1982–83 was the eighth season that Division 1 operated as the second tier of ice hockey in Sweden, below the top-flight Elitserien (now the SHL).
Format
Division 1 was divided into four starting groups of 10 teams each. The top two teams in each group qualified for the Allsvenskan, while the remaining eight teams had to compete in a qualifying round in which the results carried over from the first round. The top two teams from each qualifying round qualified for the playoffs. The last team in each of the qualifying groups was relegated directly to Division 2, while the second-to-last-place team had to play in a relegation series.
Of the eight teams in the Allsvenskan, the top two teams qualified for the Allsvenskan final, with the winner being promoted directly to the Elitserien (now the SHL), while the loser qualified for the Kvalserien, which offered another opportunity to be promoted. The third to sixth ranked teams in the Allsvenskan qualified for the second round of the playoffs. The two playoff winners qualified for the Kvalserien, in which the first-place team qualified for the following Elitserien season.
Regular season
Northern Group
First round
Qualification round
Western Group
First round
Qualification round
Eastern Group
First round
Qualification round
Southern Group
First round
Qualification round
Allsvenskan
Final
Södertälje SK - Luleå HF 3:0 (7:3, 8:2, 5:2)
Playoffs
First round
Piteå IF - Skövde IK 2:0 (6:2, 10:2) Bofors IK - Kiruna AIF 1:2 (3:2, 1:7, 3:5) Huddinge IK - Mörrums GoIS 2:1 (7:3, 4:7, 6:3) IK Vita Hästen - Väsby IK 0:2 (4:7, 3:5)
Second round
Timrå IK - Piteå IF 2:0 (4:3 OT, 7:1) Västerås IK - Huddinge IK 2:0 (3:2 OT, 7:6 OT) Örebro IK - Kiruna AIF 2:0 (13:0, 9:2) HV71 - Väsby IK 2:0 (8:6, 6:5 OT)
Third round
Örebro IK - Timrå IK 1:2 (3:4, 5:1, 3:4) HV71 - Västerås IK 2:1 (11:2, 2:4, 4:0)