This past summer, Calle Ridderwall returned to Sweden to play for HV71 Jonkoping. Their CHL campaign was short, but since then the team has improved its play, and Ridderwall is confident that the team can make a better showing in Europe's premier club competiton next season.

by Karolina Antosova

PRAGUE – HV71 Jonkoping’s campaign in the Champions Hockey League was perhaps shorter than everyone on the team expected. The Swedish club was eliminated in the group stage after winning just two of six games in Group I. 

“We didn’t play our best hockey. I think we played much better when the SHL started,” explained Calle Ridderwall, who has joined HV71 before the start of this season.

The 26-year-old winger wasn’t originally supposed to play in the SHL this season. In June he signed a contract extension with Lev Prague of the KHL, but after the club's sudden demise just weeks later he was forced into quite a difficult situation – just a few days before many teams were beginning their training camps for the new season, he had to find a new place to play. “But my agent did a really good job and I’m really lucky to join HV71. It’s a great team in a great town of Jonkoping,” Ridderwall said.

In addition to the SHL and CHL, Ridderwall also plays regulary for the Swedish national team. So far this season he has played in the Karjala Cup and Channel One Cup. In December he came back to Prague to play in his former home arena against a Czech team that featured many of his former teammates.

You spent last season in Prague, and played the KHL finals here in O2 Arena. It must have been quite emotional for you to come back and play in front of a full house again.

Yes, it really was. I definitely miss it. Walking around the city, which is so beautiful. When I think back to last year, it was just a good time. I miss it a lot and wish the team was still here. Playing in O2 Arena when it’s full like this brings me back the memories from the playoffs, which was lot of fun. So it was still a little bit emotional.

What was your first reaction when you heard that your team, Lev Prague, wouldn’t be playing this season in the KHL?

I thought I would come back to Prague to play here two more years. I was really excited. All the guys liked playing in Prague. I looked forward to staying here, but then my agent called me and said that the team is… It was… (after a pause) I was definitely quite shocked and really disappointed. I wanted to come back; everything here was working so well. We had such a great time here last season. We won so many games and almost won the championship, no one thought the team would disappear. I was shocked and down, I really wish the team was still here.

So how hard was for you to find a new team?

It happened pretty fast, only a couple days. My agent did a really good job and I’m really lucky to have joined HV71. It’s a great team in a great town of Jonkoping. Maybe I'll have lot of fun there too. Sometimes I definitely think about Prague, and wish the team was still here. I know I'm repeating myself, but I really miss it.

At the same time, maybe it’s an advantage for you. You can spend more time with your son Noah and family and don’t have to travel as much.

Yes, maybe you’re right. My wife is from the U.S., so I don't think she cares if I play in Prague or Sweden. But for me it’s definitely nice. I don’t have to go on week-long road trips and can see my family almost every night. That’s definitely a positive, and it helps me a lot.

How do you like taking care of your son?

It’s awesome. It’s like looking at myself but much smaller. He’s growing fast, he was this small and now he’s like this (showing with his hand). Soon he’ll be walking around. It’s lot of fun with him.

Back to hockey. How are you satisfied with your play in the SHL?

It’s been up and down a little bit. I had really good start in the league, but the last few weeks my shape isn’t what it should be. I hope I’ll be back in it soon. Playing with the national team gives me some energy and then I'll be able to come back to my club team and play good hockey there. It’s definitely been up and down, but the team is doing pretty well. I’ve scored some goals, so it’s been a good experience so far.

You've now played in two tournaments for the Swedish national team so far this season. I know it’s still quite far away, but do you think about coming back to Prague in May and playing in the World Championship?
 
I think that’s everyone’s goal. But that’s one of those things you can’t do anything about, other than just play hockey as well as you can. The coaches and managers will pick the team. If they pick me, that would be awesome. I promise to do my best on the national team and also in Jonkoping in the SHL. Maybe there’s a chance, who knows?

When playing for the national team, you faced a few of your former teammates. How was that?

It was fun. (Michal) Birner and (Ondrej) Nemec both scored goals in the game in Prague, they played well. But it’s definitely fun to see old teammates. I played Birner and (Tomas) Kubalik last tournament in Finland, I’ve seen a lot of the guys. I was hoping Nemec or (Jiri) Novotny would play at the Karlaja tournament too, but they weren’t there. It’s always fun to see these guys. I follow them, see how they’re playing, check how their teams are doing . . .

In the CHL, you played against JYP Jyvaskyla, where Mikko Maenpaa plays. He’s another of your former teammates. Did you talk with him during the two games?

Yes, I did. We talked before and also after the game about everything. He’s doing well. I think he’s happy to be back in Finland. It’s easy for him, but obviously it’s easy to play in your own country. But everyone says the same – it was such a good time in Prague, such a great experience. Everyone enjoyed the city, the team. I think everyone was disappointed, but there’s nothing you could do about it. Just keep playing and concentrate on the next game you're playing.

In the CHL, you were eliminated quite early. Were you a little bit disappointed?

Of course, you never want to lose a hockey game. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the league or in the CHL. We definitely didn’t like to finish like that. We didn’t play our best hockey, I think we played much better when the SHL started. We weren’t happy with the way we played in the CHL, we thought we should have done better.

So maybe next season you will advance further.

I hope we do better next season. We definitely want to go to the playoffs. At least that has to be our goal.