Almost 1,000 NHL games and two Stanley Cup titles.
Now Djurgården gets reinforcements from Patric Hörnqvist.
– We are super happy to bring in “Bengan”, says sports manager KG Stoppel.
Patric Hörnqvist made his NHL debut in October 2018, and that was just the beginning of what would become a truly legendary career. In total, there were over 900 games, plus another 109 in the playoffs, as well as 543 points and two Stanley Cup titles.
The new job in Swedish hockey
Patric Hörnqvist was a key cog in the Pittsburgh Penguins that were so successful a few years ago. He may not have scored as much as teammates Crosby and Malkin, but with his winning streak and fighting mentality, he became a crowd favorite and a beloved teammate. However, the end of his career meant a couple of concussions, which ultimately led to “Bengan” announcing his retirement this spring.
What Hörnqvist will do in the future has been unclear – but now he has a completely new role in Swedish hockey. Djurgården announced on Tuesday that Hörnqvist will be given a seat on the association’s sporting “advisory board”.
– We are super happy to bring in “Bengan”, who is a strong person and a demander. He has broad experience and good knowledge of how Djurgården used to be and perhaps even more where we are today. It feels very good to have Patric in to follow the business and contribute to how we build future development for players and organization, says Djurgården’s sports director KG Stoppel.
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“Wanted to contribute”
From before, profiles such as Tommy Boustedt and Jacob Josefson sit in the group.
– We had a dialogue with Patric some time ago when the news came that he would end his career, a bit to adjust what the everyday would look like. When it later became clear that he will live at home in Sweden and in Stockholm, I naturally asked the question if he wanted to contribute. He wanted that very much, says Stoppel.
Djurgården is once again betting big to get back to the SHL. Last year they fell in the hockey Allsvenskan final against Modo, who instead had to celebrate advancement to the highest league. According to the experts, this year Djurgården, together with especially Brynäs, is once again the favorite to get back to Swedish hockey’s absolute fine room.
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