2010 Kvalserien

The 2010 Kvalserien was the 36th Kvalserien, played between 21 March- and 11 April, 2010. Södertälje and AIK, who finished 1st and 2nd respectively, qualified for the 2010–11 Elitserien season. Rögle was relegated to HockeyAllsvenskan.

This year's Kvalserien was one of the closest ones ever. After the 9th round, four teams (AIK, Rögle, Leksand and Almtuna) all had their chance to qualify for the 2010–11 Elitserien season. After the 9th round, AIK were on the second and last Elitserien spot, being one point ahead of Rögle, who had 15 points at that time. AIK needed a win over Växjö at home in Hovet, in order to secure their last Elitserien spot. In the 10th and final round, AIK won 2–0 against Växjö, after a late 1–0 goal by Lucas Lawson in the 53rd minute, in the third period. Five minutes later, Daniel Bång secured their win by scoring 2–0 in the empty net. AIK finished the 2010 Kvalserien with 18 points, the lowest number of points a team has ever been able to qualify to Elitserien with, ever since Kvalserien started in 1975.

But only after the 7th round, no one even believed that AIK could qualify. At that time, they were at the third place with 10 points, four points behind Rögle. But Rögle lost their two following games, which AIK won, and AIK were therefore at the last Elitserien spot after the 9th round. Södertälje had already secured their Elitserien spot after the 9th round.

Like the previous Kvalserien years, Leksand were once again a big disappointment for everyone. They were at the third place with 13 points after the 8th round, only one point behind Rögle, who were on the last Elitserien spot at that time. But Leksand lost 5–2 away against the last ranked team Växjö in the 9th round, and Leksand were forced to win their last game, which was against Almtuna. Although Leksand did win 2–1 against Almtuna, AIK won 2–0 against Almtuna, which meant Leksand missed Elitserien for the fifth year in a row.