Preview: SDHL 2019/20 - Teams in 3rd to 10th place

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Preview: SDHL 2019/20 - Teams in 3rd to 10th place

Here’s my “one liners” about the team’s I believe will finish in 3-10 in the SDHL in March 2020.

Djurgården IF – one of the more stable teams with a similar roster to last year. If their NCAA products can settle in they will be a force to reckon with. And any team with Canadian multi gold medallist, Jennifer Wakefield should not be discounted as she is a highly talented game changer.

MODO Hockey – the club has lost two of the league’s best forwards but retain the excellent Klara Peslarova in net and talented French internationals, Marion Allemoz (above) and Lore Baudrit. They also have the addition of one of the best forwards to come to the Sweden from the CWHL, Montréal Canadiennes, Katia Clement-Heydra.

SDE – This could be the surprise success of the year. It all will come down to how their influx of North American players gel with each other and how they react to a new environment and league.

Linköping HC – Will struggle in comparison to the last few years where they have been the second-best team in the league. They have lost their strongest players, but Pernilla Winberg and Emilia Rambolt remain and the American Hickel sisters from Calgary Inferno will play an important role.

AIK – a good team but has made no significant changes since last year to improve the squad.

Leksand IF – the team has essentially lost all it’s top players over the summer. The one ray of light is that they have Canadian Emma Woods coming in – one of the top 30 points scorers in the CWHL and drafted in 2017 in both the CWHL and NWHL. Will have nothing to fear in any playoff match with Division 1 opponents.

Göteborg HC – the weakest team last year and not made significant changes over the summer.