CANTLON’S CORNER: Andersson Is Patient and Brings Some Swedish Hockey Royalty
BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings
HARTFORD, CT – While Lias Andersson came to the Wolf Pack not under ideal circumstances he has shown in his current five games with the Wolf Pack a glimpse of his talents that made him the #7 overall pick in the first round last summer as he gets accustomed to the smaller rinks here than the extra 10 feet he has over in Sweden..
“It’s getting better and better it’s a different game over here and I try to learn as much as I can from my teammates. Learn small things and of course, work on my shoulder! Trainers are trying to help me get to 100%. The smaller rink got to make your plays quicker, over in Europe you have more puck possession time and pass more. It’s more chip and chase over here” said Andersson who was among the last cuts in Ranger training camp.
Lias is showing patience that often doesn’t come at 19 its something that grows with the maturation process he might be a bit ahead of the curve.
“I know I have to work on faceoffs here and I like to use my body to protect the puck and be strong on the puck to create scoring chances. I have to take my time to wait and learn.”
Fresh off his three-point performance in Wednesday’s wild 5-4 overtime win over Bridgeport he displayed all the pieces of his game from being in the dirty area and winning a one on one battle on his first goal, starting the scorings sequence on the second goal going behind the net and disrupting goalie Christopher Gibson’s clearing attempt and then setting in motion the Ryan Sproul’s game-winning goal in overtime.
“There are still more steps I wanna take. As my body and shoulder gets stronger I can be more physical and be able to win those (one on one) battles,” said Andersson he looked pretty darn good considering he isn’t at full capacity playing wise.
His arrival was more expected to be at the end of the season when his Swedish hockey team, the iconic Frolunda HC finished their playoff run hopefully with the LeMat championship Trophy.
The World Junior Championship held in Buffalo altered the time schedule.
The origins of this situation started in Buffalo where he suffered a right should injury for the silver medal squad and that’s where the fun begins.
Two high-level Ranger sources confirmed it was never their intention to bring him to Hartford this year, but the situation dictated from their perspective that it get done ASAP.
“To be honest were very unhappy with Team Sweden’s medical staff and the coaching staff of the team. The kid has a separated shoulder there sticking needles in the kid’s injured area and when he showed up in New York he could barely lift his arm.
We have an excellent relationship with Frolunda and we didn’t want to jeopardize that and of course Lias’s standing.
So we got an agreement with them to reassign him to us and let our medical team take care of him. Our team did a great job with him and they told us had he played another game at the WJC and suffered a major hit to the area there could have been some serious damage done here. So you can imagine management wasn’t enthralled this was going on with a first-round draft pick.
He also has to play, he is a young man once we were able to stabilize things and do rehab work and he got medical clearance to play we wanted him back in action. Keith and the medical and training staff here are very good as well. We got him the playing time he needs and he is being monitored heavily (medically) as you can understand.
As part of our relationship with Frolunda and under the (CBA) agreement he will be returned there shortly that’s our intention. The final determination hasn’t been made, we still have some issues we’re working on I can’t discuss with you.
We have a major organizational meeting coming up before the (trade) deadline to assess where we are and the future of the organization. If he goes, once the Swedish playoffs are over he will come back to Hartford.”
Andersson, as expected, was not going to comment specifically.
“I haven’t heard anything and will just what till I hear what they say. I’m here playing when I hear from my agent then I’ll know. Right now, I am a member of the Hartford Wolf Pack.”
Andersson is feeling better but admits he still has some work ahead physically.
“Working hard here, learning from my teammates new things every day. My shoulder is not 100% maybe 80-85%, but so much better now than it was,” remarked Andersson shaking his head signifying how painful it had been “not where I want it to be. I need to make it stronger, it takes time.”
Andersson can play only 10 games in North America anything past that on his first year of his contract would be used up as part of the CBA, then factor in the Frolunda season and the agreement between the clubs you can understand under the business of pro hockey why he must be returned.
It’s not fair, even though he would make a significant addition to the Wolf Pack down the middle traditionally a weak point in New York and Hartford as they enter the playoff hunt.
“I have no idea I haven’t heard anything and we’ll just wait till we hear what they say,” said Andersson.
All the changes he is working on his third locker room of the hockey season.
“The guys have been very good with me (Scott) Kosmachuk has been very helpful to me and takes good care of me. The language is all different for me !,” laughed Andersson “ I’m just trying to soak it all in be a good guy in the locker room.”
Andersson at Frolunda HC this year has allowed him to be part of a unique hockey dynasty with one of Sweden’s premier clubs.
Andersson is a third-generation player with the Indians franchise that began with his grandfather Ronny who played as a goalie from (1967-1972) when the club was known as Frolunda IF in Swedish First Division.
“To be a third generation is so cool for me and growing up in a hockey family is fun and it’s very special for us my father and brother got to play together there.”
Father Niklas, now a European scout for the LA Kings had two tours with the club (1987-1991) and (2001-2011) when he retired. Sandwiched in between as a 10-year North American career in the NHL (Quebec, Islanders and San Jose) and the AHL and old IHL.
“I was too small then (to remember) we moved back (to Sweden) so I don’t remember much, but back home we have a lot of photos, pictures, and videos we can watch sometimes.”
