Playing in allsvenskan hockey again
Sell up. It has been seven months since the stunning hat-trick debuted.
Now Philipp Ekberg is playing against the seniors again.
“If they wanted to knock me down, I think they probably would,” says the 16-year-old.
Al-Mtuna plays a good match at home to Södertälje on Wednesday evening.
The puck moves as if on a string to 1-0, bounces on the skate to 2-0, and in the second period the free position comes to the man with the number 67 on his back.
If Thomas Scholl had not been in the SSK penalty area responsible for a beautiful display, Philipp Ekberg would have scored a 3-0 goal and his first goal in Allsvenskan hockey 2023/2024. But Ekberg was still satisfied when he sat down to talk after the 4-1 win.
– It’s the best match of the year. “I dared to grab the puck and wanted the puck more,” he says.
Did you feel like you were hiding a little bit in the first few games?
– Yes, the first match (against Vasteras) was a bit scary. It was also a match with a very large crowd, something I had never been to before. Our home opener (against Karlskoga) went better and now things are even better.
Hat-trick in his first appearance
The truly committed and creative hockey fanatics probably knew about Philipp Ekberg a couple of years ago because he ranks as one of the seven most promising players in the country.
He introduced himself to the larger hockey audience in March of this year.
Ekberg then became the youngest Swedish top-flight hockey player ever, at 15 years and 328 days, when he scored against Östersund. Shortly afterwards he scored two more goals and was noted for his hat-trick (!) on his debut.
Ekberg was mentioned as a potential wild card ahead of the Swedish League playoffs but has been missing the final three games of the season this spring. This was not strange, according to Robert Kempe, coach of Al-Matona.
– He was 15 years old growing up. In the game last year, neither team had anything to play for, and it was very scrappy. But the matches he has played this year are very different, and Kempe says it is a much bigger challenge for him and the other juniors coming through.
“Positive and negative”
Ekberg himself was also not surprised that he had to wait until the fall to play more senior matches, despite making his hat-trick debut.
– The last game of the regular season, others got the opportunity, so it was fun for them. Then there’s an incredibly big difference between the playoffs and the regular season, it becomes completely different. “You have to have a little older players who are used to this thing,” he says.
How accustomed are you to facing big players?
-You participated in the training, so you get more used to it when you participate in it. But there is still a big difference. If they wanted to bring me down, I think they probably would, but I’m trying to stay away.
How do you remember your first appearance?
– It’s a really funny event and a fun and big thing in my life. new beginning. But I try not to think too much about it now. Now just keep driving.
Was it only positive of what happened?
-It was both positive and negative. This means people know who you are and when you get to J20 and J18, it’s like they want to slap you. But it’s fun that it happens.
Is it trash talk?
– Yes, to some extent. But I try not to think about that. You just have to go and laugh a little.
Opponents in the junior matches started to play tougher against Ekberg.
– At some point, it may happen that someone wants to take a little extra, so it’s good for that to happen when you’re young and to learn in time, he says.
“Incredibly talented”
As usual, the matches are close at the beginning of the season, and the rookies who will get the opportunity to participate in them have not been determined in advance.
Alamtona have eleven senior players available in the forward side at the moment.
– Some beginners should be involved and now he is. “He’s done well the last two games and deserves minutes out there,” coach Robert Kempe said.
-But there are other little ones who did well too. Our mission is to find out who is hot for the day. We must not forget that he is only 16 years old.
Almetona athletic director Tony Martenson is pleased with Ekberg’s latest effort.
– Philippe is a very talented player and has performed well when given the opportunity in some games here. But one must not forget that he is 07 years old and that this is a different game in adult hockey, which he is learning, says Martinson.
– It was about ten minutes today in a tough match against Södertälje. I think he takes what we say and takes steps in every game. Obviously he doesn’t have as much hockey as he does when he plays junior hockey but I think he’ll have some really good games before Christmas and after Christmas as he matures into that. We are in no rush and if there is no match with the first team, it will be with the J20 team.
He will play more at home
Mårtensson also reveals that the plan is to let Ekberg play on home ice before all else.
-It’s often a little easier to play at home. There we have a little more puck and play more offensive hockey. And that’s where Philipp’s strength lies, even though he was in the first match against Västerås away from home, says Martensson.
We have an away match against Bjorklofen on Friday. It remains to be seen whether Ekberg will be there then. Regardless, he has some things to deal with. Studying in high school just started 50 percent, to pursue hockey, and certainly some hockey in another part of Sweden if there is no trip to Umeå.
– I’ll play my game and continue as I do, and we’ll see where I end up. If it will be in J20 or here. “I’m going to try to play my game and see how far it goes,” Ekberg says.