New York. The sadness in Gävle is also felt on the other side of the Atlantic.
There are a lot of former NHL racers and they are all struggling with their old club.
– Yes, it feels really terrible, Nicklas Bäckström, for example, tells Sportbladet.
Few Swedish clubs have exported as many players to North America as Brynäs, and although many had important matches themselves after only a few hours, they all followed the home drama in Gävle that ended in the team’s expulsion from the Premier League. For the first time in 63 years – and the loss to Malmö stung.
– It’s my team, I’ve been a Bruins all my life and I can’t really fathom that they’re still in the Premier League, they always have been, says star quarterback Nicklas Bäckström when we get to him after Washington’s home game against Chicago.
In it, the Capitals, who are chasing a playoff race, pulled off a much-needed 6-1 win and “Bakis” himself scored and had assists for which he’s grateful.
But the fate of the host club puts a strong border of sorrow over joy.
– It feels boring. Yes, really terrible. He explains that I struggle with everyone in the house.
“I don’t feel satisfied at all.”
Kale Yarnrock, who also helped Toronto beat the Panthers 6-2 in South Florida, agrees.
– It was a heavy day today, I didn’t feel good at all in Brennas’ heart. He says I struggle with the boys, I struggle with the crowd and I struggle with the city.
Matthias Ekholm, who held Edmonton off the game last night, feels the same way.
– It is of course very sad. I struggle above all with the boys on the team. It must be very heavy, says the 32-year-old, who, like Järnkrok, won SM gold with Brynäs in 2012.
For Calgary’s Elias Lindholm and Jacob Markström, it was a double whammy. They first had to see the parent club go out on home soil in Sweden – and then lost their must-win match against Vegas at the Saddledome 3-2. And already a couple of days ago, Elias expressed his displeasure with the fate of BIF.
– It’s really sad that it turned out that way, you don’t really want to believe that things must turn out so badly, he said.
The last to have a Gavlerinken, or Monitor ERP Arena as the classic hall is now called, is Jesper Boqvist of the New Jersey Devils and he too is heartbroken.
– It would be weird to come home this summer with Brinas no longer an SHL team, he sighs.
Hoping for a turnaround
But the North American exile hosts both hope and believe that the club in their hearts will reform itself immediately.
“It went badly a few years ago, so maybe something good can come out of it, so you can build something new and come back quickly,” Bäckis reasons, and both Ekholm and Järnkrok agree.
– Right now it feels heavy, but it’s just about breaking up and coming back, they both say.
A former mediator in the NHL today: Nicklas Bäckström (Washington Capitals), Mattias Ekholm (Edmonton Oilers), Calle Järnkrok (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jacob Markström (Calgary Flames), Elias Lindholm (Calgary Flames), Jakob Silfverberg (Anaheim Sharks), Oskar Lindblom (San Jose Sharks) )), Adam Bokvist (Columbus Blue Jackets), Jesper Bokvist (New Jersey Devils), Felix Sandström (Philadelphia Flyers), Samuel Ersson (Philadelphia Flyers), Markus Björk (Columbus Blue Jackets).