PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Here is the announcement that came as a shock to the entire SHL.
Frölunda chooses to dump one of his big audience favourites.
– I am very surprised, says a disappointed Patrik “Purre” Carlsson to SportExpressen.
One of Frölunda’s big club profiles and crowd favorites has now received the worst news. After nine seasons and over 500 games forced Patrik Carlsson leave the team in his heart.
Frölunda’s decision
Better known as “Purre”, he has won double SM gold and four CHL titles with Frölunda, but now the 35-year-old is being dumped. The SHL club chooses to break the contract early despite the agreement of one more year and Carlsson has already finished with a new club for next season in the Finnish Pelicans.
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It is truly a shock announcement for the entire SHL and the club explains its unexpected decision as follows:
– We have had a dialogue with “Purre” and explained to him that we cannot offer him any major role in the team. We have told him that he can go if he gets the opportunity and he has now, says Frölunda’s sporting director Fredrik Sjöström in a press release.
– We want to send a big thank you to Purre for his fantastic time in Frölunda.
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“Purr” disappointed
Last season, the club profile scored 25 points in 50 games in the SHL, but has now finished playing in the Frölunda jersey. It came as a real surprise for Carlsson, who is now expressing his clear dissatisfaction.
– It’s very sad. It’s nothing I wanted. I received the information earlier this spring, that I would be out of the team without having a chance to compete for places and get playing time. It didn’t feel appropriate to sit in the stands. I want to play hockey, of course, says “Purre” in an interview with SportExpressen.
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Carlsson admits that the decision came out of nowhere and reveals that the decision is based on a single reason. Namely his age of 35 years.
– It’s just incredibly boring. I would have understood the reasoning better if I had not had a contract. I am very surprised. It felt very unexpected considering that I had a contract and it’s only about age, that’s what I’ve been told, he says to the evening newspaper.
– They have been clear about that. I could have understood the reasoning if I hadn’t had a contract, but now it was a shock.
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It also particularly hurts that Patrik Carlsson never got to say goodbye to the Frölunda audience in the right way. Now it will be like taking the back way out of the favorite team without having received one last game and a withdrawal.
– Unfortunately, I didn’t. Since I still had a year left on my contract, I had no idea that it wouldn’t be at least another year. It can upset me a little – that I didn’t know when I played my last match in the club I’ve loved since I was little, he says in the interview.
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