Daniel Bertov återvände till HV71 inför den gångna säsongen. Nu är det klart med en fortsättning.

Kontraktsförlängningen sträcker sig över två säsonger, meddelar Jönköpingsklubben på hemsidan.

Den 28-årige backen stod för fem poäng på 46 matcher den gångna säsongen.

Sportchefen Johan Hult om glädjebeskedet för HV71.

- Daniel är spelare som alltid ger hundra procent och är viktig med sin inställning och sin tuffhet. Vi är väldigt glada att han är med oss även den kommande säsongen, säger HV71:s sportchef till klubbens hemsida.

HV71:s högintressanta lagbygge blir allt mer intressant. Poängstarke Tyler Vesel utgör den senaste pusselbiten för smålänningarna.

Kontraktet gäller i ett år.

Den 27-årige centern har varit en viktig pjäs i topplaget Björklöven de två senaste säsongerna.

Sportchefen Johan Hult om värvningen av amerikanen.

- Tyler är en smart center som är nyttig i alla tre zoner. Han har en offensiv dimension som varit på toppnivå i HockeyAllsvenskan de senaste två åren. Det ska bli spännande att se vad han kan göra i vår miljö, säger HV71:s sportchef till klubbens hemsida.

Örebro tog nästa steg den gångna säsongen och lyckades ta sig hela vägen till semifinalspelet.

Nu spänner Närke-klubben bågt högt inför nästa säsong i jakten på att fortsätta utvecklas.

Det ska värvas en del spets.

Carl Klingberg kan bli en av spjutspetsarna som värvas framöver.

ÖHK har närmare bestämt erbjudit den NHL-meriterade forwarden över 300.000 kronor i månadslön, avslöjar Sportbladet.

Den 30-årige forwarden har varit framträdande i den schweiziska högstaligan de senaste åren och var med i Tre Kronors VM-lag i år innan han blev skadad och lämnade turneringen.

#RAWLAN

Rawicz were the hosts as this weekend’s first eWINNER 2 match got underway. They were up against a full strength Landshut that had the injured Kai Huckenbeck (pictured) back as well as new signing, Frenchman, Dimitri Berge and German veteran, Martin Smolinski (6) all in their line up.

The German team seem to have the advantage taking the lead in the first heat and again in Heat 5 as Dimitri (10) and Martin Härtel (6+1) took a 2:4.

They held that lead all the way to Heat 11 when Rawicz took their first 5:1 through Szymon Szlauderbach (7+1) and Keynan Rew. It was the Australian’s best performance so far this season as he put up 8+1 but compatriot Matthew Gilmore struggled again with 0.

The home team started Heat 12 in the lead by just 3 points, 34:31, leading to a nail biting finish as the following two heats were 3:3s.

Down but not out, Landshut continued to fight to pull back the deficit and pave the way an unexpected victory. However, their hopes were dashed as the Polish team struck the deadly blow in Heat 14 with a 5:1 to make it 45:38, Szlauderbach again involved as he took the checkered flag in second place.

Huckenbeck (13+1) top scored for the visitors hopefully meaning is has recovered from his concussion. But even his appearance in Heat 15 was not enough to prevent Rawicz taking home a hard fought 48:41 win.

#OPODAU

When Daugavpils' Swedish rider, Tomas H Jonasson (14) beat host, Opole's Swedish rider, Jacob Thorssell (10+1) it put the guests back to within five points of the leaders, 26:21.

But the Latvian team would never get closer than that and the match was finished off when the Polish squad won two 5:1s in Heats 13 and 14. In the first of those Thorssell got revenge by beating Jonasson as well as Danish veteran, Hans Andersen (5+1) who also represents Lokamotiv this season. Then in the penultimate heat young Danish rider, Mads Hansen (10) won to set up a final score of 51:38 to Opole.

Although the league is still in early days and Wittestock are yet to race at all in the second division, Opole now take the lead on points difference over Rawicz after three rounds. Swede, Thorssell is also the joint highest scorer in the league with a 2.400 average.

#POZRZE

Poznan's match was not televised again as it clashed with the Ekstraliga match between Zielona Gora and Wroclaw. But that did not seem to have any negative on the home team as they hosted Rzeszow tonight.

They bounced back from 1:5 reserve heat defeat to take five 5:1 heat advantages before the nomination heats were called. Danish rider, Jonas Siefelt-Salk (10+4) was involved in three of them and finished just one point off a paid maximum. As did his German teammate, Kevin Wolbert (14). and Matias Nielsen (7+2) make an impact as they ran away with the match, 56:34.

For the losers Dane, Tim Sörensen (3) and Britian's Adam Ellis (6) failed to make a significant impact but the team can will take solace in that reserve Matteusz Majcher top scored with a 9 pts maximum and with just two matches played that it is still early days in the season.

#TARKRO

When the bottom team hosted the top team in eWinner 1 on Saturday, the majority of people were expecting history to be made as Krosno would take their first ever win at Tarnow. Not only that, but the two teams form so far this season also implied that Krosno would win with ease.

