Summer Notes from Sweden

Following the crazy 04-05 season, this summer's off season has been a couple of busy months for many Swedish prospects. Joakim Lindstrom was suspended from Swedish hockey and highly touted 2005 prospect Nicklas Bergfors committed to the CHL for the upcoming season.

The three month suspension of the 21-year old Modo winger Joakim Lindstrom from any competitive hockey in Sweden is by far the most bizarre incident on the Swedish prospects scene this summer. Lindstrom, who after a season of meagre ice time opted to try his luck in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch after Modo got eliminated from the Swedish playoffs, got his verdict in mid-June: a 26-game or approximately three month suspension from Swedish hockey. The rationale behind the decision was that Lindstrom broke the Swedish transfer regulations by leaving his team after January 31st, even though he had permission from Modo to do so.

FEW OPTIONS

The suspension basically left the talented but injury-prone winger no other choice than to head to North America for next season.

"Looking at the verdict, it really doesn't leave me with much of a choice. The NHL has always been my dream, but now I'm leaving sooner than I wished, without being done with my development in Sweden", Lindstrom said following the suspension.

The only question that remains now is if he'll be able to stick with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who drafted him in 2002, or if he'll remain in Syracuse.

NHL BOUND

Other young Swedes set to start out their NHL careers next season are Johnny Oduya (Washington), Yared Hagos (Dallas), Lars Jonsson (Boston), Alexander Steen (Toronto) and Staffan Kronwall (Toronto). All of these players are expected to formally sign with their respective NHL club as soon as all the details surrounding the new CBA are completed. Much like Joakim Lindstrom though, none of them enjoyed an overly successful campaign in the 04-05 season. Alexander Steen, for instance, only managed to score 17 points in Modo, as compared with the 24 he put up with Frolunda in the previous season.

SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?

Another player not satisfied with his ice time in the Swedish Elite League this past season is Sodertalje's blue chip prospect Nicklas Bergfors. The expected first rounder in this year's draft went second overall in the CHL Import Draft a few weeks ago and will report to the St. John's Fog Devils in the QMJHL next season.

His teammate in Sodertalje, Slovenian gem Anze Kopitar, is taking the opposite route. Despite being picked by the Regina Pats in the CHL Import Draft, Kopitar will remain in Sodertalje and the Swedish Elite League next season. Time will tell if Kopitar made the right choice, because new Sodertalje coach Ulf Taavola is not known for instilling confidence in his younger players. Hopefully Kopitar will be an exception to that rule.

Detroit prospect Andreas Jamtin has made quite a name for himself in Sweden the past two seasons with his mix of skill and grit and a generally very quotable persona. The outspoken winger will not stay in Sweden with HV 71 however and next season he'll try his luck with Finnish powerhouse club TPS Turku. In TPS he'll be joined by fellow Swede and Nashville draftee Daniel Widing (one year older), who is moving up in his career after struggling with the Lahti Pelicans.

"I'll be playing second line hockey for a major club. There will be more pressure than in Lathi for sure, but it will certainly help my development," noted Widing.

The large roles in TPS could very well be the final push this duo needs to get in to the NHL.