After 8 years in North America, Marián Studenič looks forward to security & passionate fans in Sweden

After playing the better part of the past eight seasons in North America, 25-year-old Slovak winger Marián Studenič is taking his career back to Europe. He has signed a two-year contract with Färjestad BK, the SHL club announced on Sunday.

A fifth-round draft pick of the New Jersey Devils in 2017, Studenič has spent most of his time since in the AHL but did play 46 NHL games with the Devils, Dallas Stars and Seattle Kraken, recording three goals and three assists. He also played four playoff games with Dallas in 2022.

In 2023-24, Studenič played two games with the Kraken but spent the rest of the season with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, recording 44 points in 64 regular-season games. In the Firebirds’ run to the Calder Cup final, Studenič had 11 points in 18 playoff games. Less than a week after his last AHL game, Studenič was in Karlstad, Sweden to sign his new contract.

“It’s a bit tiring with the jet lag,” he told the Färjestad club website. “I woke up this afternoon and it’s still morning in my body, but it should be fine in a week or so.”

Studenič has never played in Sweden before, and he was asked if he knew any players on his new team.

“I’ve talked a lot with Oskar Bäck,” he said. “We played together in Texas. I also spent some time with Fabian Zetterlund during my three seasons in New Jersey. I’ve also talked to Jeremy Groleau a bit, so I have a good picture of Färjestad.”

Asked what led him to Karlstad, Studenič said, “Färjestad always plays to win, and I’m going to a good team. Plus, being able to feel stable in everyday life is also something I look forward to,” he continued. “It takes a toll when you don’t really know from one day to the next whether you're going up or down in the system. Having security and playing in front of a passionate home crowd here are things I’m looking forward to.”

He went on to say, “Fans in Europe live for their teams in a completely different way than in North America. There it’s more that they go to games to be entertained, while in Europe they live with the team and the club. It’s completely different, and what I’ve heard is that Färjestad has fantastic support.”