The 2023–24 season was the forty-first season of the , the premier level of women's ice hockey in Finland, since the league's establishment as the in 1982. The regular season began on 9 September 2023 and concluded on 18 February 2024. The playoffs began on 23 February 2024 and the Aurora Borealis Cup was awarded to IFK Helsinki (HIFK) on 21 March 2024.
Entering the season, HIFK were the reigning champions of both the 2022–23 regular season and the 2023 Aurora Borealis Cup.
Off-season
Dissolution of Lukko Lukko unexpectedly withdrew from the Naisten Liiga and the team was dissolved in April 2023, just weeks after they’d successfully defended their place in the league in the 2023 Naisten Liiga qualification. Rauman Lukko ry, the team's operating association, cited difficulties in recruiting and retaining players as the principal reasons behind the decision.
Lukko players were not consulted prior to the announcement. Captain Maija Koski was shocked by the news and felt that the team could have been saved if avenues of communication had been opened between the association and Lukko players.
Lukko's departure from the Naisten Liiga decreased the number of teams in the league from ten to nine for the 2023–24 season. The standard 36-game season was reduced to 32 games per team to account for the four game that would have been played against Lukko.
Five Lukko players – forwards Carolina Grönroos, Maija Koski, and Amanda Julkunen, and defensemen Hanna Brofelt and Mette Karru – transferred to TPS in Turku, about southeast of Rauma. Centre Aliisa Toivonen, Lukko's leading scorer in the 2022–23 season, signed with Kiekko-Espoo.
Coaching changes +Team2022–23 2023–24 DetailsOff–season RoKi Tuomas Liitola Teemu Koivula Liitola departed RoKi in June 2023 to accept the head coaching position with Skellefteå AIK in the Swedish Nationella Damhockeyligan (NDHL). He had served as RoKi's head coach for five seasons, during which the team earned promotion to the Naisten Liiga and consistently defended its place in the league. The vacancy left by Liitola was filled by 26 year old Koivula, a recent physical education graduate of the Lapland University of Applied Sciences. Koivula previously coached junior ice hockey teams of Rovaniemen Kiekko (RoKi), including RoKi U16 boys' team in the U16 SM-sarja during the 2022–23 season. Team Kuortane Mira Kuisma Juuso Nieminen After four seasons as head coach of both the Finnish national U18 team and Team Kuortane, Kuisma was appointed head coach of the national U18 team on a full-time basis. Nieminen joins Team Kuortane after several seasons coaching in the junior department of RoKi, most recently serving as head coach to the RoKi U18 team in the men's U18 Mestis during the 2021–22 season.
Player movements Note: This section does not record all player signings. It is limited to player movements involving national team players (from any country), international import players, and extra-league signings. Player nationality is limited to the primary nation of IIHF eligibility; some players may hold citizenship in more than one country. Player Nat Previous team 2023–24 team ref.Incoming players Eline Gabriele (G) IF Björklöven (NDHL) HPK Hämeenlinna Alexandra Mateičková (D) HC ŠKP Bratislava (EWHL) RoKi Rovaniemi Beáta Narovcová (D) ŽHC Příbram (Extraliga) TPS Turku Emma Nuutinen (F) Buffalo Beauts (PHF) Kiekko-Espoo Lunasa Sano (F) DEC Salzburg Eagles (EWHL) KalPa Kuopio Blanka Škodová (G) Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (NCAA) HIFK Helsinki Minttu Tuominen (D) Metropolitan Riveters (PHF) Kiekko-Espoo Anna Vaníčková (D) ŽHC Berounské Lvice (Extraliga) HPK HämeenlinnaIntra-league transfers Tilli Keränen (F) Kärpät Oulu KalPa Kuopio Olivia Last (G) RoKi Rovaniemi TPS Turku Tereza Pištěková (F) TPS Turku HPK Hämeenlinna Pauliina Salonen (F) TPS Turku HIFK Helsinki Lucia Záborská (F) HPK Hämeenlinna TPS Turku Departing players Lumi Jääskeläinen (G) HIFK Helsinki Skellefteå AIK (NDHL) Jenna Kaila (F) KalPa Kuopio HC Ambrì-Piotta Girls (SWHL A) Iina Kuusela (G) HIFK Helsinki retired Anni Montonen (F) Kiekko-Espoo HV71 (SDHL) Emmi Mourujärvi (D) TPS Turku Mercyhurst Lakers (NCAA) Sofia Nuutinen (F) Kiekko-Espoo Mercyhurst Lakers (NCAA) Emmi Rakkolainen (F) Kiekko-Espoo HV71 (SDHL) Noora Räty (G) HPK Hämeenlinna Metropolitan Riveters (PHF) Jenna Silvonen (G) Kiekko-Espoo retired Sofianna Sundelin (F) Team Kuortane St. Cloud State Huskies (NCAA) Nea Tervonen (F) Team Kuortane Syracuse Orange (NCAA) Emilia Vesa (F) HIFK Helsinki Frölunda HC (SDHL)
Teams
Team Location Home venue Head coach Captain HIFK Helsinki Pirkkolan jäähalli HPK Hämeenlinna Jääliikuntakeskus Hakio Ilves Tampere Tesoman jäähalli KalPa Kuopio Niiralan Monttu Kiekko-Espoo Espoo Tapiolan harjoitusareena Kärpät Oulu Raksilan jäähalli Saija Tarkki (interim)Sanna Lankosaari RoKi Rovaniemi Lappi Areena Team Kuortane Kuortane Kuortaneen jäähalli TPS Turku Kupittaan jäähalli
Preseason The preseason began on 10 August 2023 and comprised exhibition games played between Naisten Liiga teams or between a Naisten Liiga team and a boys' junior team from the youth department of the same club or a local club. No exhibition matches were scheduled for Kärpät or RoKi.
Schedule Exhibition games Date Home Score Visitor OT Attn Notes Recap10 August HPK 7–1 TPS 50 11 August HIFK 5–4 HIFK U15 38 12 August Ilves 3–0 K-Espoo 30Shutout recorded by Salla Sivula 15 August HPK 6–4 HPK U15 Oranssit 40 18 August HIFK 2–6 HIFK U16 Ak 50 19 August Ilves 8–2 TPS 50Hat-trick recorded by Elli Suoranta 20 August TPS 0–4 Ilves 40Shutout recorded by Melisa Mörönen 24 August Kuortane 7–1 S-Kiekko U14 Sininen 30 26 August K-Espoo 5–1 TPS 50 27 August K-Espoo 6–3 HPK 80 29 August HPK 3–5 K-Espoo 30 30 August HIFK 1–7 HIFK U16 SM 77 31 August TPS 1–4 HPK 50 Kuortane 1–6 S-Kiekko U15 Musta 30Hat-trick recorded by Vili Klasila (4 goals) 1 September KalPa 2–6 KalPa U16 Sawo 30 TPS 3–1 K-Espoo 50 2 September K-Espoo 1–6 HIFK 70 3 September KalPa 6–1 Warkis Sawo U15 Sininen 100 6 September Kuortane 5–1 JPK U15 Musta 40 7 September Kuortane 1–4 S-Kiekko U15 Musta 40
Regular season The regular season began on Saturday, 9 September 2023. All eight games of the opening weekend were played at in Espoo; Team Kuortane was the only team that did not participate in any opening weekend games.
Standings
Schedule