Duchene signed 2month contract in Sweden
The Avalanche center is going to play in the Swedish elite hockey league for the next couple of months.“It's very exciting to come to Sweden to play hockey. Peter Forsberg made an impression on us and Joakim Lindstrom played with us last season,” said Matt Duchene in the official statement for the Swedish media. “I've been in Sweden once at a hockey camp a few years ago. The impression I got then and what I've heard from others is very positive.”
Duchene signed 2 month contract which likely includes
the clause that he could come back to NHL anytime the lockout is done. Matt
will wear number 91 in Sweden as he was born in 1991. According to the reports,
he will leave Denver at the end of this week and could play his premiere game
in the following. “The Swedish league
will be a challenge for me and I'm really looking forward to playing hockey
again. I'm very loaded,” added.
Head coach of the Frolunda HC Kent Johansson said the team had to solve the problems with the
replacements of the key injured players like are Mathis Olimb, Dick Axelsson
and Magnus Kahnberg. He decided to
sign an NHL start. He got it. “Duchene is
a creative center with properties similar to Mathis Olimb. It feels like a very
positive solution,” says coach Johansson.
The team has also interest in the New York Rangers
goalie Henrik Lundqvist and Viktor Stalberg of Chicago Blackhawks.
Duchene is the second Avs player after Semyon Varlamov who signed a contract
outside the NHL due a lockout. Varlamov joined KHL´s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl few
days ago and played his first game today. He saved 38 of 39 shots and won 2:1
over Dinamo Minsk.
David Puchovsky, Slovakia, eurolanche@eurolanche.com
02/10/2012 - 23:09