His uncle Mikael now a European scout with the Tampa Bay also did two tours (1981-85) and (2000-2003). His uncle also played for the Hartford Whalers (1989-1992).
“I just spoke to him and he’s is happy for me, he remembers Hartford. Its kinda weird you realize how small the hockey world is to play where my uncle played.”
His other uncle Thomas played one season in Frolunda (1984-85) and the only other member yet to play is his 15-year-old brother Noah presently playing for Kungalves IK and next season will suit up for Farjestad BK (J-18/J-20) program.
Andersson back home wore number 24 that his father wore until the team retired the number to honor his father. So Lias switched to 61 to honor his father’s longtime teammate and his favorite player a Finnish player-Tomi Kallio who wore 71, but he felt he couldn’t take it so he wore 61 instead!
Kallio is still playing at age 41 for TPS Turku in the Finnish Elite League where he is the captain and has 46 points in 50 games. He was drafted by Colorado but played two seasons plus five games with the Atlanta Thrashers and with Philadelphia and Columbus before returning to Europe in 2003.
Andersson is one of 73 players that have been drafted from the program by the NHL over the years. This year’s expected #1 overall pick defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is playing for the program now. Former Wolf Pack players goalie Magnus Hellberg and Carl Klingberg played there too.
Frolunda hockey team was established in 1944 and their home building, the Scandinavium seats 12,044 and its team captain is Joel Lundqvist, the twin brother of the Rangers Henrik who is the captain of the Swedish Olympic Team.
NOTES:
-As the Pack departed for two-weekend road games in Syracuse and Hershey and spend another six games and two weeks away from the XL Center saw defenseman Neal Pionk recalled by the Rangers who waived Brendan Smith today after the Rangers 6-1 drubbing by Boston.
If Smith clears waivers and with his BIG contract (first year of a four year $17.4 million deal) he will, he could technically be assigned to Hartford, but I doubt he will wearing a Wolf Pack blue uniform anytime soon.
The Wolf Pack have now just five defensemen signed Desmond Bergin presently playing with Adirondack Thunder (ECHL) 42-10-21-31. The Harvard grad is a second-year pro who played in Greenville last year. Since the Pack are heading to Syracuse today they can easily stop by in Glens Falls and pick him up
-North Branford native Adam Erne was recalled from Syracuse by Tampa Bay.
-Sam Ftorek, born in and raised in Guilford for a part of his life has come out of retirement to play for his father Robbie head coach of Norfolk (ECHL). The elder Ftorek played for the Rangers and was a player and a head coach for the New Haven Nighthawks. Sam had been the head coach of Roanoke (SPHL) before he was let go last month. The team GM is former assistant GM in New Haven Mike Santos.
-Former Wolf Pack and Ranger Jan Hlavac 41, has signed a deal with HC Vrchlabi (Czech Republic Division-3) playing for his brother Petr, the head coach of the team for the last three years.
-Jeremy Williams, the former CT Whale has signed a contract extension for next season to play for EHC Straubing (Germany-DEL) in 2018-19 and then was loaned out for the rest of the year to Orebro HK (Sweden-SHL).
-Ex-Pack defenseman Conor Allen limited to 17 games this season with injuries in Rochester has made the move to Europe.
He has signed with EHC Wolfsburg Grizzlies (Germany-DEL) and will wear jersey number 28 and play three games before the DEL and other European leagues take an Olympic break which the NHL chose not to do. His deal is for the rest of the regular season and the postseason.
-Mike Vaskivuo who played at Westminster Prep and Salisbury Prep has moved to his fourth pro organization this year. He played with Orlando and Jacksonville both in the ECHL to start the year. He left to play in France with HC Brest in the French second division. Vaskivuo just signed through the end of the year with the Nottingham Panthers (England-EIHL).
-As the Olympic games begin in PyeonChang, South Korea a look again at the ex-Pack/CT Whale playing for various countries and other players with CT hockey connections who will have the honor to represent various nations.
UNITED STATES
Matt Gilroy, Bobby Sanguinetti, Chris Bourque and Chad Kolarik
From Yale University: Mark Arcobello (Milford/Fairfield Prep/Salisbury Prep), Broc Little, Brian O’Neill and Olympic assistant coach and current Yale head coach Keith Allain (North Branford). Ben Smith was a Yale assistant coach at one time with the late Tim Taylor. US Olympic assistant coach Scott Young (Hartford Whalers).
Women’s team: Head coach: Robb Stauber (New Haven Nighthawks/Hartford Wolf Pack) and player Hilary Knight (Choate-Wallingford)
CANADA
Ex-CT Whale Christian Thomas and Wojtek Wolski.
Chris Lee (Sound Tigers) and Kevin Poulin (Sound Tigers).
GM Sean Burke (Hartford Whalers)
SWEDEN
Magnus Hellberg and Carl Klingberg
CZECH REPUBLIC
Tomas Kundratek and assistant coach Jaroslav Spacek (Beast of New Haven)
SLOVAK REPUBLIC
Ivan Baranka and Tomas Marcinko (Sound Tigers)
SWITZERLAND
Raphael Diaz, Andres Ambuhl and Tobias Stephan (Sound Tigers)
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