In a new podcast, Ismo Lehkonen packages the NHL’s hottest topics, phenomena and Finns every week.
A phenomenon called EK65. Erik Karlsson is playing an embarrassing season in the NHL, in the second-worst team in the league – and still with one and a half legs. Ismo Lehkonen reveals in his new podcast what the Swedish defender’s season consists of.
– At an old age, I was inspired to pick up from the cold the skills learned during Frölunda’s time, Lehkonen explains.
According to Lehkonen, Karlsson admirably knows “the second of swimmers”, especially in the attacking area.
In the opening episode of Ika änär, Lehkonen highlights a game phenomenon that is surprisingly little talked about: game hardness. In the NHL, the speed of skating is increasing, the gimmicks are stealing the headlines, but at the same time, the physical game is getting tougher all the time.
– I have such a fear that this will get even crazier. There is so much skill, there is so much speed, that now the old truth of ball games emerges: you can break skill with hardness.
Lehkonen predicts that even before the playoffs we may see signs of direct hate hockey.
– It has been bubbling there in the pot all the time in certain games. But it hasn’t reached the level that even Detroit and Colorado once tried to reach. I’m afraid that the pot is boiling so hard now that they will do anything to meet the need for achievement.
There are several teams in the NHL who are in the so-called last dance. According to Lehkonen, it makes the game even tougher.
– We will definitely go there to the dark side of the gray area. There are the names of certain players crossed out with a red marker to be constantly contacted, even to the point of getting them removed from the game, and preferably from the entire series in the playoffs.
In the podcast, Lehkonen tells what the increased game hardness brings with it.
– 82 regular season games and four match series after that. Can the human body withstand such mucking about?
The Finns have received strict instructions from the coaching staff in dealing with Lehkonen Anton Lundellfound a new home Jesse Puljujärvimagically moving Miro Heiskanen and aiming for the magical limit of 50 goals Mikko Rantanen.
A new episode of Ika änär every Thursday at 12 o’clock in Areena.