They are tipped at the bottom of the SHL table by most people. Something Thomas Johansson in Leksand does not provide much for – while the sports manager opens for a recruitment in the middle of the economic crisis.
– We may be missing, here and now, one more top forward and some further back, says “Tjomme” to hockeysverige.se.
STOCKHOLM (HOCKEYSVERIGE.SE)
Leksand is generally tipped to end up in negative qualifying season. At the same time, there are some who also want to say that we in the media underestimate the team building Leksand have carved together according to the club’s financial conditions. How have the thoughts really gone when the sports manager, Thomas Johansson, with a smaller bag of money put together this season’s squad.
– Firstly, it has affected in such a way that we had to put a different number than we could afford to have previous seasons. I would say that is what was most affected, says Thomas Johansson to hockeysverige.se and continues:
– We really only have 13 forwards and eight slopes that I might have wanted to have 15 forwards and eight or nine slopes.
Is there any player who signaled that he did not want to come to Leksand because of the club’s strained economy?
– No, but on the other hand, I may have already been sold out in the first filter by some agents, what clubs they want to contact from the fact that they have players who are good.
– Clearly with the financial challenges we have had during the last season, it does not send any surge waves to to “I throw myself over Leksand,”, So I think I’ve been filtered a little earlier.
Thomas Johansson has changed a lot in Leksand
Thomas Johansson has signed a three-year contract with Leksand and is in a sitting where he must at the same time build something long-term that ensures that this season’s team, with a reduced budget, will get to the playoffs.
– In this industry, one must be incredibly humble for every season to come. This means that you must never take anything for granted whether you have a team that is tipped at the top or bottom.
– It should be played about it and each season lives its own life. Much is about keeping the course in the short term and being creative if things go that we do not want it to go.
– Also that there is a long -term plan. We have started to build a new frame in the team with new players who will be in Leksand for a long time.
– We have previously believed in a certain type of turnover and a certain type of player for a number of years, but we have not got it to fly. You have to do other things to get a different result. It’s a bit where we are now.
Marek Hrivík, Eddie Larsson, Patrik Zackrisson, Justin Kloos, Mantas Armalis, Patrik Norén, Lucas Elvenes and Martin Karlsson are some of the players who left Leksand after last season.
– I love all my players, but at the same time I don’t cry when a player leaves because I know players come and go.
– Given the results that have been, we have to make some changes in a squad at the same time as the players choose some other options, so I have no one where I can say he wanted to keep.
Tipped at the bottom of the SHL table
Many people demand a stable back piece in the back trail, an Anton Lindholm, Jonas Frögren, Mattias Timander and so on, is this something you also think about?
– I know how close Anton Johansson was to get away in North America and maybe have the opportunity to play in the NHL in the future. If he lives up to the quality he has, no one will miss that kind of player.
– Now he doesn’t have the “Tracker Reckword”. That’s what I think sometimes when you do an analysis of Leksand. To do it based on how many years the player has played in the league when looking at Eliteprospects instead of looking at the potential and what is behind it. Also look behind that door.
-I absolutely think he (Anton Johansson) could be such a player and I do not know how many other SHL slopes could really have the opportunity to play in the NHL. I hope he will be able to shoulder a good, big role and play at the high level he showed during the preseason.
What do you think will be the new coaches, Johan Hedberg, Niklas Persson, David Pritz and Alexander Millners, biggest challenge during the season?
– I don’t know if they have such tough challenges. It is the injury bit that could be a tough challenge for us given the numerical we are sitting on.
– It may not be Johan and the “pie” (Niklas Persson) can affect so much, but it will happen if it happens.
– Otherwise as they work with the players every day and where we picked up Mattias Ritola to help with player development…
– The job the coaches and leaders have closed down, especially that in August, feels incredibly good. And the team we have got together, with emphasis on the team, feels really exciting actually.
You are tipped by the expertise to come last, how do you think about it?
– I got a question from the Express:“Don’t you care?”. I don’t actually do it. If you are a stock analyst and have to analyze a share to be able to go out and say that a share is good or bad, you need to read, be able to get the company and get into the share.
– I don’t know how many experts have got into Leksands IF? There has been more that “It is messy in Leksand and financial disorders so Leksand is cash”.
– Then you go to Eliteprospects and look “Leksand has not recruited players who they think is good so the team is bad”. If I should care about such an analysis? No, I don’t.
There is room for recruits: “It does it”
Do you think the players do?
— No, I actually don’t think so.
If you look at the team building itself, what differs from last season?
– We may have had a few more players with qualities. Then we had a number of intended top players who had difficulty getting their qualities out. We no longer have them in the team.
– We may miss, here and now, one more top forward and some further back so that we would also have a security in the breadth. The young guys in this team have an incredible upside, but of course have not shown it in SHL for ten years as many of the league’s older players.
Is there room in the budget to strengthen the team during the season?
– Yes, it does.
Photo: The image office.
Who has impressed you most during the preseason?
– The whole team. As a team, and the feeling we have in the group where everyone stands for everyone, where everyone sacrifices for everyone, where everyone cares about everyone, where everyone runs for everyone … that is what I am most impressed with during this preseason.
– I never think I felt that feeling that way. We have always had players who wanted to go their way and do their thing in the group. This year we don’t have it, so the team is what impressed me most.
Leksand ends well anyway in 14th place in SHL?
– (laughter) No, Leksand will not be 14th.
