HV71 is the favorite to win this series. While they struggled to cobble together wins in the SDHL this season, they have a roster peppered with talent that should be able to overpower upstarts Södertälje.  The fact is that the NDHL is a slower, lower level league.  Players have more time and space with the puck than they do in the top league.  In a three game series, there is no chance to gradually become accustomed to moving the puck more quickly.   If SSK cannot adapt to a higher rate of play quickly, this series could end in two games.  HV’s coach, Thomas Pettersen, a formidable tactician, will have his charges well prepared to pressure the puck all over the ice.  Södertälje, however, are no pushovers.

Indeed, this is a team that has not lost a single game in the 2024-25 season.  Their last loss was in the final of the SDHL qualification in spring 2024, where they fell to none other than HV71, two games to none.  SSK boasts a kaleidoscopic array of offensive talents from a perhaps surprising list of countries, including Poland, Iceland, England, Italy, Slovenia and Spain. They have their requisite Swedes of course, including a 15-year-old rising star.  This series should be a good one.

HV71 Players to Watch:

Elin Svensson (F): The 22-year-old Swede finished ninth in SDHL scoring this season with 31 points in 35 games, no small feat when she played for the league’s second-to-last place team.  Svensson is big, skilled, and can score with a wide array of offensive tools, including her wicked snap shot.  Svensson developed in the NDHL, mostly with Troja, a team in danger of folding in the off season, and has steadily improved over her five full seasons in the top league.  HV’s captain is a game breaker, one capable of outsmarting and overpowering SSK’s less experienced roster.

Teghan Inglis (D): Inglis has impressed in her first season in Sweden since arriving from the NCAA’s Merrimack College in the offseason.  A leader through and through, Inglis’s experience and ability has paced this young HV71 squad.  She handles the puck with her head up, allowing her to transition quickly with a timely pass.  Inglis has grit to spare, and could cause trouble for Södertälje’s offensive stars.

Jenna Raunio (D): A rising star on HV’s back end, Raunio has impressed at levels this season.  While still only 18-years-old, the defender was selected to play for the Swedish senior national team at the recent Olympic Qualification tournament, and did not disappoint. She tallied four points (2+2) in three games as the Tre Kronor steamrolled their opponents en route to clinching a berth at the 2026 Games.  She has speed, size, hands, a fearsome shot and does not shy away from contact. Quite simply a fun player to watch. Raunio begins her freshman year at NCAA powerhouse Ohio State in the fall. 

Kennedy Bobyck (F): The league’s Mighty Mouse, diminutive Bobyck stands out for her energy, effort and fearlessness.  She uses her foot speed to create opportunities and space all over the ice, and backchecks like a junkyard dog. Despite missing 10 games to injury, Bobyck still finished fifth on the team in scoring with 16 points in 26 games.

Julia Nearis (F): The power forward uses her size and strength to great effect netfront.  She is difficult to move and has a knack for getting her stick on rebounds and loose pucks.  Her defensive abilities should not be overlooked, as she lead the team in plus/minus, at +6, and with Elin Svensson was one of only two players to finish in the plus column.

Södertälje Players to Watch:

Ebba Hesselvall (F): At only 15-years-old, Hesselvall has taken the NDHL by storm. Her 44 points in only 17 games are a testament to her burgeoning offensive ability.  But will she be able to play her game with less time and space than is afforded by even the best NDHL opponents? 

Beatrice Hjälm (F): At nearly six feet (181cm) tall, Hjälm cuts a striking figure on the ice, where she uses her reach to great advantage.  She can protect the puck when pressured, or deftly poke check an oncoming attacker. It remains to be seen whether her skating is up to SDHL level.

Wiktoria Sikorska (F): An undeniable offensive talent when given time and space with the puck. Her NDHL production (48 points in 23 games this season) is four times better than her best SDHL season (12 points in 30 games with SDE in 2022-23).  If she can step up, she could do some damage.

Pia Pren (F): Slovenian star Pren missed three months this season due to injury, but returned in February to help carry Södertälje to the SDHL Qualification Round.  33-year-old Pren is a legend in international hockey, and has scored more than two points per game in nearly every league in which she has ever played. She has speed, creativity and vision, and could lead her young team to an upset if HV underestimates her.  

HV71 versus Södertälje’s best of 3 series kicks off tonight at 7pm local time.