The 2025-26 hockey season hasn’t yet begun, but it might already be over for Oscar Fantenberg. The 33-year-old Swedish defenseman damaged a ligament in his hand last October.
He still managed to play in 36 of Linköping HC’s 52 SHL games over the course of the season, but did so with considerable difficulty.
“I finished playing the season on injections between periods and Alevedon (a painkiller) and taping to get through the season,” Fantenberg said in a video interview that appeared on the Linköping club’s website on Wednesday, with excerpts appearing at HockeyNews.se.
Immediately following the season, Fantenberg underwent surgery to repair the ligament. All seemed fine at first – however, after problems returned during summer training, it was determined that he will need a second procedure.
According to the HockeyNews.se article, Fantenberg will have to spend three weeks in a cast and three months in a support splint following surgery. Only then will he be able to begin rehab training. If all goes well, he would be ready to play again in six months, which will be the end of the season. If things don’t go well, maybe much longer.
CONFIRMED: Jakub Vrána Returns To Sweden
Czech
forward Jakub Vrána, 29,
has signed a two-year contract with Linköping
HC, the Swedish Hockey League club announced on Friday.
“Of course it’s tough,” said Fantenberg. “I’ve been playing hockey professionally since I was 17 and at a high level. I feel like I have a couple more years in me if I stay healthy.”
Fantenberg played three seasons in North America from 2017 to 2020 in the organizations of the Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks. In 124 NHL regular-season games, he recorded 19 points and 34 penalty minutes. He also had one assist in 23 playoff games.
Fantenberg’s also played in the KHL with HC Sockhi and SKA St. Petersburg. In the SHL, he’s played for HV71, Frölunda HC and Linköping, where he’s played since 2022 and is signed through 2027. In 2023, he was named captain of the Linköping team.
CONFIRMED: Nicklas Bäckström Is Back In Sweden
Swedish
center Nicklas Bäckström,
37,
has signed a contract to play for Brynäs,
the
SHL club announced at a press conference on Monday morning. The
contract is for one year plus an option.