One Player To Watch From Each SDHL Team

The SDHL is set to drop the puck on September 24 with all ten teams in action. Defending champion Luleå HF will open their 2023-2024 season against MoDo, while newly promoted Frolunda will get their first SDHL action against SDE HF.

It's an important season for the SDHL, with many of their star players undoubtedly watching the developments of North America's new professional women's hockey league, as well as the league itself continuing to expand in depth and calibre.

Many teams added top talent from across Europe, Asia, and North America this offseason, and the promotion of a star studded Frolunda team adds another immediate challenge.

Here's a look at one player to watch, plus other notables, for each of the SDHL's ten teams.

There are so many players to consider with AIK. The international contingent includes Emily Rickwood who had signed with the PHF's Montreal Force, a trio of Japanese layers, and two youngsters in Austria's Emma Hofbauer and Lithuania's Klara Miuller. Each of those players has the potential to turn AIK into a more competitive team, but the success of their season will be impacted most by new netminder Cami Kronish. The six-foot goalie backstopped the University of Wisconsin to an NCAA championship last season, and was on USA Hockey's radar this season. She chose to go to Sweden this year to ensure starts, a path that for a netminder, will certainly be a positive developmental decision. She did, however, declare for the PWHL draft, and it's not unlikely a team grabs her to immediately fill a back up role. AIK significantly struggled to score last season, and will likely face similar issues this year, but if she remains in Sweden, Kronish will keep them in games. 

Brynas made moves to hopefully dethrone Lulea this season adding Finnish NCAA standouts Sini Karjalainen and Jennina Nylund, and veteran Danish star Josefine Jakobsen. Despite those additions, Brynas may not enter the SDHL season as favoured as they were in the past after losing Lara Stalder, Alena Mills, and Lindsay Agnew. The player to watch for Brynas for a number of reasons is reigning SDHL MVP Anna Meixner. With the departure of Stalder to Switzerland, Meixner will be counted on to drive Brynas' offense without as much support. The Austrian star will also be a player to watch given her contract expires following this season. With the launch of a new professional league in North America, Meixner will be a key target following this season for the new league. Another key to Brynas' season will be a full and healthy campaign from world-class netminder Klára Peslarová who missed most of last season due to injury.

Djurgårdens is going young this season, and while it might not transfer to immediate wins, it will definitely be a shift toward skill and excitement. Djurgårdens was able to grab Anneke Linser from the Metropolitan Riveters following the PHF acquisition, but many international hockey fans will be watching the Czech duo of Tereza Plosova (2006) and Linda Vocetková (2007). With the growth of Czechia's women's hockey program, the duo mark a significant portion of Czechia's future. Plosova in particular made her senior national debut for Czechia and could step in as a 17-year-old and make an immediate impact. One thing is certain, this young Djurgårdens team will get harder to play against with each passing game as their players gain experience.

Frölunda not only earned promotion from Division 1 NDHL last year, but they'll be an immediate contender in the SDHL this season. It's a roster featuring stars like Hanna Olsson, Emilia Vesa, Andrea Dahlen, Lindsay Agnew, Stephanie Neatby, and Sarah-Eve Coutu-Godbout. The star to watch however is international legend Michelle Karvinen who is a likely candidate to someday see her name enshrined to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Karvinen scored 114 points in 20 games last season for Frölunda in the NDHL, and she'll certainly be a top scorer in the SDHL this year as well. Karvinen has earned Best Forward at the Olympics, is a three-time World Championship all-star, and has been the best forward in both the SWHL and SDHL. 

HV71 doesn't have a veteran star to power their roster, but they do have two of Sweden's brightest young stars in Mira Jungaker and Hilda Svensson. Svensson announced herself to the world at the international level last year, and was named the SDHL's Rookie of the Year after scoring 22 points in 32 points as a 16-year-old last year with HV71. At the World Championships, Svensson racked up 11 points in seven games, including a dying seconds tying goal against Canada in the quarterfinals. Her presence on the ice at that moment told the World what she means to Sweden, and she's widely considered not just one of the best 2006 players in Sweden, but in the world.

There should be some excitement among Leksands fans as their roster looks markedly better than the group their fielded in 2022-2023. Shay Maloney will be an immediate impact player after a standout NCAA career. Lore Baudrit and Alexandra Huszak will add size and experience up front, while Courtney Vorster and Ida Press will transform Leksands' blueline. Perhaps the player who could step in an contribute the most is Autumn MacDougall, who joins the league after three seasons in the PHF. MacDougall made the choice to move to Sweden instead of trying to join the new women's pro league, and inevitably, it could prove to be a move that allows her to grab a roster spot in the new league next year. She has something to prove, showing she's the elite scorer who was a two-time USports All-Star. 

Players from nine different nations make up Linkoping's roster this year making them one of the most internationally diverse rosters. Franziska Feldmeier, one of Germany's top players will be interesting to watch, but Linkoping will be hoping for another step forward from Canadian Nara Elia who led Linkoping in scoring last season with 30 points in 30 games. Elia was a standout in the NCAA with Brown and St. Lawrence, and she proved she can elevate her game at the professional level last season. Linkoping will need even more from Elia this year to stay competitive. 

Luleå is loaded. It would be interesting to bring this team to North America and let them play in the new professional women's league. Undoubtedly, with a roster featuring international superstars like Jenni Hiirikoski, Petra Nieminen, Viiva Vainika, Noora Tulus, Daniela Pejsova, Ronja Savolainen and others, this team could compete with any women's club in the world. While many of Luleå's key players are locked in through 2024-2025, a few key contributors will have a decision to make following this league regarding a move to North America, or staying faithful to their SDHL club. One of those players, Daniela Pejsova is only 21, but already has two World Championship bronze medals including being named an All-Star in 2022, a Universaide bronze, and an SDHL title. She's a mobile, offensively gifted blueliner who could be a cornerstone for any pro women's team, which will make her a sought after player following this season.

Recently, Brynas and Lulea have held a monopoly on the SDHL standings, but MoDo looks poised to challenge for a top spot. The team did lose leading scorer Jennifer Wakefield and top defender Brooke Hobson who were both slated to play in the PHF this year, but they brought in more depth at every position. Players like Emma Seitz, Lauren Bellefontaine, and Abby Moloughney will make an impact out of college hockey, while MoDo also signed PHF players Taylor House and Ebba Berglund. Seitz is an incredible defender who will join the best blueliners in this league. If there's one player who will draw interest however, it's Adela Sapovalivova, who emerged as one of Czechia's most skilled players at the U-18 and senior national levels last season. She's got elite hands, and can dazzle with her agility. There may be an adjustment period, but Sapovalivova will be a star in this league before long.

If all goes as planned, SDE could be one of the most improved teams in the SDHL this year. Shae Demale has the potential to surprise fans as a star coming out of USports. SDE also benefitted from the PHF's acquisition, grabbing Lauren Dabrowski and Naomi Rogge from the Metropolitan Riveters. The team also signed New Hampshire leading scorer Emily Pinto and Hungarian national team member Lotti Odnoga. No player has the potential to impact SDE's season success more than goaltender Kate Stuart. Stuart played four seasons for Boston University before joining the University of British Columbia last season where she was spectacular. The six-foot stopper has been on Hockey Canada's national team radar in recent seasons, and will benefit from more repetitions this year, and will be a major boost for SDE.