Djurgarden Stockholm are one of the oldest hockey clubs in the world. With 16 Swedish national championships, they are also one of the most decorated. After a couple of years out of Sweden's top league, however, they returned to the SHL in 2014 and now look to take the next step.

by Fredrik Pålsson

Djurgarden IF from Stockholm is one of Sweden's most historic clubs. It was founded in 1891 and in 1922 the ice hockey team was formed. The name Djurgarden originates from an island and area in the central part of Stockholm, and is one of Sweden’s most famous clubs with activity in many sports. Ice hockey has always been a big part of the club, which has also had a lot of success in football. With 16 championships, the first one back in 1926, Djurgarden is Sweden’s most successful hockey club.

Years of Success and Failure

The most successful years for the club were in the late '50s and early '60s, as well as the late '80s and early '90s. From 1958 to 1963, the club won six consecutive titles and during this period the team played 57 games in a row without losing. The club took three titles in a row in 1989, 1990 and 1991.

The most recent title that Djurgarden has won was in 2001, and since then the club had some tough years. After playing 35 consecutive years in the Elitserien (the former name of Sweden’s top league), the club was relegated in 2012. Expecting to dominate the second-tier Allsvenskan, the first year was a big disappointment for Djurgarden, who were nowhere near the top of the standings. In the 2013–14 season, however, the team was better prepared and, despite a difficult start to the season, the team managed to get promoted back to the SHL and send rival AIK down to the Allsvenskan.

A founding member of the Champions Hockey League, the promotion also earned Djurgarden a spot in the CHL's first season. The team has earlier been successful in European competition, winning the European Cup in both 1991 and 1992 when they ended CSKA Moscow's long run of dominance.

Home Sweet Hovet

Djurgarden play their home games at Hovet (capacity 8,094), or Johanneshovs Isstadion, its full name. The arena opened in 1955 as an outdoor rink and was roofed between 1961 and 1963. Even if Djurgarden’s well-known fans, "Järnkaminerna" (which is also the nickname of the club), can create a great atmosphere in this classic arena, it is a financial problem for the club to play in such an outdated arena. Djurgarden are also one of few elite clubs in Sweden that doesn’t own or run its own arena.

Between 1989 and 2007, Djurgarden played in the bigger and more modern Globe Arena, which is situated right beside Hovet, but the 13,850-seat arena was deemed too big and expensive for Djurgarden, which resulted in poor atmosphere. In recent seasons Djurgarden have only played occasional games in the Globe.

Notable Names

Many stars have played for the club during its long history. Two of the most well-known names are Mats Sundin and Tommy Soderstrom, who both had very successful NHL careers. In more recent years names like Patric Hornqvist, Marcus Kruger, Gabriel Landeskog and Mika Zibanejad played in Djurgarden before they started their NHL careers.

During the 2013–14 season, Hans Sarkijarvi became the new head coach and quickly led the club back into the SHL. Now with Robert Ohlsson at the helm, Djurgarden have a rather young roster with several talented players like 21-year-olds Wilhelm Westlund and Juuso Ikonen. 

Team facts

CHL seasons

2015–16: 2nd in Group B, Round of 16
2014–15: 3rd in Group D

Click here for current information about the club.

NOTE: This article has been updated since its original publication.