SHL: 2014-15 SHL General Discussion

[Eye of Ra]

I think Welch could play in NHL.

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

2-2 now

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Växjö wins it!

 

[varsaku]

I am mad that I missed the game because I was too busy. I was hoping it went to game 7 that way I can watch the whole game. Was this game broadcasted nationally in Sweden? How many viewer watched the previous games in the series?

 

[PensFan101]

So happy for the Lakers! Got to watch them 6 times last year, and have been a fan for a couple of years. Couldn't have happened to a better city. From Division 4 to Swedish champions in 16 years, pretty remarkable. They're the kind of story you only find in video games.

 

[Stiltzkin*]

I was rooting for Växjö as well, although I'm a Färjestad supporter at heart.

 

[VictorLustig]

I am mad that I missed the game because I was too busy. I was hoping it went to game 7 that way I can watch the whole game. Was this game broadcasted nationally in Sweden? How many viewer watched the previous games in the series?

Yup. The whole series was on TV4, not sure how many viewers it had.

I also wonder how much hockey & the SHL could grow in popularity if it was shown on channels that more people have. Only hardcore hockey/sport fans pay for Cmore.

 

[SurMartin]

I wish it was had been anyone but Lakers really, their players have zero connection to Växjö and that's quite horrible in my book. They did play better though so they deserve it. Congrats!

I thought we were screwed after last summer so overall I'm happy with this season. Hoping we'll get Captain Ericsson back next year and maybe a couple of other returnees.
Can't wait to see Axel Holmström next year... expecting a sophomore slump though.

 

[PensFan101]

I wish it was had been anyone but Lakers really, their players have zero connection to Växjö and that's quite horrible in my book. They did play better though so they deserve it. Congrats!

I thought we were screwed after last summer so overall I'm happy with this season. Hoping we'll get Captain Ericsson back next year and maybe a couple of other returnees.
Can't wait to see Axel Holmström next year... expecting a sophomore slump though.

Rosen their leading scorer is from ten minutes down the road in Alvesta... So that's better than nothing.

Hopefully they can get their youth system in order. Always tough with HV, Tingsryds, etc. in the region and drawing the best players away. But someday the team might keep and promote top Smaland players. Would like to see them sign Crus Rydberg, maybe as a start.

 

[VictorLustig]

Rosen their leading scorer is from ten minutes down the road in Alvesta... So that's better than nothing.

Hopefully they can get their youth system in order. Always tough with HV, Tingsryds, etc. in the region and drawing the best players away. But someday the team might keep and promote top Smaland players. Would like to see them sign Crus Rydberg, maybe as a start.

I could be wrong, but didn't Crus Rydberg sign with Linköping already?

Anyway, Växjö has a guy named Alexander Andersson (98) who might be the best D of his age group in Sweden.

 

[Stiltzkin*]

you also have to take in consideration that Växjö is a relatively new team(formed in '97)
and hockey interest just doesn't pop out of nowhere.

 

[SurMartin]

you also have to take in consideration that Växjö is a relatively new team(formed in '97)
and hockey interest just doesn't pop out of nowhere.

So new in fact, that the players had to defile their opponents victory song in lack of something Växjö: https://twitter.com/sjobergh/status/591378104267997184
"Impressed that they managed to sing in swedish"

 

[BPilgrim]

I could be wrong, but didn't Crus Rydberg sign with Linköping already?

Anyway, Växjö has a guy named Alexander Andersson (98) who might be the best D of his age group in Sweden.

Nope, rumours say Tingsryd though.

à propos Alexander Andersson, he is a Stockholm guy, and they also have another Stocholm kid born 98 who is really good, Linus Högberg.

 

[PuckPoise]

1.25 million viewers on average for the finals. Pretty good.

So new in fact, that the players had to defile their opponents victory song in lack of something Växjö: https://twitter.com/sjobergh/status/591378104267997184
"Impressed that they managed to sing in swedish"

LOL

Although they don't normally sing that, do they? It was just a "fun" way to celebrate, singing the opponent's song.

 

[Yabob]

you also have to take in consideration that Växjö is a relatively new team(formed in '97)
and hockey interest just doesn't pop out of nowhere.

Indeed. It takes time build a successful youth organisation. Especially when it's a young club coming up from the lower levels.

You need plenty of kids to make sure you find all the talents, but if there aren't enough interest the kids will pick other sports. And when your mens team aren't at the highest level the number of interested kids aren't that high. That can change over night when you get promoted, but even so they are still just kids.... it will take many years before you will feel the impact of the increased interest on the mens roster.

Linköping have made a similar journey. Today they have the highest number of youth players of all the hockey clubs in Sweden (last season at least) and get to promote players from the U20 team to the mens team every year. They are almost self- reliant on d-men these days. That hasn't always been the case of course. Before they got promoted the interest in hockey amongst the kids were really low and not much was spent on the youth organisation as a result. The interest increased drastically when they got promoted, but they still had to put their trust in "hired guns" for many years while those who played in the much improved youth program grew up.

The only difference from Växjö's situation today is that back then there were plenty of top level Swedish players you could sign.

Anyway, congrats to Växjö! If nothing else this victory will serve to make the league more interesting. Skellefteå winning it for the 3rd year in a row would probably have had the opposite effect.

 

[SurMartin]

LOL

Although they don't normally sing that, do they? It was just a "fun" way to celebrate, singing the opponent's song.

