As the season was winding up expectations were high for Filip Eriksson’s success in the SHL. In some games he was on the second line and first power-play unit, but with returning players and some late North American additions, Eriksson felt the pressure.
When he didn’t succeed he lost confidence. He told Eyes On The Prize that “in HockeyAllsvenskan you get a chance, and if you miss it you know you’ll get a chance again. In the SHL you get a half chance, and if you miss it you might not get a chance for another two games.”
He was always in the Växjö Lakers lineup, but his time on ice varied throughout the season, and his confidence was broken. The coach, Jörgen Jönson, who had praised Eriksson ahead of the season, found himself under pressure as Växjö struggled early in the season. It didn’t help that the team scored third-fewest goals over the full SHL season. Nothing came easy for the team, and nothing came for free for Eriksson.
In the end a saving grace of the season was a loan to one of the top teams in HockeyAllsvenskan, Djurgården, which stood as champions at the end of the season and thereby earned promotion back to the SHL. While Eriksson wasn’t on the scoreboard as much as expected, he showcased a more important part of the game as he took on the defensive role on a line with two offensive-minded players.
Strengths
Last year, Eriksson’s shot and finishing were highlights, but both his coaches, Jörgen Jönsson of the Växjö Lakers and Tommy Samuelsson of the Nybro Vikings, had highlighted his hockey IQ. While it wasn’t visible to the same degree in his fourth-line duties with Växjö, it was evident in the role he took up on Djurgården’s second line where he was instrumental in the club’s promotion.
He is a smart player who reads the game well and his defensive positioning was excellent in the deciding series to earn promotion. He was seldom out of place and he covered well when his linemates ran amok. He was also used in the penalty kill, something that should be important going forward.
His shot is still there, and was showcased at times, however it has been evident that it is dependent on other factorss even if it is technically sound.
Weaknesses
One would have to point out that Eriksson’s brain has played mind games with him at times. It has been clear that he struggled all throughout his time in the SHL with confidence. Nothing has come easy for him and while it was a tough year it might be beneficial down the line.
Last year I pointed out Eriksson’s physique as an area to improve, but he is visibly bigger and he seems to have built his frame properly as his balance is still good. It is still something he will continue to work at.
Grade: C-
To be honest this would have been a score of D until his loan to Djurgården. It was a lost year for Eriksson as he struggled with confidence and with limited ice time. However, showcasing a new, more complete role raised the grade a level.
Djurgården’s general manager Niklas Wikegård mentioned the success of the players that “came with bruised confidence” to Djurgården but were instrumental in the team’s promotion, highlighting Eriksson. Success is important, but for Eriksson’s long-term development I think the fact that he showcased a new role within a team is more important for a potential step across the Atlantic down the line. He showcased that he doesn’t have to be a top-six forward, but could fill a role further down the lineup, too. In Djurgården he was also used as a centre, something that opens up other possibilities and usage.
Interestingly, NSD has reported that Eriksson has signed with the newly minted Swedish champions Luleå for next season. I have one source that has confirmed this (it could be the same source as NSD, though that is unlikely). Luleå plays a different brand of hockey than Växjö and I think this could be a great move for Eriksson. Luleå is a team that plays a bit more loose than the structured play that Växjö employs. I would also think that Eriksson will get the chance in one of the two top lines to start the season, but it will be interesting to see which role he gets in his new team, and even if he is used down the lineup how he will handle that.
He is still a long-term prospect. The Montreal Canadiens have two more years to evaluate him before his rights expire, therefore the next two years are important to his future within the organization. Can he become an NHLer? He might, but it’s a long way there and he will have to go through Laval Rocket as I can’t foresee a jump straight into the NHL from the SHL (as with Artturi Lehkonen or Oliver Kapanen) the way things stands now.
