Luleå Hockey/ MSSK took the Swedish Women’s Hockey League (SDHL) championship in style in 2017/8 and have begun their defence in the same manner, hiring two more Olympic stars for the upcoming season.
In the beginning of June they re-signed Finnish super striker, Michelle Karvinen, for another two years. The 28-year-old had one of her best ever season, winning bronze with the national team as well as winning Forward of the Year in the SDHL in a commanding performance in all categories with the most Assists and most Points as well as the highest Plus/Minus.
The Swedish city of Luleå is only 130 km from the Finnish border and is already the home team of three more of Finland’s Olympians. Most significantly, the national captain and SDHL 2017/8 highest scoring defender, Jenni Hiirikoski, and well as youngsters Noora Tulus and Ronja Savolainen.
But not content with that, on 5 June the club announced the arrival of another high scoring Finn,19-year-old, Petra Nieminen. As well as being part of the bronze medal team, she was awarded the Finnish Liiga’s Best Forward with 28 points in just 21 games for Team Kuortane.
But Luleå’s championship winning side were not just Finns, but also included a number of the Swedish Olympians including Rebecca Stenberg, Johanna Fällman and the SDHL 2017/8 top scoring Swede, Emma Nordin.
But not satisfied with having some of the league’s best attackers and defenders, as early as April this year Luleå Hockey have also signed Sweden’s national goalkeeper, Sara Grahn. The 29-year old’s Olympic performance was probably the only Swedish highlight of the Games where she finished with a .945 SVS.
The Luleå Hockey/ MSSK team will be one of the strongest team’s to ever have played in the 11-year history of the SDHL with some of Scandinavia’s most talented women hockey players on display. Unless another team buys in international talent from the Gold and Silver medal winning US and Canadian teams, Luleå could well steamroller their way to second championship in a row.
Perhaps one of the most fascinating things will be to see how they compete against international opposition in the new Champions Cup. There they will face NWHL winners’ Metropolitan Riveters in a best of three series in September.
@ABritOnThinIce1