A bit disrespectful to both sides of the fans really.

Indeed. It takes time build a successful youth organisation. Especially when it's a young club coming up from the lower levels.

You need plenty of kids to make sure you find all the talents, but if there aren't enough interest the kids will pick other sports. And when your mens team aren't at the highest level the number of interested kids aren't that high. That can change over night when you get promoted, but even so they are still just kids.... it will take many years before you will feel the impact of the increased interest on the mens roster.

Linköping have made a similar journey. Today they have the highest number of youth players of all the hockey clubs in Sweden (last season at least) and get to promote players from the U20 team to the mens team every year. They are almost self- reliant on d-men these days. That hasn't always been the case of course. Before they got promoted the interest in hockey amongst the kids were really low and not much was spent on the youth organisation as a result. The interest increased drastically when they got promoted, but they still had to put their trust in "hired guns" for many years while those who played in the much improved youth program grew up.

The only difference from Växjö's situation today is that back then there were plenty of top level Swedish players you could sign.

Anyway, congrats to Växjö! If nothing else this victory will serve to make the league more interesting. Skellefteå winning it for the 3rd year in a row would probably have had the opposite effect.

I think many just felt that Växjö hasn't earned it until they, like Linköping, start bringing up the youth. Not taking anything away from the actual team though, they were the best.

Would have been fun for us to show that we can win despite losing half our team, but I agree that it would be boring for others. Losing kind of renewed the spark for Skellefteåfans too. For instance, the fan forum I like to frequent hasn't been as active as it currently is in almost 3 years. Hoping we can build on that come next season.

 

[marlcarp71]

Does somebody have news about these guys, I think that they’re all near to be retired, but I would like to have news about them. (sorry for the length of the list)


Angelo Esposito
Danny Groulx
David Leneveu
Francis Bouillon
Garnet Exelby
Grant Lewis
Ilya Brizgalov
Jonas Andersson
Kenny Reiter
Mark Dekanich
Matt Lashoff
Michael Vernace
Mike Murphy (goaltender)
Nathan Deck
Paul Ranger
Peter Budaj
Ryan O’Byrne
Travis Ramsey
Ty Wishart
Zenon Konopka

 

[m4tt145]

Does somebody have news about these guys, I think that they’re all near to be retired, but I would like to have news about them. (sorry for the length of the list)


Angelo Esposito
Danny Groulx
David Leneveu
Francis Bouillon
Garnet Exelby
Grant Lewis
Ilya Brizgalov
Jonas Andersson
Kenny Reiter
Mark Dekanich
Matt Lashoff
Michael Vernace
Mike Murphy (goaltender)
Nathan Deck
Paul Ranger
Peter Budaj
Ryan O’Byrne
Travis Ramsey
Ty Wishart
Zenon Konopka

O'Byrne signed with HV71.

 

[Ryker]

I'll just this here, since I don't want to make a new thread. Basically, I have a question. I see that sometimes guys that are 25 years old play a couple of games for their junior team in the SuperElit. How is that possible?

 

[PuckPoise]

I'll just this here, since I don't want to make a new thread. Basically, I have a question. I see that sometimes guys that are 25 years old play a couple of games for their junior team in the SuperElit. How is that possible?

The rule is you can play a couple of overagers, meant mostly for 20-year-olds not making the big team or older players playing a game or two after a long injury break.

In the past, however, it's been used to get great players down into the junior leagues to play important games to avoid relegation. Mora recently played some of their top scorers in junior games for just that reason.

 

[Ryker]

The rule is you can play a couple of overagers, meant mostly for 20-year-olds not making the big team or older players playing a game or two after a long injury break.

In the past, however, it's been used to get great players down into the junior leagues to play important games to avoid relegation. Mora recently played some of their top scorers in junior games for just that reason.

Thanks. But what's the exact rule on how many games they can play, how many players can play, who can play it etc.? Can you give more details?

 

[PuckPoise]

Thanks. But what's the exact rule on how many games they can play, how many players can play, who can play it etc.? Can you give more details?

I think the rule in the past has been 3 first year senior players (meaning players born in 1995 this year) and 2 of any age, or 1 goalie of any age.

No overagers whatsoever in relegation/promotion games or playoff games, but there are a lot of important regular season games down to stretch to get into the playoffs or for the bottom feeders to avoid playing in relegation games, which is what Mora has done recently with their U20 team for instance.

Most of the time it's just there for one game or so after a long-term injury, though.

 

[Ryker]

I think the rule in the past has been 3 first year senior players (meaning players born in 1995 this year) and 2 of any age, or 1 goalie of any age.

No overagers whatsoever in relegation/promotion games or playoff games, but there are a lot of important regular season games down to stretch to get into the playoffs or for the bottom feeders to avoid playing in relegation games, which is what Mora has done recently with their U20 team for instance.

Most of the time it's just there for one game or so after a long-term injury, though.

What's the reason for allowing something like this in the first place? To me, it makes no sense. If it's a junior league, then let it be a junior league. I'm sure the teams don't have a shortage of eligible players, in case a couple get injured. And if it's like you say it is, i.e. that teams exploit this for more important games, it is even more mind-boggling the federation hasn't changed the rule.

 

[Say Hey Kid]

Do you guys think the Vaxjo Lakers will make the playoffs?

 

[KRM]

Do you guys think the Vaxjo Lakers will make the playoffs?

Yes, no doubt about it.