Loui Eriksson wanted to go to Frölunda.
Now Roger Rönnberg reveals why Frölunda snubbed.
– It’s boring. He is extremely useful, says the coach.
Loui Eriksson has had some really tough years behind him in North America. He was laughed at and mocked for his expensive contract with the Vancouver Canucks, where towards the end he mostly had to be in the stands. Last season, Eriksson played for the Arizona Coyotes, where he continued to have trouble getting it loose.
Therefore he was nobbed
Eriksson is completely without a contract for the coming season, and during the summer there were rumors that it could be Frölunda, as he also lives in Gothenburg. But Frölunda was clear that there would be no agreement, and what awaits Loui Eriksson next is thus still unclear.
But why did Frölunda choose to decline? Roger Rönnberg was asked that question by GP, and the answer was detailed.
– It is a professional decision, it is not more difficult than that. Loui is a great player. He had helped us a lot. He is very, very talented. At the same time, we had already chosen another path with Anthony Greco – and the squad was almost set. We had made an analysis that we would go for two extreme goalscorers in Jere Innala and Anthony Greco. We have had a good game in the last three years, but we have had too little efficiency and scored too few goals. Loui can score goals too, it’s not that … for me he’s almost a complete player. He can play box play, he can play a pretty tough role in power play, an inside forward. We have that type of player in the squad, so it is a purely professional decision – and it came a little late so that we would have time to react to it, says Rönnberg.
He continues:
– If it had come a little earlier, we would have known that he really wanted to go home, so maybe we would have been able to act on it. But we had so few places this year. And also with Johan Sundström’s contract situation… it is connected. And it’s sad, I’ve had Loui in the national team a few times and he’s extremely useful, he says.
“Otherwise it won’t be good”
Johan Sundström, whom Rönnberg is talking about, has a salary of SEK 300,000 a month but is currently outside Frölunda’s squad. He does not train with the team, but still receives a salary, as long as he does not find a new club. Rönnberg cannot answer whether that affected Loui Eriksson’s being or not being in Frölunda.
– Do not know. It is the sports directors Fredrik Sjöström and Andreas West who take care of this. But the chance had definitely increased in any case. I would think so, says Roger Rönnberg.
Rönnberg also believes that he is not sure that he could have given Loui Eriksson the role he needs.
– We see Liam Dower Nilsson, Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson and Otto Stenberg as players of the future. It is important to have a role for a player – and not just collect players and not have roles where they can grow. A Loui Eriksson in the SHL must get a top role – and then you must have that role for him. Because otherwise it won’t be good.
READ MORE: Victor Hedman’s unforgettable gesture to the children – suddenly appeared in full gear: “Lots of smiles”