Photo: Bildbyrån
Färjestad was heavily criticized for how they celebrated the Swedish Championship gold.
Now team captain Linus Johansson strikes back at the association.
– You can hand out… yes, I do not know what… a stone or something instead then, he says in the podcast Släpp Sargen.
Färjestad had not won Swedish Championship gold in eleven years, but after a thrilling final series against Luleå, the Karlstad team managed to win the seventh and decisive final, and thus win their tenth Swedish Championship gold in total. And the celebration knew no bounds. The trophy was also included in the celebration out on the town in Karlstad, in front of thousands of people, but also at various nightclubs.
Strikes back against criticism
However, videos that were spread on social media showed that the FBK players did not handle the trophy with particular care, which made the Swedish Ice Hockey Association roar.
– These are deplorable pictures, it has been beaten, I am not at all happy with how they have behaved, said responsible Tibor Gregor to Sportbladet.
In the hockey podcast Släpp Sargen, FBK’s team captain Linus Johansson is now responding to the high-profile move.
– It’s interesting, I think. It’s a dent. It disappeared after you lifted it on the ice and put it in a cupboard, he says – and refers to the fact that it is a replica of the trophy that you bring with you during the subsequent celebration.
“Distribute a stone then”
So it is not the real trophy that the Färjestad players had with them up on stage and into the nightlife. And Linus Johansson firmly believes that Färjestad had every right to celebrate.
– If you give a dent to someone who has won Swedish Championship gold and played for nine months, I think you can count on a lot of shit on it and that it actually breaks. You have to hand out… yes, I do not know what… a stone or something instead then, he says.
Linus Johansson also believes that the union has no reason to whine, as it is after all a replica that has been awarded.
– Damn, otherwise it makes no sense to have a replica, right? Of course you should not stand and throw it (the trophy) in some fucking stone wall, but it is clear that someone will drop it and it will be torn. Then the hockey clubs up there smoke, but that’s what it is.
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