Malmö Redhawks

Lore & Background

The team's history began in 1944 as the ice hockey division of Malmö FF, which divested in 1972 to form Malmö IF. Early years were spent in lower divisions; relegation to Division 2 in 1984 prompted the departure of chairman Nils Yngvesson, who had led since 1972. The team returned to Division 1 after one season and made what it called 'the biggest investment in Swedish sports history.' Promotion to Elitserien (now SHL) came in the 1989–90 season after winning the Allsvenskan final 3–0 against MoDo. The club remained in the top flight for 15 seasons, winning Swedish championships in 1992 and 1994, and the 1992–93 European championship.

After relegation in 2005, the team played in HockeyAllsvenskan and participated in several qualification series (Kvalserien) for Elitserien, notably losing the 2008 spot to arch rivals Rögle BK by two points after a last-minute collapse. Financial troubles led to the release of all contracted players on 29 January 2009 to avoid bankruptcy. The team moved to Malmö Arena during the 2008–09 season. A 70-million SEK investment from Hugo Stenbeck in 2011 brought high-profile players like Linus Klasen, but the team failed to reach Elitserien. Stenbeck withdrew in 2012, leading to economic reconstruction and renegotiation of player contracts.

After eight consecutive seasons in HockeyAllsvenskan, Malmö finished third in the 2014–15 regular season and won a decisive game seven against Leksands IF to secure promotion back to the SHL.

Reader's Guide

The Malmö Redhawks represent a significant chapter in Swedish hockey, rising from lower divisions to become a two-time national champion and European champion in the early 1990s. Their history illustrates the volatility of professional sports: after a 15-year top-flight run, the club faced relegation, financial crises, and near-bankruptcy, yet persisted through reconstruction and investor involvement. The team's move to Malmö Arena in 2008 marked a new era, though financial instability forced drastic measures like releasing all players in 2009. The 2011 investment by Hugo Stenbeck briefly raised expectations but ended in economic reconstruction. The club's resilience is shown by its eventual return to the SHL in 2015 after eight seasons in the second tier. The Redhawks' story underscores the challenges of maintaining competitiveness in a league with promotion and relegation, and the importance of financial management in modern hockey.

Did You Know?

• The team was originally the ice hockey division of Malmö FF before becoming independent in 1972.
• Malmö won the Swedish Championship in 1992 and 1994, and the European championship in 1992–93.
• On 29 January 2009, the team released all contracted players to avoid bankruptcy.
• Linus Klasen's 2011 contract made him the best-paid ice hockey player in Sweden at that time.

The Jokerit Crucible

Niko Hovinen, born on 16 March 1988 in Finland, first stepped onto the SM-liiga stage under extraordinary circumstances. During the 2005–06 campaign, veteran Tim Thomas departed the Jokerit roster just one day before the regular season tipped off, forcing the club to dress the young Hovinen as backup to Joonas Hallikainen for a single game. He then returned to the junior squad for the remainder of that year. His genuine SM-liiga debut came on 23 November 2006 against SaiPa, again a product of emergency circumstances when three of Jokerit's goaltenders were sidelined by injury. The following season, Hovinen settled into a backup role behind Jussi Markkanen, but his position was further displaced when the club acquired Joni Puurula from SaiPa near the end of the regular season. In the 2007–08 playoffs, with Markkanen hurt in the opening game, Hovinen dressed as Puurula's emergency backup, a pattern of being called upon in crisis that defined his early years in the Finnish top flight.

A Tall Prospect on the Pelicans' Wings

After the 2007–08 season, Hovinen left the Jokerit organization for the first time, signing with the Pelicans for the 2008–09 campaign. Standing at 196 centimetres, the Finnish goaltender possessed a frame that let him command the crease, and scouts consistently identified him as a promising young netminder with room to grow. His potential was recognized internationally as well: the International Scouting Service placed him at number ten on its list of goaltender prospects ahead of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. That draft saw the Minnesota Wild select Hovinen in the fifth round, 132nd overall, a pick that underscored the belief that his size and raw talent could translate to the North American game. The Pelicans stint gave him a fresh environment away from the Jokerit system, allowing him to develop as a more independent goaltender while maintaining his status as one of Finland's most watched young keepers heading into his late teens and early twenties.

The North American Interlude

On 17 May 2011, Hovinen signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Philadelphia Flyers, marking his formal entry into the NHL system. Yet he remained with the Pelicans through the 2011–12 season, suggesting the Flyers viewed him as a long-term developmental asset rather than an immediate call-up. His path shifted dramatically on 25 January 2013, when the Edmonton Oilers claimed him off unconditional waivers, a move that transferred his NHL rights to a new organization. Hovinen was assigned to the Oilers' AHL affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons, where he spent the remainder of the 2013–14 season. On 2 July 2013, the Oilers tendered him a qualifying offer, retaining their rights even as he considered his next steps. The North American chapter, while brief in terms of NHL ice time, represented a significant professional milestone for the Finnish keeper, exposing him to the North American development structure and the AHL's competitive depth before he ultimately chose to return to European hockey.

A Continent-Hopping Career

After opting to return to Europe, Hovinen signed with Metallurg Novokuznetsk in the Kontinental Hockey League before moving to fellow KHL side Admiral Vladivostok. The 2014–15 season saw him split time between EC Salzburg in Austria and two Swedish clubs, Luleå HF and Malmö Redhawks, illustrating the itinerant nature of his career. He returned to his native Finland for a second stint with the Pelicans in 2015–16. On 13 June 2016, he signed with Medvescak Zagreb in the KHL, though that arrangement ended in November when he was picked up by KalPa in the Finnish Liiga. A subsequent stint at KooKoo was followed by a move to Lausanne HC in the Swiss NLA on 7 February 2017. After a 2018–19 season with the Iserlohn Roosters in Germany's Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Hovinen came back to the Liiga on 7 October 2019, agreeing to a one-year deal with Vaasan Sport. His career has since continued in Finland, with Hovinen currently suiting up for HIFK in the SM-Liiga, a testament to a goaltender who has worn the crease in at least six different countries.