It was during Wednesday evening’s meeting at Hovet in Stockholm that the guests’ Isac Skedung was forced to leave the ice with a suspected concussion after receiving a tackle from Albin Grewe.
The Djurgårds player managed to avoid a expulsion – which Västerås coach Karl Helmersson called “laughable” in a statement to the newspaper VLT – but the move was later reported to the Swedish Ice Hockey Association’s disciplinary board.
The situation is assessed as a so-called “illegal check to the head” with a fine of SEK 11,500 and a suspension from February 1-14 – the equivalent of five matches – as a penalty.
In its decision has the committee considered the following key factors:
● The tackle hits the head in an upward motion
● High risk of injury
“A joke!”, writes Grewe in another text message The Express without wanting to comment on the matter further. His coach is also critical and calls for more “sense of the game” on the part of the disciplinary committee.
Facts.Albin Grewe om situations
“I go to the puck first, I have full control of the puck while Västerås players come behind me. The Västerås player sees me for a long time, which means that I am first on the puck. At the same time, I straighten my back, I have the stick in one hand (so the training of melee games takes place in Swedish ice hockey). Considering that I am a few meters from the rim, I want to protect myself so as not to be cross-checked into the rim. The most important thing to point out is that I don’t hit the Västerås player with my elbow, but with my back shoulder/back, straighten my back and he hits his arms first. When we see the video, both I and we in Djurgården see with the naked eye that the Västerås player leans forward and with that said is NOT protecting himself. But back to my spirit and my intention is to protect the puck and myself.”
Source: Disciplinary Committee’s decision document, Swedish Ice Hockey Association
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– I think it is a difficult situation to assess. Albin is first on the puck, he takes it with the club’s backhand and tries to be strong in a melee and resist. He makes an offensive tackle on a player who goes in head first. It’s unfortunate that it goes to the head, but I think it’s a very harsh punishment, says Michael Holmqvist to DN.
Michael Holmqvist is incomprehensible to Albin Grewe’s latest suspension. Photo: Simon Hastegård/Bildbyrån
This is the fourth time Grewe has been suspended this season alone, making it a total of 17 matches.
The picture of the player as a hard-nosed prankster will of course be reinforced by another suspension, admits Holmqvist.
– It will be a thing in the end. He gets an extra eye on him and for the smallest thing, he gets a lot of attention. It’s damn hard. What can you do? Albin must continue to be Albin. I think he was on the right track in his hockey. He has played two really good games recently with good balance in the physicality, when it is time to tackle and not. So this is really unfortunate.
If you compare this situation to the previous ones, does it feel harder to accept this punishment?
– Yes I think so. This one is tricky.
After 39 rounds, Albin Grewe has played 26 games and has three goals and three assists. Djurgården won over Västerås 3–2 after Grewe scored one of the home team’s goals.
Djurgården will appeal the suspension, writes the club in a statement which ends:
“We see the disciplinary committee’s actions as worrying for Swedish hockey, as they do not follow a consistent line regarding punishment and place the entire burden of responsibility on only one of the parties. In addition to this, each case must be handled individually according to the situation and not linked to a person. In this case, we do not consider that this has been followed.”
Facts.Albin Grewes suspensions
22 november 2023: Three games and 5,000 kroner in fines for fights away to Bik Karlskoga.
6 december 2023: Four matches and a fine of SEK 5,000 for “checking from behind” away to Mora.
27 december 2023: Five matches and 11,500 kroner for “illegal check to the head” away to AIK.
January 31, 2024: Five matches and 11,500 kroner in fines for “illegal check to the head” at home against Västerås.
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