Södertälje SK coach Andreas Johansson questioned Björklöven's historical winning mentality before their HockeyAllsvenskan semifinal series. Björklöven's Magnus Bogren brushed off the comments, insisting history is irrelevant. The first game takes place Tuesday.
Magnus Bogren, head coach of series-winning Björklöven, responded calmly to remarks from Södertälje SK's Andreas Johansson. Johansson told HockeyNews that Björklöven have lacked a strong winning mentality in recent years despite high expectations. Bogren countered: “Historien är historia” — history is history — emphasizing focus on the present and winning the upcoming match, which he coached SSK for three years previously. He praised SSK's improvement, noting they deserve their semifinal spot after eliminating Kalmar in seven games. Bogren's team has not played since March 21 and is eager to start. Captain Axel Ottosson missed Monday's training but is expected Tuesday, with the squad otherwise injury-free. Björklöven aims to cut down on penalties after excessive power-play defense in the quarterfinals. Bogren dismissed favoritism pressure: “Det förändrar inget för oss.” Johansson, meanwhile, highlighted SSK's preparations, adding juniors Alexander Dani and Hugo Zetterlund to the roster and hoping for returns from Filip Engarås and Carter Ashton. He stressed net-front presence in training as key against Björklöven goaltender Frans Tuohimaa, familiar to SSK from last season. SSK traveled north Monday for game one, confident in their process despite facing the league's broadest roster. Both coaches anticipate competitive play, with Johansson acknowledging Björklöven's deserved top seed but eyeing their pressure points.
