When the SDHL season kicked off last weekend, many opening day rosters included teenagers who will be looking to establish themselves as regulars in Sweden’s best league. The two youngest players to crack opening day rosters were Skellefteå’s Tilia Lindgren and Frölunda’s Moa Stridh, both forwards. At only 15-years-old, the two, who were still too young to compete at the U18 World Championships last season, have an exciting year of development ahead.
Lindgren Makes Memorable Debut
Lindgren had the kind of professional start of which most players can only dream, potting two goals in Skellefteå’s 6-3 opening day win over HV71. In two games, the teen showed a keen willingness make plays and go to the net, and did not seem at all intimidated by the moment. Lindgren played the game freely and wonderfully imperfectly, reading and reacting to situations as they occurred. She seemed unencumbered by pressure, her maturity belying her age.
Despite her strong start, whether SDHL fans will see more of Lindgren regularly is uncertain; she was loaned to Skellefteå for two games from her mother club (and historic Skellefteå rival) Björklöven, where she is set to compete with the boys’ U16 team this season. Björklöven’s women’s team plays in the second tier NDHL where Lindgren was a point-per-game player as a 14-year-old. This season, in an effort to support her development, the club will allow her to train and play with her boys team on a regular basis. With any luck, schedules will align and she will earn a handful more games in the SDHL with Skellefteå. Lindberg has the talent and vision to play with adults. As she fills out her 5’9 frame and her game develops, she could make an impact for years to come.
Stridh Brings Big Presence To Frölunda
Frölunda’s Moa Stridh had her own impressive baptism into the Big League. The 15-year-old did not simply dress for the reigning champions on opening weekend, she played on a line chock full veteran talent including Swedish national team regular Sofie Lundin, flashy German Emily Nix and former St.Lawrence University assistant captain Melissa Jeffries. Even among her adult linemates, the young winger was hard to miss.
Standing a full-framed 5’11, with none of the awkward lankiness that can typify other players her age, Stridh has been dominant in competition with other teenagers. In two seasons competing at the TV-Pucken tournament (Sweden’s U16 national championship for regional teams), Stridh has scored almost at will, notching 29 goals in only 15 games. What she needs in order to see similar success in the SDHL is time. How long it will take for the rookie to settle in and trust her instincts remains to be seen.
In Frölunda’s pair of season opening wins, Stridh looked tentative, often deferring to her more senior linemates and passing the puck away too early. As she acclimatizes, under the watchful eye of coach Erika Holst, she will begin to use the strength and reach that her frame affords her. Holst herself was a big, physical player who leveraged her size and power to impose her will on her opponents. She could prove the ideal coach for young Stridh, a power forward in the making.
Frölunda is back in action on Wednesday night, when they take on Linköping at home. Skellefteå plays Linköping away on Friday. All games are available for streaming on the SDHL YouTube channel.
