Tier 1
| '''[[2021–22 SHL season|SHL]]'''
| 8th
| 20–4–7–21
| 5,270
|
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/12318 |title=SHL: 2021–22: SHL |website=Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 17 February 2023 | accessdate = 17 February 2023 }}</ref>
|-
| [[2021–22 SHL season#Eighth-finals|Eighth-finals]]
| —
| 1–0–0–2
| 6,154
| Lost 1–2 in games vs [[IK Oskarshamn]]
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/12319 |website=Swedish Ice Hockey Association |title=SHL: 2020–21: Play In | date = 17 February 2023 | accessdate = 17 February 2023}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2 | '''[[2022–23 SHL season|2022–23]]'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#FFFF00;" | Tier 1
| '''[[2022–23 SHL season|SHL]]'''
| 8th
| 22–5–1–24
| 6,065
|
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/13469|title=SHL: 2022–23: SHL |website=Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 17 March 2023 | accessdate = 17 March 2023 }}</ref>
|-
| [[2022–23 SHL season#Eighth-finals|Eighth-finals]]
| —
| 0–1–0–2
| 5,508
| Lost 1–2 in games vs [[Rögle BK]]
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/14297 |website=Swedish Ice Hockey Association |title=SHL: 2022–23: Play In | date = 17 March 2023 | accessdate = 17 March 2023}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2 | '''[[2023–24 SHL season|2023–24]]'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#FFFF00;" | Tier 1
| '''[[2023–24 SHL season|SHL]]'''
| 5th
| 27–3–5–17
| 6,485
|
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/14677|title=SHL: 2023–24: SHL |website=Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 24 July 2025 | accessdate = 24 July 2025 }}</ref>
|-
| [[2023–24 SHL season#Play In|Swedish Championship playoffs]]
| —
| 2–1–2–2
| 7,650
| Lost in 1st round 3–4 in games vs [[Frölunda HC]]
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/15792 |website=Swedish Ice Hockey Association |title=SHL: 2023–24: Playoffs | date = 24 July 2025 | accessdate = 24 July 2025}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2 | '''[[2024–25 SHL season|2024–25]]'''
| rowspan=2 style="background:#FFFF00;" | Tier 1
| '''[[2024–25 SHL season|SHL]]'''
| 11th
| 19–3–8–22
| 6,556
|
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://stats.swehockey.se/ScheduleAndResults/Overview/15977|title=SHL: 2024–25: SHL |website=Swedish Ice Hockey Association | date = 24 July 2025 | accessdate = 24 July 2025 }}</ref>
|}

==Players and personnel==
===Current roster===
{{Ice hockey team roster}}
<!-- list of players -->

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Dennis | last = Altörn | dab = | num = 17 | pos = LW | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 2005 | birthmonth = 8 | birthday = 17 | acq = [[2024–25 SHL season|2024]] | birthplace = [[Västerås]], [[Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Matthew | last = Caito | dab = | num = 8 | pos = D | nat = United States | s/g = R | birthyear = 1993 | birthmonth = 08 | birthday = 13 | acq = [[2020–21 SHL season|2020]] | birthplace = [[Coto de Caza, California]], [[United States]] | inj = no | cap =  | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Peter | last = Cehlárik | dab = Peter Cehlárik | num = 34 | pos = LW | nat = SVK | s/g = L | birthyear = 1995 | birthmonth = 8 | birthday = 2 | acq = [[2022–23 SHL season|2023]] | birthplace = [[Žilina]], [[Slovakia]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Robin | last = Christoffersson | dab = | num = 25 | pos = G | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 1997 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 13 | acq = [[2025–26 SHL season|2025]] | birthplace = [[Leksand]], [[Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Arvid | last = Eljas | dab = | num = 24 | pos = C | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 2003 | birthmonth = 6 | birthday = 1 | acq = [[2020–21 SHL season|2020]] | birthplace = [[Björbo]], [[Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Gabriel | last = Fortier | dab = | num = 9 | pos = LW | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 6 | acq = [[2025–26 SHL season|2025]] | birthplace = [[Lachine, Quebec]], [[Canada]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Marcus | last = Gidlöf | dab = | num = 1 | pos = G | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 2005 | birthmonth = 9 | birthday = 28 | acq = [[2023–24 SHL season|2023]] | birthplace = [[Falun|Falun, Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Jakob | last = Hellsten | dab = | num = 37 | pos = G | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 2 | acq = [[2024-25 SHL season|2024]] | birthplace = [[Ljusdal|Ljusdal, Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa= }}
<!--
{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Anton | last = Johansson  | dab = Anton Johansson (ice hockey) | num = 10 | pos = D | nat = SWE | s/g = R | birthyear = 2004 | birthmonth = 6 | birthday = 10 | acq = [[2021–22 SHL season|2021]] | birthplace = [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] | inj = no | cap =  | fa = }}-->

