The SM League was closed between 2000 and 2008. However, for the 2005–06 season, the number of teams increased to an even number, 14, when KalPa got a league place after meeting the criteria required for promotion.
In the league, the qualifiers were played between 2009 and 2013. The most memorable qualifiers were seen in 2009, when Juhani Tamminen coached by Vaasan Sport challenged Pori Ässät. Ässät was stronger in the seven-match series, winning 4–3.
SM league qualification series 2009–2013
The SM League was closed again in December 2013 and the qualifiers were replaced by a license system. However, several top clubs from Mestis were promoted to the SM league in the following years.
Jokerit moved to the KHL for the 2014–15 season. Vaasan Sport was replaced. In the following season, it was KooKoo’s turn to rise. In the following season, Jukurit got a league place when it met the financial criteria of the SM league.
Jukurit played in the SM league for the first time in the 2016–17 season. The league had decided that it could expand to 16 teams. However, the Blues went bankrupt, so the series has been played with 15 teams since then.
The SM league was founded in 1975 to replace the previous SM series.
Years 1975–1988: 10 teams.
Years 1988–2000: 12 teams.
2000–2005: 13 teams.
Years 2005–2015: 14 teams.
As of 2015: 15 teams.
The players’ association is worried about the situation in the SM league
On Thursday, the SM League announced that the league’s license criteria will be completely re-evaluated and that it is currently not possible to apply for a league license for the 2024–25 season.
Read more: The SM League closed the door on Kiekko-Espo for the time being – the surprised boss of the Espoo team opens a discord in the ice cabinets
Suomen Jääkiekkoilijat ry, or the hockey players’ association, is concerned about the SM league’s decision to keep the series closed for the time being.
The Players’ Association strongly supports the open SM league and in its Thursday press release referred to a survey conducted in the spring of 2023 for the players of the SM league and Mesti.
The players were asked if there should be a chance to rise and fall between the SM league and Mestis based on athletic success. Of the players who declared their position, 98 percent were in favor of open series. A total of 465 players answered the survey.
– Now it is at least not possible to move up to the SM league in the near future. That is of course a concern. Of course, it is even more worrying if the situation continues even longer, the chairman of the Players’ Association Teemu Ramstedt says to Urheilu.
Ramstedt says that the Players’ Association holds meetings with the management of the SM league almost every month. According to Ramstedt, the opening of the series has also been discussed many times. Ramstedt admits that he is surprised that the SM league is going to reevaluate the license criteria.
– I would have liked to have been able to move forward faster in this matter. This issue has been discussed for a long time. In that sense, this decision was surprising, says Ramstedt.
Over the years, the public has also speculated about two different series within the SM league. It would be a ten-team A-series and a ten-team B-series, between which qualifying games would be played.
According to Ramstedt, the Players’ Association does not have a detailed model for an open series.
– From our point of view, some kind of athletic qualifiers should be between two different series, says Ramstedt.
This is how SM league chairman Heikki Hiltunen explains the situation
SM league chairman Heikki Hiltunen, you announced today that the license criteria of the SM league will be completely re-evaluated. What does that mean in practice?
– We worked all last season to make sure that we openly went through different options for the League’s future series system. Based on that, we held an extraordinary general meeting in May. It was decided there that we need to review the various license system documents and their up-to-dateness in order to continue the process.
– It involves both the League’s own license system and the agreement between us and the Jääkieksliitto and the League’s own shareholder agreement. It takes time to update these. That’s why we came to the conclusion that there is no possibility to take on new members at this stage.
Why do the license terms require review now?
– They were last updated about ten years ago. We want to make sure that they are up-to-date and in all respects suitable for this situation when looking at the SM league forward into the 2030s.
How concretely are the license conditions examined?
– Based on the board, we have a working group that, together with the license committee – we have an independent license committee – goes through the feedback, what has become of them. Then we look at whether they correspond to the League’s ambitions, future and circumstances. Then an updated proposal is made, which in time will be discussed at the League’s general meeting and approved there.
Can the criteria be stricter than before?
– Yes, they can be. Due to the fact that there has been feedback on how to ensure the competitiveness of the SM league and clubs, as well as the competitiveness of the series. And that the series can be carried through financially and athletically competitively and also ensure that the various members constantly develop along with the market and development.
Can any current SM league club be left out now that the criteria are being revised?
– Time will tell. Of course, they apply to all shareholders, and if you can’t meet the criteria, then the possibility exists.
What concrete options are on the table here? Will the SM league open?
– First, let’s review these criteria, which are related to the league license system, the League’s shareholder agreement, the agreements between the League and the Ice Hockey Federation. In the next step, we will certainly discuss what kind of series system and series program the League can have. Only then can we change the number of teams up or down. If there are any, it will also be related to other series that are not under the League’s control.
You said in January that from the perspective of the SM league, the SM league is already open. However, this is not the case when you are not currently accepting license applications for the 2024–25 season. Why such a change?
– As I said, the SM league was temporarily closed in terms of the license system, because all the shareholders unanimously agreed at the general meeting that the license system must be updated and the mentioned contracts checked.
What is your view? Will there be qualifiers with the SM league and Mestis or what will happen?
– There is no reason to get ahead of things. Now we are updating the license system and contracts and will come back to it when that work is done.
This decision meant that you now closed the SM league from, for example, Kiekko-Espo. The players’ association has taken a strong stand today and said that the players want the SM league open. How do you answer this?
– As I said, we need to update that system. We are temporarily not accepting applications. Updating the license system is certainly in the interest of all shareholders and clubs that will participate in the future. This is a necessary thing that needs to be taken care of from below.
Kiekko-Espoo has stated that it is still ready to apply for a license in October and still wants to do so. Is it possible?
– We are discussing with Kiekko-Espo. As they have also stated, we have a good conversational connection. They will consider it on their own. We are now focusing on our own process as announced.
Do you think that Kiekko-Espoo would be ready to meet the conditions of the league license when this updating of license systems is left out of the discussion?
– We currently do not have a view of their overall situation in different areas.
Kiekko-Espoo has pointed out that this may not be up to their capabilities. Espoo is a big economic area, they have a successful junior activity. Why is it not enough for the SM League at this stage to be able to apply for a place?
– There are many other things involved in this than just sporting success. We want to see that the requirements, which affect all SM league clubs, are first of all up to date.
What kind of issues will be examined next in licenses and in the shareholder agreement?
– There are conditions, finances and junior activities involved. Circumstances and finances also have the ability of the partners to carry the series through and compete in it in different situations. Including situations, how the clubs are doing financially and athletically.
In your opinion, what would be the optimal number of teams in the SM league?
– I can’t comment on that. At the moment it is 15 teams. The league’s general meeting will decide in due course if it changes. The general meeting last discussed in May and it was stated that no new shareholder agreements are accepted at the moment. The general meeting has unanimously agreed that 15 clubs is currently the right number.
Only Kiekko-Espoo was mentioned in the SM league announcement. Was there any kind of discussion about this beforehand with the Jokers?
– We haven’t had any discussions with the Jokers this year.
There has been criticism in the public that the SM league is led by representatives of small clubs. You are the chairman of Vaasan Sport’s board, the new CEO Mikko Pulkkinen comes from KooKoo, the new sports director Jussi Markkanen from SaiPa. What do you answer to these critics who think you don’t want to open the SM league because you are representatives of small clubs?
– All such decisions of the league are made by the general meeting, which is represented by 15 SM league shareholders with one vote each. Changes require a two-thirds majority. These decisions are not made by the chairman, nor the CEO, nor the sports director. The persons for the League’s positions are elected by the league’s board of directors and the League’s general meeting.