Örebro HK
Örebro for the first time since they gained promotion to the SHL might be a top six team and are my surprise package to topple some of the big names of Swedish hockey this year.
The chequebook has been out to create a team that wants to score goals.
They retained Anton Hedman (above) who came in from Luleå to rescue the team at the end of the season, scoring 8 points in just 10 games. But more significantly, have bought in the top scoring back from HockeyAllsvenskan, Marcus Björk as well as one of the top scoring backs already in the SHL, Kristian Näkyvä from Linköping HC.
At the back they have brought in 27 year old Finn, Rasmus Rissanen who was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2009. The big hitter is more used to collecting Penalty Minutes than goals played nearly 300 games for the Charlotte Checkers (AHL) collecting 357 PIMs. He has similar stats his two seasons for Jokerit in the KHL.
Perhaps the person who'll remind him that in Sweden you have to keep the gloves on is his former teammate from 2009/10, Shane Harper. The American has a very successful career in the AHL with nearly 400 games, 85 goals and 183 points.
But if Harper is an unknown quantity, they have goal scoring certainty with the brilliant Aaron Palushaj. He was an unknown in Sweden before playing for Brynäs, but had his best year since 2013/4 when he played with Rissanen for the Checkers in the AHL.
He joins a team designed for success and only time will tell if the ambitious attacking re-build gamble pays off.
@ABritOnThinIce1
