A new SHL season.
Now Niklas Wikegård gives his golden tip.
– They feel the hottest, says the profile.
After months of preparation and hard training, the SHL season is now just days away. On Saturday, a new season begins, and according to many experts, it is the most uncertain season in many, many years. The advance tips have varied considerably, and it is difficult to find a clear gold favorite that stands out from the crowd.
“It feels like a given”
Last spring, the season ended with a thrilling final between Luleå and Färjestad. Luleå looked to be heading for its first SC gold in 26(!) years but lost the seventh and absolutely decisive final on home ice, and in this year’s preview the team is far down on many experts’ lists. They have lost their two best scorers in Linus Omark and Pontus Andreasson, and there are question marks around the team’s offense.
But Niklas Wikegård, long-time expert at C More, has no doubts about the team’s qualities. In the Sporthuset podcast, he gets a straight question about how he sees the gold favorites for the coming season, and he highlights Luleå as a top candidate.
– Luleå is included, definitely, Skellefteå too. Rögle with his first chain, and Färjestad will put in another old man. Top four-five feels pretty much a given, I think. Frölunda is there and knocks on the door too, he says.
Wikegård’s gold favourite
Wikegård then names his biggest favorite for gold, and that’s happy news for all Luleå fans. Wikegård does not believe that the offensive losses are heavy enough to push the team away as a gold candidate.
– It is hard to say. But right now Luleå actually feels the hottest. Their backup lineup feels awesome, he says.
Niklas Wikegård also highlights another team he is curious about.
– Växjö will be exciting to see, and what Jörgen Jönsson can do now as head coach.
Wikegård mentioned Frölunda as one of his top candidates, but he also believes that Roger Rönnberg has some work to do, and the expert is sure that Frölunda will have to improve his game if he is to have anything to do with the battle for gold.
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