AIK going down?

25 Mar 2014 | Fredrik Pålsson

A late coach change didn't seem to help and AIK is now very close to relegation after a derby loss against Djurgården. The surprise team Rögle leads the qualification standings.

AIK opened the qualification round to SHL with a win against Djurgården. But after that they have lost four straight games. After only four points in the first four games AIK decided to change the coaches in what seemed to be in panic.

Former NHLer Mattias Norström and GM Daniel Rudslätt replaced Rickard Franzén and Mats Bäcklin as coaches but it didn't help much as AIK also lost today's game against Djurgården 2-3 despite a 2-0 lead. AIK is now very close to relegation to Allsvenskan while Djurgården took the last chance of promotion. Djurgården are four points behind with five games left and even if that is still possible it seems like the most likely scenario is that the SHL will be played without teams from the capital next year.

The surprise team Rögle leads the series after a shootout win away to Örebro who are in second place. Last year Örebro was promoted to SHL even if they weren't top three in HockeyAllsvenskan and had to play the pre-qualification. This year it seems like Rögle can do the same thing. Rögle that was relegated last year might get back again even if they had a terrible start to the season and was in the bottom of the standings early in the regular season.

Malmö is in third place, two points behind the top duo after a vital 3-1 win away to Västerås in a game that was delayed after the fire alarm went off.