Four Swedes in the first round of this year’s draft.
Then Djurgården cheered loudly.
– It is actually completely unique, says the sports director after writing history.
Several Swedes were tipped really high in this year’s NHL draft, and it was very true that four Swedes were chosen in the first round. Highest of all was Jonathan Lekkerimäki, who was selected as player 15 by the Vancouver Canucks.
The first Swedish team ever
The forward made his big breakthrough in the SHL during the spring, and has also scored points in the junior national team. He belongs to Djurgården and will play there next season as well, and he was not alone in being drafted from the Stockholm club.
Djurgården has not had much to cheer about in recent months, when they went out SHL, but last night they wrote history. In addition to Lekkerimäki, Noah Östlund was also selected by Buffalo, and Liam Öhgren by Minnesota – and according to SVT, this is the first time ever that a Swedish club has three players in the first round of an NHL draft.
– Of course we are happy and proud, but above all happy for the boys. It is actually something unique, we are very happy. This is the beginning of their new journey, so it will be exciting to follow. I hope they continue to have patience in their development because that is what will take them all the way to the end, says Djurgården’s sports director KG Stoppel to SVT.
May keep all three
Despite the great success, Djurgården has managed to keep all three players in the coming season in the Hockeyallsvenskan.
– Yes, those are the signals we have received and what we hope for as well. They are still very young and need to gain a little more experience, I would say. If one is to believe Patrik Allvin, general manager in Vancouver, he was also quite clear that they are in no hurry with Lekkerimäki. They must be patient. In his case, too, he was ill for long parts of last season. So he really needs time to play and train a lot. Then Djurgården and Sweden are the best alternative, says Stoppel.
And that is a welcome message for Djurgården. Despite the fact that the results have swayed at the highest level, they are happy with the players they have developed.
– It’s cool and we want to be a nursery with a good junior business that is the step into the elite world. I think we have been quite good at that and we will continue to be.
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