Albin Julin
Sure, it’s always great when the short sides freak out, gold helmets come forward and gloves, mouthguards, jockstraps rain down on the ice.
That total discharge, the unpredictability in every person – golden euphoric or silver sad – approaching the television microphones is hard to find anywhere else than in live broadcasts from a decided SC final.
For a few minutes, it’s fun, anyway. Then the broadcast rolls on mainly for some Skellefteå fans who couldn’t make it to the arena.
Half an hour after the final whistle, I start to get worried. Is TV4 not going to address the objectively biggest thing that happens this evening? That Niklas Wikegård will leave the television industry after almost 20 years.
For the majority of viewers, Wikegård’s presence on television in recent decades has, of course, meant more than this individual SM gold evening – regardless of what one thinks of him.
When I overheard different parents discussing hockey in my childhood, they rarely talked about Jörgen Jönsson’s shooting skills or Johan Davidsson’s contract situation.
No, it was almost always about whether one should regard Niklas Wikegård as a prankster or a truth teller.
I can recall Wikegård’s senseless giggle at the final whistle in the 2006 Olympic final from my memory at any time and immediately be in a slightly, slightly better mood.
Wikegård left a bigger impression on the Swedish hockey public than many players and managers
Sure, sometimes you roll your eyes at his outdated language and obsession with certain macho ideals that the modern hockey world is increasingly striving to downplay.
If Liv Strömquist knew who Niklas Wikegård is, he would have been given a parodied version of himself in the series album “Ja till Liv” from 2011.
At the same time, what is pure acting here? What can it possibly say about Wikegård’s personal values? Hard to decide.
– I work with entertainment and television. It’s about creating feelings and headlines, says Wikegård himself during TV4’s final broadcast.
Is it possible to do a doctorate in Simone De Beauvoir and at the same time be passionate about an ice hockey player’s right to adamantly send his opponent straight into the sidelines so the whole plexit rattles? Provided that the puck carrier neglected his responsibility in the situation.
Regardless, it is clear that Niklas Wikegård left a bigger impression on the Swedish hockey public during his years on SVT and TV4 (and a short turn on Viasat at the time) than many players and managers.
– You are one of Swedish hockey’s biggest profiles, as host Lena Sundqvist says.
It is of course completely reasonable that TV4 finally devotes ten minutes to this
Therefore, it is of course completely reasonable that in the end TV4 devotes ten minutes of the gold broadcast to thanking Wikegård, who is now leaving for assignments in hockey Allsvenskan Djurgården. For my part: Devote ten minutes to the gold celebration and the rest to Wikegård.
When Sanny Lindström and Petter Rönnqvist are asked who will fill Wikegård’s shoes, the duo answers at the same time:
– It’s not possible!
I agree with.
Therefore, I take the opportunity to return to the beginning of the last period of the SM final. Dennis Everberg hands out a classic steal on Måns Forsfjäll – he cross-checks him straight over the hand, in a situation several miles from the puck.
Deportation? Borderline case, according to Wikegård.
– I can understand Dennis Everberg. He is simply mad at him.
