Södertälje has added Finnish center Joni Ikonen to its roster ahead of the HockeyAllsvenskan season. The move was announced on Tuesday as the club continues to build its squad.
Södertälje sportchef Emil Georgsson praised Ikonen's skills. 'Joni is a spelskicklig center. Bra på att hålla i pucken and has a good shot. He is also a good faceoff man,' Georgsson said. Ikonen, who scored 17 goals and 17 assists in 50 games for Oskarshamn last season, expressed excitement about the transfer. 'It felt really good when they showed interest. I had a good chat with the coach. They had a good spot for me,' he said. The 27-year-old has a Swedish background from his bilingual family and school years, including time at Frölunda's hockey gymnasium. He cited friendships with teammates Roope Laavainen and Teemu Väyrynen as additional factors. Ikonen overcame recurring knee injuries earlier in his career that limited his play after being drafted by Montreal.