Leksands IF

Hockey team
team = Leksands IF

logosize =
city = Leksand, Sweden
league = HockeyAllsvenskan
conference =
division =
founded = 1938 (1919)
operated =
arena = Ejendals Arena
colours = White, blue
coach = flagicon|Sweden Tomas Kempe
GM = flagicon|Sweden Mikael Lundström
affiliates =
parentclub =
farmclub =|

Leksands Idrottsförening is a Swedish ice hockey team from the town of Leksand in the region of Dalarna. The team is currently playing in the second highest league in Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan. Leksand has played 29 seasons in the top Swedish league Elitserien (1975–76 to 2000–01, 2002–03 to 2003–04 and 2005–06).

History

The club was formed in 1919 and the first hockey game was played in 1938. Leksand, nicknamed Leksand Stars, is one of the most popular teams throughout Sweden because of their successful ice hockey team despite the fact that the town of Leksand only has 6,000 inhabitants. Leksand has played in the highest hockey division (since 1975 the Elitserien) from 1951 until 2001. In 2001 it was the club with most consecutive seasons in the highest division at that point. (The record in that field, however, is held by Södertälje SK, 53 consecutive seasons 1926–78.)

Leksands IF has won the Swedish Championships four times, in 1969, 1973, 1974 and 1975. The team has also been the runner-up five times: 1959, 1964, 1971, 1972 and 1989. Also, Leksand has won the Elitserien regular season three times, in 1980, 1994 and 1997.

Leksand returned in Elitserien again for two seasons 2002–03 through 2003–04, was relegated again, came back as of the 2005–06 season, but was once more relegated to HockeyAllsvenskan.

On August 27, 2007, Leksand signed former NHL goaltender Ed Belfour.

Honored players

Retired numbers

*2 Åke Lassas
*18 Jonas Bergqvist

References

*

External links

* [http://www.leksandstars.com/ Leksands IF] - Official site
* [http://www.superstars.nu/ Leksand Superstars] supporter's club
* [http://www.tokigamasar.se/ Tokiga Masar Götaland] supporter's club