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Victor | last = Johansson  | dab = Victor Johansson (ice hockey) | num = 48 | pos = D | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 2006 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 25 | acq = [[2024–25 SHL season|2024]] | birthplace = [[Linköping]], [[Sweden]] | inj = no | cap =  | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Andro | last = Kaderli | dab = | num = 5 | pos = RW | nat = SUI | s/g = R | birthyear = 2005 | birthmonth = 5 | birthday = 27 | acq = [[2024–25 SHL season|2024]] | birthplace = [[Biel-Bienne]], [[Switzerland]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Marcus | last = Karlberg | dab = | num = 7 | pos = LW | nat = SWE | s/g = R | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 23 | acq = [[2017–18 HockeyAllsvenskan season|2017]] | birthplace = [[Leksand]], [[Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Jon | last = Knuts | dab = | num = 13 | pos = LW | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 1991 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 4 | acq = [[2014–15 SHL season|2014]] | birthplace = [[Malung|Malung, Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Oskar | last = Lang  | dab = | num = 14 | pos = LW | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 1996 | birthmonth = 12 | birthday = 4 | acq = [[2014–15 SHL season|2014]] | birthplace = [[Arvika]], [[Sweden]] | inj = no | cap =  | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Michael | last = Lindqvist | dab = | num = 29 | pos = RW | nat = SWE | s/g = R | birthyear = 1994 | birthmonth = 9 | birthday = 12 | acq = [[2025–26 SHL season|2025]] | birthplace = [[Danderyd]], [[Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Alexander | last = Lundqvist | dab = | num = 6 | pos = D | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 2001 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday =  11| acq = [[2021-22 SHL season|2021]] | birthplace = [[Skellefteå|Skellefteå, Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa= }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Joonas | last = Lyytinen | dab = | num = 21 | pos = D | nat = Finland | s/g = L | birthyear = 1995 | birthmonth = 4 | birthday = 4 | acq = [[2024-25 SHL season|2024]] | birthplace = [[Espoo, Finland]] | inj = no | cap = | fa= }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Stefan | last = Milosevic  | dab = Stefan Milosevic (ice hockey) | num = 36 | pos = D | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 2003 | birthmonth = 12 | birthday = 2 | acq = [[2025–26 SHL season|2025]] | birthplace = [[Ystad]], [[Sweden]] | inj = no | cap =  | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Fred | last = Nilsson | dab = | num = 3 | pos = D | nat = SWE | s/g = R | birthyear = 2002 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 25 | acq = [[2023-24 SHL season|2023]] | birthplace = [[Bollnäs|Bollnäs, Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa= }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Kalle | last = Östman | dab = | num = 12 | pos = C | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 1994 | birthmonth = 5 | birthday = 20 | acq = [[2022-23 SHL season|2022]] | birthplace = [[Borlänge|Borlänge, Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa= }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Olle | last = Strandell  | dab =  | num = 33 | pos = D | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 1999 | birthmonth = 9 | birthday = 23 | acq = [[2025–26 SHL season|2025]] | birthplace = [[Leksand]], [[Sweden]] | inj = no | cap =  | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Nolan | last = Stevens | dab = | num = 20 | pos = C | nat = USA | s/g = L | birthyear = 1996 | birthmonth = 7 | birthday = 22 | acq = [[2025–26 SHL season|2025]] | birthplace = [[Brantford, Ontario]], [[Canada]] | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Lukas | last = Vejdemo | dab = | num = 22 | pos = C | nat = SWE | s/g = L | birthyear = 1996 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 25 | acq = [[2023-24 SHL season|2023]] | birthplace = [[Stockholm, Sweden]] | inj = no | cap = | fa= }}

{{Ice hockey team player
| first = Max | last = Véronneau | dab = | num = 15 | pos = RW | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 1995 | birthmonth = 12 | birthday = 12 | acq = [[2023-24 SHL season|2023]] | birthplace = [[Sandy Hill, Ontario]], [[Canada]] | inj = no | cap = | fa= }}

{{end}}<!-- end list of players -->
<small>As of 24 July 2025.</small><ref>{{citeweb| url = https://www.leksandsif.se/herrlag/lagbygget | title = Leksands IF playing roster | publisher = [[Leksands IF]] | date = 24 July 2025 | accessdate = 24 July 2025 }}</ref>

=== Retired numbers ===
*'''2''' [[Åke Lassas]]
*'''18''' [[Jonas Bergqvist]]<ref>{{cite web | title=Retired Numbers | publisher=European Hockey.net | url=http://www.eurohockey.net/players/retirednos/se/index.cgi?page=home.shtml | access-date=23 January 2007 }}</ref>

=== Honored numbers ===
*'''1''' [[Christer Abrahamsson]]
*'''2''' [[Tomas Jonsson]]
*'''3''' [[Vilgot Larsson]]
*'''6''' [[Thommy Abrahamsson]] 
*'''8''' [[Magnus Svensson (ice hockey, born 1963)|Magnus Svensson]]
*'''12''' [[Mats Åhlberg]]
*'''15''' [[Dan Söderström]]
*'''16''' [[Niklas Eriksson]]
*'''22''' [[Nisse Nilsson]]

=== Honored coaches ===
*[[Rune Mases]]

===Hockey Hall of Famers===
* [[Ed Belfour]] – Class of 2011

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Leksands IF}}
*[http://www.leksandsif.se/ Leksands IF] – Official site

{{Navboxes|titlestyle=background: #242C6B; color: #FFFFFF;|list1=
{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before = [[Brynäs IF]] | title = [[Swedish ice hockey champions]] | years = '''1969''' | after = [[Brynäs IF]]}} 
{{succession box | before = [[Brynäs IF]] | title = [[Swedish ice hockey champions]] | years = '''1973''', '''1974''', '''1975''' | after = [[Brynäs IF]]}} 
{{S-end}}
}}
{{SHL}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leksands If}}
[[Category:Swedish Hockey League teams]]
[[Category:Ice hockey teams in Dalarna County]]
[[Category:1919 establishments in Sweden]]
[[Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 1919]]
[[Category:Bandy clubs established in 1919]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1919]]
[[Category:Leksands IF]]
[[Category:Sport in Leksand]]
[[Category:20th-century establishments in Dalarna County]]