Vålerenga Ishockey (; abbreviated as VIF) is a Norwegian professional ice hockey team based in Oslo, Norway. Vålerenga has been the dominant force in Norwegian hockey since the 1960s, claiming 26 national championships and 29 regular season titles. Their old home arena, located in central-eastern Oslo, was Jordal Amfi, built for the 1952 Winter Olympics. In 2020, Vålerenga moved in to their new arena at Jordal.

The team's interim head coach is former NHL player and club legend, Espen "Shampo" Knutsen, with Joachim Svendsen as his assistant.

History

Early days

Although the parent club Vålerengens Idrettsforening was founded in 1913, the history of Vålerenga Ishockey starts in 1947, when the junior team participated in the national junior championships for the first time. In the 50s, the junior team won the national junior championships five years in a row.

First dynasty (1960–1973)

Vålerenga won their first national championship in 1960, taking over the throne from local rivals Gamlebyen. More championships were won in 1962 and 1963. From 1965 to 1971, Vålerenga won the championship seven times in a row, a feat not repeated in Norwegian hockey since. Notable players from this era include Arne "Mikkel" Mikkelsen, Steinar "Bjølle" Bjølbakk, Tor "Jern-Gustav" Gundersen, and notably, Roy "Sleipern" Jansen. Another title was added in 1973, but this also marked the end of the first dynasty as the club faced a generational change.

A new generation (1982–1994)

Ten years went by before Vålerenga could celebrate another championship, in 1983. A new generation had emerged, and players such as Jim Marthinsen, Roy Johansen, Geir Myhre, Tor Helge "Totto" Eikeland, Bjørn Kolsrud, Arne Billkvam and Jon Magne Karlstad would go on to become club legends. In 1988, Vålerenga won their 15th title. The next season saw the debut of Espen Knutsen, who would later become the first Vålerenga product to play in the National Hockey League.

Recent era

This marked the start of another dynasty for Vålerenga and the club added several more titles in the 1990s. Kent Forsberg became head coach in 1994 and invited his son Peter and Markus Näslund to play a friendly match for the club during the lockout season in the NHL. The 20th national championship was won in 1999. Notable players from this era include Morten Ask, Kenneth Larsen, and Kjell Richard "Ricky" Nygaard, along with Swedish imports such as Johan Brummer, Patric Englund and Niklas Gällstedt. Six more championships were added after 2000, the last being won in 2009. Vålerenga were in talks to join the Kontinental Hockey League in 2014, but the plans didn't go through.

Vålerenga's home arena through six decades, Jordal Amfi, was demolished in January 2017 and replaced by new arena, completed in the fall of 2020 after construction delays.

Season-by-season results This is a partial list of the last ten seasons completed by Vålerenga. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Vålerenga Ishockey seasons. Norwegian ChampionsRegular Season ChampionsPromotedRelegated SeasonLeagueRegular seasonCode explanation; GP—Games Played, W—Wins, L—Losses, OTW—Overtime/Shootout wins, OTL—Overtime/Shootout losses, GF—Goals For, GA—Goals Against, Pts—PointsPostseasonGPWLOTWOTLGFGAPtsFinish2013–14Eliteserien4532823195951031stLost in Finals, 2–4 (Stavanger)2014–15Eliteserien45241524182129745thLost in Semi-finals, 0–4 (Stavanger)2015–16Eliteserien4521166212298775thLost in Semi-finals, 1–4 (Lørenskog)2016–17Eliteserien45201645135111735thLost in Quarter-finals, 2–4 (Frisk Asker)2017–18Eliteserien45181755144132695thLost in Quarter-finals, 1–4 (Lillehammer)2018–19Eliteserien48327361961021081stLost in Semi-finals, 2–4 (Frisk Asker)2019–20Eliteserien45221643125107773rdCancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic2020–21Eliteserien25167028467504th2021–22Eliteserien42201066147102784thLost in Quarter-finals, 2–4 (Storhamar)2022–23Eliteserien4525875162100943rdLost in Semi-finals, 2–4 (Storhamar)2023–24EliteHockey Ligaen45311022190121993rdLost in Finals, 1–4 (Storhamar)2024–25EliteHockey Ligaen Source:

