North Americans Joe Valino and Adam Johnson played together in Malmö during the 2020/2021 SHL season.
They hung out and were invited to sporting director Patrik Silfgaard’s house on Christmas Eve together.
– It was a beautiful memory. I can’t understand that he is no longer with us, says Joe Felino.
Adam Johnson has died at the age of 29 after being struck across the neck by a skate rail at Nottingham Panthers.
The person he had a personal relationship with was Joe Velino of the Detroit Red Wings.
They both played together in Malmö in the Swedish Top Hockey League.
-We spent time with each other because we are from North America. We got to know each other well. He was a really good guy, a bit quiet when he was in Sweden. He was a good hockey player and skated well, too, Joe Velino says.
When the horrific death occurred at the end of October, he was on an overseas tour in the NHL.
– It is a great tragedy and shock what happened. It is absolutely crazy to think that this actually happened, and impossible to fathom or comprehend. At first I was walking around thinking it couldn’t be true, it was so sad. “I regret that we didn’t take the opportunity to make more connections after our time in Malmö, because it just goes to show that you never know when it’s too late,” says Joe Velino.
Greetings to the Silfgard family
On Christmas Eve, the Silvgaard family, along with father Patrick, mother Christel and sons Emil, Markus and Hampus, invited Adam Johnson and Joe Felino to celebrate Christmas at the villa.
-Patrick Silvgaard is someone I really like. It was very important to him that we come for Christmas dinner at their house. He did everything to help us and make sure we would be comfortable. Adam Johnson had arrived in Sweden just the day before. I’ll message Patrik Silfgaard now to try to invite someone back when I’m here, if I know him well, he’ll come right away if he can, says Joe Velino.
Now Joe Velino is in Stockholm for NHL games against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday at the Globe.
– It’s good to be back in Sweden. I hope to see some of the teammates I played with while I’m here. I’ve messaged a few of them and it would be fun to meet them, but a lot of them are busy with their teams. Joe Felino says: I spent most of my time with Linus Kronholm (now at Bjorklofen), Adam Ollas Mattsson (still at Malmö), and Adam Brodecky (short-term contract at Växio earlier in the season).
“Give a second chance”
For the past three seasons, the 23-year-old center has been with the Detroit Red Wings.
– I remember the time I spent in Sweden with joy. It is a very beautiful country. I loved playing in the SHL, it’s a very good and evolving league. Unfortunately there was Covid-19 when I was here. I wish I was here when there wasn’t a pandemic. “Now I have a second chance to come here when everything is open to try things I couldn’t try back then,” Joe Velino says.
In 15 games this season, he has scored seven points (five goals, two assists) for Michigan’s first team.
