Nationella Damhockeyligan

The current NDHL season structure was first implemented in the 2021–22 season and minor modifications have subsequently been made. Unlike the SDHL, which is governed entirely by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association (SIF), or the Damtvåan, which is governed entirely by regional ice hockey associations, the governance of the NDHL is split between regional associations and the SIF. Regional associations oversee their respective the NDHL DamEttan divisions until teams have been selected for the regional qualifier. The SIF oversees the Dam HockeyAllsvenskan, the regional qualifier, the Dam HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs, and the Kvalserie till SDHL.

The season begins with four regional series, collectively called the Damettan (lit. 'Women's First'). Teams are sorted into one of four geographical divisions: NDHL Damettan Norra (North), NDHL Damettan Östra (East), NDHL Damettan Södra (South), and NDHL Damettan Västra (West). Each Damettan division is administered locally by a regional sub-organ of the SIF, which results in some structural and regulatory differences between divisions, for example, the number of games played and the manner in which teams are selected for the regional qualifier.

The two top-ranking teams from each Damettan division qualify for the Damhockeyallsvenskan (lit. 'Women's Hockey All-Sweden'), which is administered directly by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association and is generally played during February. Damettan divisions are partially merged for the Damhockeyallsvenskan to form two groups of four teams: Norr/Väst (lit. 'North/West'), called Damhockeyallsvenskan Norra, and Syd/Öst (lit. 'South/East'), called Damhockeyallsvenskan Södra. Each group is played as a double round-robin; the top-three teams progress to the NDHL playoffs, while the teams placing fourth qualify for the next NDHL Damettan season.[2]

In mid-February, the top teams from the NDHL Damettan Östra, Södra, and Västra compete for the remaining playoff berths in a regional qualifier (Swedish: regionalt förkval). Each division used a different method for determining its top team The series is played as a single round-robin; the top two teams earn positions in the NDHL playoffs and the third-place team qualifies for the next NDHL Damettan season.[3]

The NDHL playoffs feature the top-three teams from the two divisions of the Dam HockeyAllsvenskan and the top-two teams from the regional qualifier. The divisions from the Dam HockeyAllsvenskan – Norra and Södra – remain in place and one team from the regional qualifier is added to each of the divisions. Each round is played using a best-of-three format.[4]

The Dam HockeyAllsvenskan playoff champions earn the opportunity to compete in the Kvalserie till SDHL ('qualification series for the SDHL'), in which they play against the two bottom ranked teams from the SDHL regular season. The teams ranking first and second in the kvalserie earn placement in the SDHL for the following season, meaning one or both NDHL teams can gain promotion to the SDHL and one or both of the SDHL teams can be relegated to the NDHL DamEttan.[5]

NDHL DamEttan Norra

Team	Location	Home venue	Head coach	Captain
IF Björklöven	Umeå	Winpos Arena	Ulf Johansson	Selina Aho
Luleå HF (B)	Luleå	Lulebohallen	Melinda Olsson	Wilda Öhman
MoDo Hockey (B)	Örnsköldsvik	Hägglunds Arena	Ola Hedqvist	Sofia Sohlin
Skellefteå AIK	Skellefteå	Skellefteå Kraft Arena	Jonas Klingsell	Ellen Lövgren
Timrå IK/Sundsvall	Timrå	Lill-strimma Hallen	Georgina Farman	Sofie Lindström

Source:[6]

NDHL DamEttan Östra

Team	Location	Home venue	Head coach	Captain
AIK 2	Solna	Ulriksdals IP	Anna Borgqvist	Madeleine Al-Hammami
Hammarby IF	Stockholm	Zinkensdamms IP	Conny Olausson	Ida Normark
Haninge Anchors HC	Haninge	Torvalla Ishall	Magnus Berg	Anna Löfstedt
SDE HF 2	Stocksund	Enebybergs Ishall	Lennart Älgekrans	Frida Jansson
Södertälje SK	Södertälje	Scaniarinken	Robert Johansson	Adéla Jůzková
Tullinge TP HC	Tullinge	Ica Riksten Arena	Henrik Karlsson	Carina Ekelin

Source:[7]

NDHL DamEttan Södra

Team	Location	Home venue(s)	Head coach	Captain
Frölunda HC	Gothenburg	Frölundaborg Isstadion	Erika Holst	Hanna Olsson
Hovås HC	Gothenburg	Askims Ishall	Reine Dunhäll	Emilia Jonsson
Hvidovre IK	Hvidovre	Frihedens Idrætscenter	Sebastian Jarrov	Simone Hammer Mørch
Karlskrona HK	Karlskrona	NKT Arena Karlskrona	Linnéa Engstrand	Filippa Wahlfried
Linköping HC 2	Linköping	Stångebro Ishall & Saab Arena	Therése Bohm	Thea Liodden
IF Malmö Redhawks	Malmö	Malmö Isstadion	Ellinor Rydell	Annie Svärd
IF Troja-Ljungby	Ljungby	Ljungby Arena	Martin Lindh	Ida Eklind
Vänersborgs HC	Tullinge	Brätte Ishall	Björn Westerlind	Alexandra Lindahl

Source:[8]

NDHL DamEttan Västra

Team	Location	Home venue(s)	Head coach	Captain
Falu IF	Falun	Lugnets Ishall	Jimmy Stenvall	Elin Lundberg
Färjestad BK	Karlstad	Löfbergs Arena	Silje Holös	Julia Pettersson
Mora IK	Mora	Smidjegrav Arena	Viktor Amnér	Josefine Berlin
Sandvikens IK/Brynäs IF	Gävle	Monitor ERP Arena	Angelica Östlund	Molly Mickelsson
SHK Hockey Club	Skärplinge	PEK-Hallen	Jan Lundvall	Alice Sikberg
Västerås IK	Västerås	Rocklunda IP	Evelina Husar	Julia Öhrberg-Nyberg

Source:[9]