But, thanks to great performances from Tarnow’s top two riders, Niels Kristian Iversen (12+1) and Rohan Tungate (11), fans were treated to a tight match which was only decided in the last heat. Heat 15 would see this Danish/ Australian duo go head-to-head with Krosno’s top two scorers, Tobiasz Musielak (13) and Andzej Lebedevs (9+1).

The hosts, Tarnow, held a slim lead from the reserve heat up to Heat 9, when Krosno’s Musielak led home Mateusz Szczepaniak (8+2) for a 1:5 victory.

And from then onwards it was Krosno that held a narrow lead. However a 5:1 for Tarnow set up a last heat decider with the scores at 41:43 after Heat 14.

It was fitting that the teams’ top scorers got to go against each other in a winner-takes-all final. And with Musielak (photo) taking his fourth heat win of the day, the final heat finished 3:3 meaning that the visitors made history as Krosno ran out winners by the closest possible margin, 44:46.

#GNIRYB

In a match which was primarily about gating, it was home team Start Gniezno who took control against an in form, ROW Rybnik.

The guests may have taken the lead in the first heat through a 1:5 from Sergei Logachov (15+1) and Kacper Gomolski (12+2), but after that Gniezno slowly but surely took the lead back and extended it with heat advantage after heat advantage.

Leading the way for the home was Polish duo, Oskar Fajfer (13) and Miroslaw Jablonski (9+1). They were ably supported by their Scandinavian teammates, Frederik Jakobsen (8+1), Timo Lahti (8) and Peter Kildemand (5+2).

For Rybnik it was a “tale of two cities” as the Russian/ Polish duo who won Heat 1 put in top notch performances, whilst the rest of the team were “still on the bus”. No-one else scored more than 4 pts, even experienced Dane, Michael Jepsen Jensen.

That mean that Gniezno were winners, 49:41.

Although still early in the season, this match also completed the home and away games between the two teams. That mean that ROW Rybnik take the bonus point by just two points, 91:89 after winning the first leg, 50:40 last week.

#BYDLOD

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon in Bydgoszcz and after 5 heats it looked like the fans were going to be treated to a total demolition of visitors, Łódź. The home team took home four heat advantages, including three 5:1s in the opening heats to lead by 21:9.

However, the next seven heats took on a totally different character as the visitors started to find lines and crawl back into the match. There were six 5:1s in a row (!) and by the of Heat 11, Łódź were only just six points behind at 36:30.

Brady Kurtz and Norbert Kosciuch lifted the Eagles into reach of their opponents and both scored 13+1 by the end of the match. American, Luke Becker (6+2) was the third best scorer for the team.

However, despite the valiant comeback, they had let their rivals get too far ahead. Bydgoszcz only needed to make sure they level pegged with the visitors and by the end of the match ran out winners, 48:42.

Top scorers for the hosts were the foreign duo of David Bellego (12+2) and Andreas Lyager (11).

On 12 June, the same day as the SEC gets underway in Bydgoszcz, the two qualifying rounds for this year’s U21 World Championship will take place in Gustrow and Daugavpils.

That means that countries are starting to announce their riders, including Sweden and Great Britain.

SWEDEN

Alexander Woentin (pictured) and Philip Hellström Bängs will represent Sweden and have both had the chance to compete in Poland before the Swedish season starts on 1 June. This will be Woentin’s last chance in this competition and with a bronze in last year’s European U21 championship he should be on the bookies shortlist for a medal in 2021.

GREAT BRITAIN

Great Britain have gone for Tom Brennan and Drew Kemp giving extended reason for their thinking on their website. They also mention that Anders Rowe was also in contention but declined to take part in the qualifiers on this occasion.

Speculation is rife as to who the other countries may pick.

DENMARK

Denmark may choose the current European U21 Gold medallist, Marcus Birkemose. However the young rider is struggling with Gorzow in the Ekstraliga and even home in Denmark does not look like half the rider of 2020.

An alternative could be Mads Hansen who represented the country in the U21 World and European competitions in 2020. He could be is a likely pick for 2021 with a good season so far in Poland with Opole.

POLAND

Poland, as usual, are spoilt for choice, but it would seem scandalous not to pick last year’s European U21 Silver medallist, Jakub Miskowiak.

The Częstochowa rider is having a blinding season with an incredible heat average of 2.132. He is not just the best scorer in his side, but is currently one of the best riders in the league sitting in 9th place in the individual rankings. That puts him above all of the last three SEC winners (12th, 13th and 15th positions) as well as ahead of Australian former World Champions, Jason Doyle (11th) and Chris Holder (24th).

Miskowiak got to race last year in the final in Pardubice as a last minute replacement for Wiktor Lampart who was injured in the final match of the season for Motor Lublin.

And as the second best junior in Ekstraliga, Lampart (1.875, 19th overall), himself should be in contention for the qualifiers, a race he won last year in Divisov, Hungary. The Polish rider won the U21 European championship in 2019, the year before Birkemose.