2015–16 SHL season

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The 2015–16 SHL season was the 41st season of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). The regular season began in September 2015 and ended in March 2016. The playoffs were played in March–April 2016.

Modo Hockey and Karlskrona HK were forced to play in the SHL qualifiers to defend their SHL status. Karlskrona won their series against AIK in five games while Modo lost to Leksands IF over seven games. Therefore, Leksand were promoted to the SHL on the expense of Modo.

Luleå

Skellefteå

Modo

Brynäs

Djurgården

Örebro

Färjestad

Linköping

HV71

Frölunda

Växjö

Karlskrona

Malmö

Rögle

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Teams participating in the 2015–16 SHL season

List shows the ten best skaters based on the number of points during the regular season. If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.

As of 8 March 2016^[1]

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	+/–	PIM
Lasch, Ryan Ryan Lasch	Frölunda HC	51	15	36	51	+10	20
Thoresen, Patrick Patrick Thoresen	Djurgårdens IF	49	15	33	48	+12	34
Zackrisson, Patrik Patrik Zackrisson	Skellefteå AIK	52	15	33	48	+25	68
Gulas, Milan Milan Gulaš	Färjestad BK	51	20	25	45	–4	20
Gynge, Richard Richard Gynge	Växjö Lakers	46	21	23	44	+23	24
Johnson, Andreas Andreas Johnson	Frölunda HC	52	19	25	44	+8	18
Gordon, Andrew Andrew Gordon	Linköpings HC	52	18	26	44	+18	30
Norman, John John Norman	Skellefteå AIK	47	17	25	42	+5	18
Roe, Garrett Garrett Roe	Linköpings HC	41	14	27	41	+14	28
Anderson, Matt Matt Anderson	Djurgårdens IF	52	18	22	40	+8	30

These are the leaders in GAA among goaltenders who played at least 40% of the team's minutes. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded.

As of 8 March 2016^[2]

GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Player	Team	GP	TOI	GA	SO	Sv%	GAA
Johansson, Lars Lars Johansson	Frölunda HC	36	1962:30	57	7	92.74	1.74
Svensson, Markus Markus Svensson	Skellefteå AIK	37	2148:23	66	7	92.20	1.84
Lassinantti, Joel Joel Lassinantti	Luleå HF	33	2002:46	65	4	92.12	1.95
Rautio, David David Rautio	Linköpings HC	28	1589:57	52	2	91.61	1.96
Pogge, Justin Justin Pogge	Färjestad BK	26	1512:11	53	1	92.24	2.10
Högberg, Marcus Marcus Högberg	Linköpings HC	28	1581:05	61	2	91.13	2.31
Starkbaum, Bernhard Bernhard Starkbaum	Brynäs IF	28	1643:17	65	2	91.16	2.37
Armalis, Mantas Mantas Armalis	Djurgårdens IF	34	1985:52	80	2	91.82	2.42
Gunnarsson, Jonas Jonas Gunnarsson	Malmö Redhawks	44	2549:43	105	2	91.32	2.47
Pettersson-Wentzel, Fredrik Fredrik Pettersson-Wentzel	HV71	43	2467:01	102	2	91.41	2.48

The top six teams will qualify directly for the quarter-finals, while the four teams ranked 7–10 will play a best-of-three series and battle for the two remaining spots.^[3][4]

In the first round the 7th-ranked team will meet the 10th-ranked team and the 8th-ranked team will meet the 9th-ranked team for a place in the second round. In the second round, the top-ranked team will meet the lowest-ranked winner of the first round, the 2nd-ranked team will face the other winner of the first round, the 3rd-ranked team will face the 6th-ranked team, and the 4th-ranked team will face the 5th-ranked team. In the third round, the highest remaining seed is matched against the lowest remaining seed. In each round the higher-seeded team is awarded home advantage. The first round the meetings are played as best-of-three series and the rest is best-of-seven series that follows an alternating home team format: the higher-seeded team will play at home for games 1 and 3 (plus 5 and 7 if necessary), and the lower-seeded team will be at home for game 2 and 4 (plus 6 if necessary).^[3][4]

The teams ranked 7 and 10, and the teams ranked 8 and 9, respectively, will face each other in a best-of-three series in order to qualify for the quarter-finals. The better-ranked teams in the two series will receive home advantage, i.e. two home games, if necessary. The two winners will take the two remaining quarter-final spots.^[3][4]

• Note: Games 3 and 5 were played at Frölundaborg.

Games in italics indicate games that will only be played if necessary to determine a winner of the series.

List shows the ten best skaters based on the number of points during the playoffs. If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown. Updated as of April 24, 2016.^[5]
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	+/–	PIM
Lehkonen, Artturi Artturi Lehkonen	Frölunda HC	16	11	8	19	+11	4
Lasch, Ryan Ryan Lasch	Frölunda HC	16	8	11	19	+11	2
Norman, John John Norman	Skellefteå AIK	16	5	8	13	+6	4
Ritola, Mattias Mattias Ritola	Skellefteå AIK	16	5	8	13	–1	10
Gynge, Richard Richard Gynge	Växjö Lakers	13	5	7	12	+1	6
Hultström, Linus Linus Hultström	Djurgårdens IF	8	3	9	12	0	6
Granström, Jonathan Jonathan Granström	Luleå HF	11	5	6	11	–1	14
Calof, Andrew Andrew Calof	Skellefteå AIK	16	7	3	10	+3	4
Ericsson, Jimmie Jimmie Ericsson	Skellefteå AIK	15	3	7	10	+5	20
Fantenberg, Oscar Oscar Fantenberg	Frölunda HC	16	2	8	10	+8	6
Zackrisson, Patrik Patrik Zackrisson	Skellefteå AIK	16	2	8	10	–4	6

These are the leaders in GAA and save percentage among goaltenders who played at least 40% of the team's minutes. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded. Updated as of April 24, 2016.^[6]

GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Player	Team	GP	TOI	GA	SO	Sv%	GAA
Johansson, Lars Lars Johansson	Frölunda HC	8	462:08	11	1	94.69	1.43
Svensson, Markus Markus Svensson	Skellefteå AIK	12	724:42	23	3	91.39	1.90
Nihlstorp, Cristopher Cristopher Nihlstorp	Växjö Lakers	10	563:18	19	0	91.40	2.02
Pogge, Justin Justin Pogge	Färjestad BK	4	231:33	8	0	93.33	2.07
Gustafsson, Johan Johan Gustafsson	Frölunda HC	9	506:22	19	0	92.02	2.25
Lassinantti, Joel Joel Lassinantti	Luleå HF	11	667:32	25	0	91.88	2.25

• List of SHL seasons
• 2015 in ice hockey
• 2016 in ice hockey