All ten SDHL teams are in action this weekend. With a packed slate of nine games in three days, here are some stories to follow.
Nadia Mattivi is a beast
Luleå’s 25-year-old Italian defender has exploded out of the gates this season and is scoring at a torrid pace. After only eight games, she has 12 points (4+8), leads the league in plus/minus (+9), and looks poised to smash last season’s totals (27 points in 34 games). In 2024-25, her rookie SDHL campaign, she was named the league’s Best Defender, no small feat, but this year’s Mattivi is better than last year’s. She is playing a more complete game. She is making more mature decisions with the puck, her footwork has an added dimension of quickness, and her defensive play is becoming much more mature and efficient. That Mattivi, who is preparing to play at the upcoming Olympics for Italy, has not yet reached her ceiling is an exciting thought. She is a big, skilled, mean defender who can get fans out of their seats.
Brynäs’ depth has been called into question
Brynäs signed a number of big name players over the summer, adding stars Noora Tulus, Viivi Vainikka and Elin Svensson to an offense that already boasted Hanna Thuvik and Jenniina Nylund. Pundits had them pegged as The Team To Beat in preseason polls, and those predictions seemed to be validated when the team won five straight to start the year. Anyone watching their games, however, quickly began to notice chinks in the armour. Their breakout struggles nightly as passes from stationary defenders carom off the sticks of curling wingers. Unforced errors lead to losses of possession and long stretches of overly passive, exhausted defending. Tulus leads the league in scoring (6+6), but half of her points have come on the powerplay. Brynäs has done well on the advantage so far (31% powerplay success rate), but the majority of the game is played at even strength. They need to sort out their defensive zone, both with and without the puck, to give their offensive juggernaut the opportunity to shine.
MoDo is better than their seventh place makes them appear
MoDo has had some ups and downs to start the season, but they have shown flashes of offensive brilliance and appear to be sorting out their defensive game. After an off season injury delayed the debut of star import goalie Lucy Morgan, the team had to scramble to find a replacement. With young backup Lovisa Persson not quite ready to take on the role of starter, the team signed free agent Tindra Holm, who graduated from Long Island University of the NCAA in the spring. Holm shone in her debut, stopping 23 of 25 shots as MoDo toppled perennial favourites Luleå 5-2. MoDo’s powerplay is third best in the league, and while their 17% success rate is nothing to write home about, they are generating excellent chances on a nightly basis. 19-year-old Ebba Hedqvist has looked sharp offensively, driving lanes and averaging 7 SOG per game. Imports Sarah Marchand, Justine Reyes and Aoi Shiga can play the speedy hockey MoDo has become known for. Look for the team to climb in the standings as the season progresses.
Better Leidt than never
Linköping’s new American/Hungarian import Madie Leidt has notched 3 game winning goals in only eight games to start the season. She scored the lone goal in Linköping’s unlikely upset of Luleå two weeks ago, and has shown a penchant for going to the toughest areas of the ice in pursuit of the puck. It’s still early, but she has shown some excellent chemistry with Norwegian veteran Marthe Pabsdorff Brunvold and is shouldering some of the scoring load with captain Sara Hjalmarsson. The team has been rather short on capable defenders this year, and center Lova Blom has been pressed into service on the blue line, where she adds an element of speed and support. Young defender Olivia Sohrner is emerging as a hard-nosed, punishing presence in the defensive zone, and is playing upwards of 23 minutes per night. She is adept at getting under her opponents’ skin, loves to mix it up after the whistle, and backs down from no one. Expect her to continue to make waves on the back end.
Djurgården must score first and ask questions later
DIF has won each of the four games in which they have scored first this season. They have also won only the four games in which they have scored first, and currently sit in sixth place, with four wins and four losses. Though they have struggled to put the puck in the net consistently, and have as yet proven unable to come from behind, there have been some offensive bright spots. SDHL rookie Kaitlin Jockims, who came to Sweden after a strong collegiate career at Cornell, leads the team in goals, with five. Veteran Alice Östensson has nearly matched her point total (8) from last season as she has tallied 7 (2+5) this year in a bigger role on offense. Tenacious Brette Pettet has struggled to score, but contributes with assists, faceoff wins (54% FOW), and leadership. This team, like many others in the league, struggles to convert shots into goals, as evidenced by their anaemic 8.42% scoring efficiency. If DIF can create more high quality scoring chances, more traffic in front of the net, more cross-slot plays, more tips and rebounds, they have the talent to convert on those chances. The goalies in the league are too good to be beaten with anything less.
HV71 needs to stop the bleeding
HV has won one of eight to start the season. Over that span, they have been shutout twice and allowed five goals or more four separate times. They give up too many quality scoring chances, too often. A quick look at the team’s goals allowed this season reveals a pattern of puck watching and a frustrating inability to defend against a dynamic established zone offense. Losing Elin Svensson (to Brynäs), as well as Hilda Svensson and Jenna Raunio (both to Ohio State) has hurt the team in all three zones. Forwards Julia Nearis and Kennedy Bobyck have returned, as has Canadian defender Teghan Inglis, but no one of a high enough caliber has been added. There are youngsters with a ton of promise, but this team needs to win now if they are to avoid relegation. There is no more help coming. The club has reached its import quota, and will need to sort things out in house. Better defending will lead to more possession, more possession will lead to more scoring chances and hopefully, mercifully, more goals.