Djurgården captain Marcus Krüger has spoken about his ongoing injury ahead of the SHL playoffs against Malmö, which start on Tuesday. The veteran forward missed the last five regular-season games but trained lightly on Monday. Coach Robert Kimby declined to reveal lineup details.
Djurgården held a short ice practice at Hovet on Monday following a 2-3 loss to Skellefteå on Saturday, which concluded the SHL regular season. Several players were absent in that game, including defensemen Philip Holm and Gustav Lindström, and forwards Albin Grewe, Charles Hudon, Jacob Josefson, Marcus Krüger, and Håvard Salsten. Many are expected to be available for the best-of-three quarterfinal series against Malmö starting Tuesday, though specifics remain unclear. Krüger, who left the February 26 game against Leksand early, has dealt with the issue throughout the season, playing 40 games for 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists). He trained lightly last week and on Monday for the first time with the team since his injury worsened. 'Skönt att träna lite... Det var ett tag sedan,' Krüger told Hockeynews. He expressed frustration at missing the playoffs but remains optimistic: 'Jag hoppas att de är goda [chanser], men jag försöker också hålla mig positiv... Ta en dag i taget.' Krüger views the Malmö matchup as even: 'Det känns som 50/50. De har spelat bra och varit stabila hela året.' Coach Robert Kimby emphasized secrecy on availability, stating, 'Alla är hela. Alla är tillgängliga.' He praised the Snively-Björck-Hudon line and noted defenseman Joey LaLeggia as the first Djurgården back to reach 40 SHL points. The teams split their four regular-season meetings 2-2. Kimby stressed preparation: 'Det gäller att vara på’t på en gång.'