Växjö Lakers
Swedish club that won four SHL titles since 2015.
The Växjö Lakers Hockey Club, also known as the Växjö Lakers or VLH, is a professional ice hockey team based in Växjö, Sweden. The team plays its home games at the Vida Arena and competes in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), the country’s top division. The club first joined the SHL (then called Elitserien) in the 2011–12 season. Since then, the Lakers have established themselves as a leading team in the league, winning the Le Mat Trophy as Swedish champions four times—in 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2023. This is the most titles of any SHL club since their promotion. Forwards Erik Josefsson and Robert Rosén are the only players to have been part of all four championship-winning squads.
The club was founded on 8 September 1997, following the bankruptcy of Växjö HC that same year. The Lakers initially played at Växjö Ishall before moving to the newly completed Vida Arena ahead of the 2011–12 season. They began play in the 1997–98 season in Division 4, four levels below the top-tier Elitserien, and climbed to HockeyAllsvenskan within six years through three promotions. In 2003, they qualified for HockeyAllsvenskan with a perfect record in the Kvalserien. During their debut season in HockeyAllsvenskan, the club made a notable signing: Shjon Podein, a North American player with 699 NHL games and a Stanley Cup win with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. This acquisition was called "årets värvning" (signing of the year) by some. Podein became a fan favorite during his time in Växjö. Before the 2004–05 season, the team also added Brad DeFauw, another North American player with NHL experience (9 games) and 154 AHL games. Both Podein and DeFauw left after the 2004–05 season.
The Lakers spent eight seasons in HockeyAllsvenskan, reaching the Kvalserien for a shot at Elitserien three times. They failed to earn promotion in 2009 and 2010, but after winning the 2010–11 HockeyAllsvenskan title—their first—and securing a third straight Kvalserien appearance, they clinched promotion to Elitserien in the eighth round of the 2011 Kvalserien. They finished that Kvalserien with 26 points, a record for the competition. The team originally used red, yellow, and blue in its logo and jerseys. On 18 April 2011, the club announced a change to blue and orange jerseys and a new logo: an orange shield featuring the club’s name beneath a lion holding a crossbow, taken from the Småland coat of arms.
Quick Facts
- Text Color
- #000000
- Team
- Växjö Lakers
- City
- Växjö, Sweden
- League
- Swedish Hockey League
- Founded
- 8 September 1997
- Arena
- Vida Arena
- Capacity
- 5,750
- Gm
- Henrik Evertsson
- Coach
- Björn Hellkvist
- Captain
- Joel Persson
- Reg Season Titles
- 4 (2017, 2018, 2021, 2023)
- Le Mat Trophies
- 4 (2015, 2018, 2021, 2023)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The club was founded on 8 September 1997, after Växjö HC went bankrupt that year. The Växjö Lakers originally played in Växjö Ishall as their home arena, but prior to the 2011–12 season they moved to Vida Arena. The construction of the Vida Arena was finished in summer 2011. The club began play in the 1997–98 season, starting in Division 4, four divisions below the Elitserien/SHL, and worked its way to HockeyAllsvenskan within 6 years, being promoted 3 times. With a perfect record in the 2003 HockeyAllsvenskan Kvalserien, the club qualified for HockeyAllsvenskan. During their debut season in HockeyAllsvenskan, the club acquired Shjon Podein, an NHL-merited North American player who played 699 NHL games and won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001. The acquirement was described as 'årets värvning' (acquirement of the year) by some people. Prior to the 2004–05 season, the team also acquired Brad DeFauw, another NHL-merited North American player who played 9 NHL games and 154 AHL games. Both Podein and DeFauw left the team after the 2004–05 season.
The club spent 8 seasons in HockeyAllsvenskan and reached the Kvalserien qualification for Elitserien three times. After winning the 2010–11 HockeyAllsvenskan season for the first time in club history and earning a third consecutive trip to Kvalserien, Växjö secured promotion to the top-tier league Elitserien in the eighth round (of ten) in the 2011 Kvalserien. The team finished the 2011 Kvalserien with 26 points, a record in Kvalserien history. The team formerly used red, yellow and blue as its colours, both in the team's logo and jerseys. On 18 April 2011 it was announced that the club had changed the colours of their jerseys to blue and orange prior to the 2011–12 season, and the club's logo was changed to an orange shield containing the name of the club beneath a lion holding a crossbow – an image from the Småland coat of arms.
Reader's Guide
The Växjö Lakers are notable for their rapid rise from Division 4 to the SHL and their subsequent dominance, winning the Le Mat Trophy four times (2015, 2018, 2021, 2023) since their promotion in 2011–12, the most of any SHL club in that period. Forwards Erik Josefsson and Robert Rosén are the only players to have been part of all four championship-winning teams. The club's first SHL game was on 13 September 2011, a 0–2 loss to Frölunda HC. Their first points came two days later, beating Luleå HF 3–2 in a shootout on away ice after trailing by two goals in the third period. The first Småland derby in Elitserien history was played on 8 October 2011 against HV71, with Växjö winning 3–2 in a shootout; forward Mike Iggulden scored three penalty shot goals in that game, two counted in the statistics. The club's acquisition of Shjon Podein during their debut HockeyAllsvenskan season was called 'årets värvning' by some. The team changed its colours from red, yellow and blue to blue and orange in 2011, and adopted a new logo featuring a lion holding a crossbow from the Småland coat of arms.
Did You Know?
- Shjon Podein, who played 699 NHL games and won the Stanley Cup in 2001, played for Växjö during their debut HockeyAllsvenskan season.
- The 2011 Kvalserien record of 26 points was set by Växjö during their promotion to Elitserien.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Växjö Lakers hockey club?
The Växjö Lakers (VLH) are a professional ice hockey team based in the city of Växjö, Sweden. They compete in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), the top tier of Swedish hockey, and have been a dominant force in the league since earning their promotion in 2011–12.
Where do the Växjö Lakers play their home games?
The Lakers host their home matches at the Vida Arena in Växjö, an arrangement that has been in place since the club's first SHL season in 2011–12.
How many Swedish championships have the Växjö Lakers won?
The Lakers have lifted the Le Mat Trophy four times, claiming Swedish titles in 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2023. That streak of four championships makes them the most decorated SHL club since their 2011–12 debut.
Which players were on the roster for all four Växjö Lakers titles?
Forwards Erik Josefsson and Robert Rosén are the two players who were part of the squad for every one of the Lakers' four Le Mat Trophy wins between 2015 and 2023.
When was the Växjö Lakers club founded?
The club was officially established on 8 September 1997, though it did not reach the top Swedish division until the 2011–12 season when it joined the then-named Elitserien.
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