Puckarinen

HELSINKI – This is exactly the way it wasn’t supposed to be. Jokerit Helsinki had announced that, having had first Doug Shedden and then Glen Hanlon behind the bench, and a string of failed imports on the roster – and several superstars, like Glen Metropolit, and Tim Thomas – this season, they would be an all-Finnish team.

Fredrik Bremberg, the skilled Swedish forward, on the other hand, had left Djurgården Stockholm, a team he had led in scoring for each of the past four seasons. He collected 215 points in 207 games with Djurgården, won the league scoring title in 2007, and finished second, fourth, and eighth in the other three seasons.

But this season, Bremberg wanted to have a change of scenery. After all, he also leads the Elitserien in all-time scoring, so he signed with Atlant Mytishchi in the KHL – only to get the boot in the middle of the pre-season.

By late October, Jokerit was dead last in the SM-liiga, and Bremberg back in Sweden, working out on his own, and their needs met. Jokerit needed a skilled forward to create some offence, and Bremberg needed somewhere to play.

The all-Finnish Jokerit welcomed the Swedish puck juggler with open arms.

“To be honest, I didn’t know much about the Finnish league, but at the same time, I hadn’t played in two months. I just knew that they play more straightforward here, it’s more up-and-down hockey. But it’s a good league, for sure,” Bremberg told IIHF.com after a recent home game in the Hartwall Areena.

In his first five games, Bremberg, playing in the same line with Esa Pirnes and Jukka Hentunen – both returning to Finland from the KHL, collected nine points, and climbed to third in team scoring.

“What a player!” said Jokerit’s then-coach Hannu Aravirta after Bremberg’s first game.

“‘Junkkan’s passes were unbelievable,” he was quoted as saying, showing signs of still getting to know the new addition, “Linkan” by a nickname that has stayed since Fredrik’s last name was Lindquist.

“In the beginning, I hadn’t played in a long time, so I wasn’t at my best, but now everything’s back to normal. Of course, when the team loses, the players’ confidence erodes and they’re a little afraid to do some things, but at least we’ve taken some points,” he said.

Bremberg’s contract covered only games until the Christmas break, with an option for him to leave after each game. Still, Bremberg didn’t think of himself as simply a hired gun.

“The club and the team have welcomed me so I think I’m a part of the team,” he said, even if he admitted that he was entertaining other options as well.

“We’re talking to a few clubs,” he said, grinning.

Then, a week later and with just two games before the Christmas break, the club – having already replaced Aravirta with the Finnish U20 national team head coach Hannu Jortikka – announced that it had signed Brember to a contract that covers the remainder of the season as well. His 18 points in 15 games are second most in team scoring. Hentunen has collected 23 points in 28 games.

“I really like it here. Besides, I had decided to play abroad this season so this option felt good. The rinks are a little smaller here (than in Sweden) and I think it’s good for me; I’m closer to the net all the time,” he told Aftonbladet.

“Who knows where I’ll play next season, maybe I’ll return to Sweden,” he added.

There’s just no reading the guy. On or off the ice.