It recently became official that both head coach Björn Hellkvist and general manager Thomas Johansson have extended their contracts until 2025.
– The family thought it was okay and then that we have started something here. It is not very often in this industry that you have the opportunity to complete things. But I feel I want to give it a chance. You rarely get that opportunity to decide for yourself. Now I got it and then I wanted to do it, says Hellkvist to HockeyNews.se.
And what is it then that you have started?
– We have made a big change, where we have pushed it to a more professional level. But you rarely get results from that change in year one and maybe not even year two but it takes longer. What we want is to be part of the fight for the Swedish Championship gold. That’s it.
Björn Hellkvist is now in his second season in Leksand and he has been able to weigh the advantages against the disadvantages of living in a small town with a huge interest in ice hockey.
– I see no disadvantages with Leksand. Do not know what it would be? It is both a great challenge to be a coach in a big club and it is an honor as well. It is a great trust you get.
Did it happen that Thomas Johansson also extended his contract by three years?
– Absolutely. To a large extent. It gives security, continuity and I like his way of working. I think he is calm, sane and wise in many conversations and arguments we end up in. It feels good.
READ MORE: The sports manager and coach sign new contracts in Leksand
Do you often agree?
– Well, you are. You can agree even though you think differently. Just because I’m right, he does not have to be wrong, and vice versa. There is no absolute truth in ice hockey and team sports. In a hundred meters you are either the fastest or you are second. But hockey doesn’t really work that way and it doesn’t really do any team ball sport.
Björn Hellkvist becomes philosophical here and takes another example for his reasoning.
– Just because “Bulan” (Thomas Berglund in Luleå) is right with his gaming system does not mean that my gaming system is wrong.
Leksand with Tobias Ekberg, Max Veronneau and Jon Knuts has gotten off to a better start in the SHL this season than last. Photo: Bildbyrån.
Leksand has had a much better start in terms of points in the SHL than last season when Hellkvist & Co had 24 points after 18 matches.
– It is a bit early to draw any conclusions yet, Hellkvist explains a third into the SHL season.
– We are not better today than we were in February last season, because then we were good as hell. But if I were to compare with last year this year, I think we have a more stable foundation and a greater depth in the team. You start over every season.
Leksand lived high on last year’s first chain with Peter Cehlarik, Marek Hrivik and Carter Camper, who poured in points at the same time as goalkeeper Janne Juvonen played great most of the season.
After an uneven start last autumn, Leksand started and when the first chain until February was unharmed and intact, the valley team climbed to the top and finished third in the table.
Despite the top trio Hrivik, Cehlarik and Juvonen moving on to the KHL, Leksand has managed to build a new strong team.
At the same time as players like Calle Själin, Alexander Lundqvist, Patrik Norén and Nils Åman rise one level.
– There is no doubt that many of the players we had in Leksand last year and who are left are better hockey players this year. We have a good development for almost everyone, says Björn Hellkvist before he sees the change work with the team.
Nils Åman is one of many homework that is even better this season compared to last. Photo: Bildbyrån.
– Of course, you get rid of (first center Marek) Hrivik. It is difficult to say that you recruit better than Hrivik, but you can recruit in a different way.
– We got rid of two very leading forwards and we took in three in any case. So we replaced two with three, you could say. Then it will be a deeper team.
With Cehlarik and Hrivik gone, Leksand has gained a new dimension in the goal machine Max Veronneau, which was picked up from Oskarshamn.
– We recruited him as a transfer player and he has been for us, but since then he has been more than that. “Bang for the bucks” we got a lot there.
– Maybe we got Hrivik’s agility in (Justin) Kloos and Hrivik’s motor ability in (Mikael) Ruohomaa. The shooter may have been replaced in a slightly different way.
Leksand goes on a national team break as one of this year’s top teams in the SHL.
– But we have a long way to go before we are finished here.
Some time ago, it became clear that Johan Garpenlöv will retire as the national team captain for Tre Kronor after this season. But it turns out that it is a job that Hellkvist has not given a thought to.
– No, it is not relevant.
– Because I have not even been asked and I do not think I am ready for that responsibility either. I stick to what I do and then they get to do what they do. That was a sad answer, but it is.
Is it an honorable assignment with Tre Kronor do you think?
– For me, it is not relevant. I’m working on this. There is such a big difference and number one, I do not think they are so very interested anyway. I have not even reflected on it, but if I were to reflect on it, I would probably come to the conclusion that it is nothing for me.
Is it because of the responsibility that comes with the job or its way of working?
– Then I have no hockey team to train daily. It does not attract me to row a lot of different individuals, a group of people, and then you have to do something in two days with them. I want a daily business and work with leadership. That’s what I’m passionate about.
Hellkvist emphasizes again:
– Plus they have not directly shown any interest. If I am not interested and they are not interested, there are no conditions…
READ MORE: Hete Rögleforwarden is called in to Tre Kronor – replaces Friberg
Leksand has got the hill Calle Själin in Tre Kronor in the Karjala tournament where he makes his national team debut.
But it is not something that Björn Hellkvist has a part in in terms of communication with the national team management.
– No nothing. I have no contact with them at all really. That’s their job. They call well if they have any questions.
