Lina Ljungblom, a PWHL Montreal draft pick discusses coming to the PWHL next season and how her experience in Sweden has helped prepare her for that step. Sweden's top offensive threat Lina Ljungblom was the final pick of the inaugural 2023 PWHL Draft, and next year, she hopes to join the league with Montreal. "It was an honor of course, it's a big league and of course I was happy to be drafted. My dream is to play over there," said Ljungblom. Ljungblom couldn't join the PWHL this season as she had a year remaining on her contract in the SDHL. This season with MoDo she scored 23 goals and 46 points in 36 games with MoDo. Her totals were tops among Swedish players in the SDHL and earned her league MVP honors. Ljungblom is a natural goal scorer who takes pucks to the net and does not shy away from physical play along the boards or in front of the net. It's an aspect of her game that will certainly transfer to the PWHL. "I think how they play fits me, I like to hit and be physical," said Ljungblom of how her style will transfer to North America. This tournament, Ljungblom and Sweden are getting a first hand look at how the PWHL has boosted the play of athletes competing in the league. Swedish goalie Emma Soderberg is currently the lone member of Team Sweden in the PWHL, but it's expected multiple members of Sweden including Ljungblom, Anna Kjellbin, and potentially Maja Nylen Persson will join the league next season, with others like Hanna Olsson possible to follow. Ljungblom has followed PWHL Montreal and the league when she can. "I've been watching...it looks great," she said. Next year, hockey fans in Sweden will be the ones following as Ljungblom makes her move to North America and the PWHL.
