GET-ligaen

GET-ligaen (English: the GET-league) is the premier Norwegian ice hockey league, organised by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association. The league was known as 1. divisjon (1st division) until 1990, when it was reorganized and named Eliteserien (The Elite League). That name was held until 2004 when cable TV company UPC became main sponsor. UPC Norway changed its name to GET in 2006 and hence the name of the league was also altered.

The league works on the premise of promotion and relegation, so the two teams who placed last must play the top two teams from First Division (the league ranked immediately below GET-ligaen) for the rights to play in next GET-ligaen season.

A list of other leagues and teams in Norway can be found here.

Season structure

The Eliteserien season is divided into a regular season, lasting from mid September to the first week of March, and a postseason, consisting of the Norwegian Championship playoffs, and qualification for the league in the following season. During the regular season, clubs play each other in a predefined schedule. The Norwegian Championship, which is contested in March and April, is an elimination tournament where two clubs play each other in a best-of-seven series in order to advance to the next round. The final remaining team is crowned the Norwegian champion. Teams not qualified for the playoffs must compete with the best teams from the second league level—1. divisjon—for the right to play in next season's Eliteserien.