Vålerenga Ishockey

Lore & Background

Vålerenga Ishockey began in 1947 when the junior team first participated in the national junior championships. In the 1950s, the junior team won the national junior championships five years in a row. The club won its first senior national championship in 1960, taking over from local rivals Gamlebyen, and from 1965 to 1971 achieved seven consecutive championships, a feat not repeated in Norwegian hockey. Notable players from this first dynasty included Arne 'Mikkel' Mikkelsen, Steinar 'Bjølle' Bjølbakk, Tor 'Jern-Gustav' Gundersen, and Roy 'Sleipern' Jansen. Another title came in 1973, ending the first dynasty due to a generational change.

After a ten-year gap, Vålerenga won the championship again in 1983, led by a new generation including Jim Marthinsen, Roy Johansen, Geir Myhre, Tor Helge 'Totto' Eikeland, Bjørn Kolsrud, Arne Billkvam, and Jon Magne Karlstad. In 1988, they won their 15th title. The next season saw the debut of Espen Knutsen, who later became the first Vålerenga product to play in the NHL. Another dynasty began in the 1990s, with Kent Forsberg becoming head coach in 1994 and inviting his son Peter and Markus Näslund to play a friendly match during the NHL lockout. The 20th national championship was won in 1999. Six more championships were added after 2000, the last in 2009. Vålerenga were in talks to join the Kontinental Hockey League in 2013, but the plans did not go through.

Reader's Guide

Vålerenga Ishockey is significant as the most successful club in Norwegian ice hockey history, with 26 national championships and 30 regular season titles. Their dominance began in the 1960s and continued through multiple dynasties, including a record seven consecutive championships from 1965 to 1971. The club has produced notable players such as Espen Knutsen, the first Vålerenga product to play in the NHL, and has been a breeding ground for Norwegian hockey talent. Their home arena, Jordal Amfi, served for six decades before being demolished in 2017 and replaced by a new arena completed in 2020. The club's legacy includes Swedish imports and a brief flirtation with joining the KHL in 2014. Vålerenga remains a central institution in Norwegian sports, with a strong supporter base known as 'Klanen'.

Did You Know?

• Vålerenga's junior team won the national junior championships five years in a row in the 1950s.
• The club won seven consecutive national championships from 1965 to 1971, a feat not repeated in Norwegian hockey.
• Espen Knutsen, who debuted in 1989, became the first Vålerenga product to play in the NHL.
• Vålerenga were in talks to join the Kontinental Hockey League in 2013, but the plans did not go through.