Brynas IF
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Wikipedia - Brynäs IF
Brynäs IF is a Swedish professional ice hockey team from Gävle. The club currently plays in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), promoted from the HockeyAllsvenskan, the second tier of ice hockey in Sweden, following the 2023–24 season. The club played in the top-tier Swedish league from 1960 to 2023 (1960-75 called Division I, 1975-2023 called the SHL), a total of 63 seasons, longer than any other Swedish club, before suffering relegation for the first time in franchise history at the conclusion of the 2022–23 season. They have won the Swedish championship 13 times, second only to Djurgården with 16 wins. In the 2023/2024 Hockeyallsvenskan season Brynäs won promotion back to the SHL after beating Djurgården 4-0 in the final.
History
Brynäs IF was formed by Nils Norin, Ferdinand Blomkvist, and Thure Ternström on 12 May 1912 and began to play ice hockey in 1939. The club has also competed in soccer, athletics, bandy, swimming, and water polo.[] The team played in the hockey league's top flight from 1960 to 2023 and has won the Swedish championship 13 times, most recently in 2012.
Brynäs IF became the world's first ice hockey club to collaborate with the United Nations Program UNICEF, after signing a five-year contract with the organisation on 20 November 2013 (expiring in 2018). On 3 June 2014, the club also signed a five-year contract with Gävle Municipality (expiring after the 2018–19 season). The municipality acquired the naming rights for the club's home arena and renamed it Gavlerinken Arena. The latter collaboration also meant the municipality would pay the club to play with ad-free jerseys, starting in the 2014–15 season, as the only SHL team. The arena is since September 2019 named Monitor ERP Arena.
In 2021, after finishing 13th (out of 14 teams) in the regular season, the team was forced to defend its SHL status for the first time since 2008, playing a best-of-seven series against the last-placed team, HV71, with home advantage. At the conclusion of the 2022–23 season, Brynäs was relegated from the SHL for the first time in franchise history, after losing the relegation playout series, 1–4, to the Malmö Redhawks. They returned to the SHL after the 2023-24 season.
Brynas IF has a strong fan base and plays their home games at the Gavlerinken Arena, which has a seating capacity of over 8,000 spectators. The team's colors are red, white, and black, and their logo features a fierce bear, symbolizing strength and determination.
Over the years, Brynas IF has won multiple Swedish championships and has produced numerous talented players who have gone on to have successful careers in the NHL and other professional leagues around the world. The team is known for their fast-paced, aggressive style of play and their never-say-die attitude on the ice.
Brynas IF is a powerhouse in Swedish ice hockey and continues to be a dominant force in the SHL, consistently competing for championships and thrilling fans with their exciting brand of hockey.