HV71
The Jönköping club has also raided their SDHL rivals’ rosters with Leksand IF and Linköping HC losing out the most.
Swedish Olympian and international forward, Anna Borgqvist leaves Leksand along with former Calgary Inferno player, Danielle Stone.
Not satisfied with that, HV71 has taken three players from neighbouring Linköping – Swedish international defender, Anna Kjellbin is one. But they have also poached the club’s top scorer, 2018 Buffalo Beauts drafted, Kennedy Marchment (above) and the league’s best defender, US Olympic gold medallist, Sidney Morin.
As if that was not enough, they have also snapped up free agent, Hanna Olsson. Last year, the young Swedish international fell out with her former club, Djurgården IF, leaving them before the playoffs and bitterly fulfilling her contractual obligations to not play for another SDHL club for the remainder of the season.
But that is not all. MODO Hockey’s 2016 CWHL drafted Canadian forward, Kaitlyn Tougas and one of the SDHL top scorers has been also been drawn to the Jönköping club.
In total the club will now eight of the top 22 scorers from the 2018/9 season on their roster this year, more than any other club in the league.
That strength in depth is partly why HV71 are my favourites to win the SDHL.
@ABritOnThinIce1