Head coaches

Jan Molberg, ?-1953 Georg Hebæk, 1953-? Tor Gundersen, 195?-197? Lennart Johansson, 1983-1984 Lennart Åhlberg, 1984-1987 Erik Ask, 1987-1990 Geir Myhre, 1990-1993 Kent Forsberg, 1994-1995 Staffan Tholson, 1995-1997 Roy Johansen, 1997-2001 Petter Thoresen, 2001-2004 Knut Jørgen Stubdal, 2004-2006 Espen Knutsen, 2006-2016 Roy Johansen, 2016-

Honours Norwegian Champions (26): 1960, 1962–3, 1965–71, 1973, 1982, 1985, 1987–8, 1991–3, 1998–9, 2001, 2003, 2005–7, 2009 Regular Seasons (30): 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1998–1999, 1999–00, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19

Individual all-time records

Statistics for regular season only. – current active player

Scoring leaders PointsPlayer Seasons Pos Arne Billkvam 1977–1996 RW 531 268 223 491 0.92 Tobias Lindström 2013- C 419 228 239 467 1.11 Roy Johansen 1976-1994 C 416 228 212 440 1.05 Marius Rath 1986-2003 LW 465 181 256 437 0.93 Øystein Olsen 1990-2008 C 500 224 211 435 0.87 Lars Erik Lund 1996–2011 D 506 130 269 399 0.78 Kenneth Larsen 1996-20092012 LW 492 149 229 378 0.76 Vegar Barlie 1990-2007 C 491 159 216 375 0.95 Morten Ask 1998–2003, 20052010-11, 2012-2019 C 391 109 251 360 0.92 Petter Thoresen 1986–1992 RW 221 184 183 367 1.66 Bjørn Kolsrud D 279 173 170 343 1.22

Most league matches

Matches Player Career Matches Brede Frettem Csiszar 2006-2019503 Jon Magne Karlstad 1977–1994548 Arne Billkvam 1977–1996531 Jim Marthinsen 1975–1994509 Lars Erik Lund 1996–2011506 Øystein Olsen 1990–2008500 Kenneth Larsen 1996-20092012492 Roy Jansen 1966–1984484 Jonas Oppøyen 2007–2022466 Marius Rath 1986–2003465 Kjell Rickard Nygård 1996-2010457Last updated: 25 March 2023

Notable players

Alexander Bonsaksen Anders Fredriksen Anders Myrvold Arne Billkvam Atle Olsen Björn Bjurling Blake Evans Brede Frettem Csiszar Brendan Brooks Brian Ihnacak Bård Sørlie Chris Mason Christian Chartier Daniel Sørvik Einar Bruno Larsen Erik Follestad Johansen Espen "Shampo" Knutsen Evan Cheverie Frank Vestreng Gavin Morgan Geir Hoff Geir Myhre Greg Day Ilkka Kaarna Jan-Roar Fagerli Jim Marthinsen Jiri Latal Johan Åkerman Johan Brummer Jon-Magne Karlstad Justin Donati Jørgen Karterud Ken Andre Olimb Kent Nilsson Lars Erik Lund Lars Haugen Marius Rath Mark McCutcheon Martin Laumann Ylven Mathis Olimb Mathias Trygg Mats Rosseli Olsen Mats Trygg Mats Zuccarello Morten Ask Sigurd Thinn Tommy Marthinsen Travis Brigley Per-Ragnar Bergkvist Petter Thoresen Patric Englund Patrick Coulombe Patrick DesRochers Regan Kelly Roy Jansen Roy Johansen Scott Hartnell Serge Boisvert Sergei Pushkov Simon Gamache Sondre Olden Stig Johansen Tommy Kiviaho Tyler Donati Vegar Barlie Vladimir Machulda Øystein Olsen

References

External links Official website "Klanen", the organized Vålerenga Supporters Club "101%", an online fanzine Updated team rosters