With the SHL teams taking the week off in order to prepare for the long season, it was up to the Finnish and Czech league to carry the weight. Both leagues playing two games and with mixed results form both prospects.
The Stats
Joonas Nättinen, JYP Jyväskylä
The Finnish league started with 3-2 loss for JYP, followed up with a 2-0 home win against Ässät (who, I have to say, has a beautiful and simple logo based on its name -The Ace).
Nättinen had an empty netter with four seconds to go in the second game, and has finished his week with a +1 rating. It is obvious that the former Bulldog enjoys the added responsibility of playing on the first line, and playing at home again. So far it’s night and day compared how he preformed for MoDo last year.
Lukas Vejdemo, Djurgården IF
Vejdemo played the two last preseason games of the year for Djurgården, and according to the Djurgården Twitter feed he had a good game one creating a few chances that deserved a better finish from my understanding.
In the second game Vejdemo set up Fredrik Forsberg in the early stages of the second period to record and assist. This is, to my knowledge, Vejdemos first point of the preseason and hopefully something to build on now that SHL starts next week. The line of Nygren-Vejdemo-Forsberg have built up good chemistry, and hopefully they get to stay together for the beginning of the season. Unfortunately Djurgården lost both preseason games while still playing fairly well.
Artturi Lehkonen, Frölunda
Lehkonen was rested after his great start of the season for the last game against Växjö Lakers, a game Frölunda played with six juniors and managed to win 7-0.
Martin Reway, Sparta Prague
With the Czech league starting, Reway was back to basics, and in both games he had a power-play assist. Both assists were primary assists from more or less the same position on the ice, a cross ice pass to the far away post. Sparta winning its home game against Olomouc with 4-1 and the away game at Zlin with 5-3. What is disconcerting is that once again he was on the ice for a five-on-five goal at his own end, while only producing on the power play. If Reway wants to progress this year, he’ll need to work on his even-strength play.
