The SM-liiga, Finland's top ice hockey league, announced significant changes for the 2026-27 season regarding how teams will be relegated to lower divisions. According to a statement from the league, there will be no relegation playoffs, with the relegation of teams to a lower division being determined directly by their performance in the regular season. This decision was heavily influenced by the requests of the clubs' sporting directors, who preferred a straightforward league format where the results of the regular season would solely dictate relegation without the influence of playoffs, which could lead to unpredictable outcomes.

Under the new system, either three or four teams will be relegated, depending on the number of teams participating in the league. If 17 teams compete in the SM-liiga, three teams will face relegation; if there are 18 teams, the number rises to four. This paradigm shift to a quadruple round-robin format means that each team will play against every other team four times throughout the season, creating a more rigorous competitive environment. The league aims to provide a clear and equitable resolution for relegation, which should foster a more intense competitiveness during the regular season.

The SM-liiga previously had designated relegation playoff spots for teams finishing in the bottom tier of the standings, which allowed for some teams to potentially avoid relegation through post-season playoffs. This change is anticipated to ensure that teams perform consistently throughout the season and remove any loopholes that the previous system allowed. As the league transitions into this new structure, it reflects a broader trend in professional sports to simplify point systems and performance-based outcomes, ultimately striving for fairness and transparency in competitive sports management.