When you think ’hockey families’, and Sweden, of course the Sedin twins or Lundqvist brothers immediately jump out at you.
However, whatever success the Malmö Redhawks have this season will mean a great deal to one family in particular. Forward Emil Sylvegård is not only one of the Redhawks’ top-scoring forwards so far in the Champions Hockey League this year, and a former CHL champion from 2014/15; but he also has the unusual situation of playing on a team that involves two other family members – his younger brother Marcus on the ice, and his father Patrik as General Manager of the team.
”It's special. I know how both of them work, and Marcus and I try to help each other and support one another,” explained 25-year old Emil. ”We know that our dad sees us as both players and sons, so he may put some extra pressure on us or might be a little extra critical! So it’s important for us two to stick together and support each other.”
While Marcus is beginning his first full season as a Redhawks-only player, for Emil this year marks a return to the team after seven years away after spells in North America (QMJHL, WHL), in Sweden with Linköping and Luleå – the latter where he tasted European success. “I won CHL once with Luleå, and I know how big the competition is and it just grows and grows,” said the forward who was raised in Malmö. “The prize money is getting more and more and hopefully, the interest in Sweden becomes bigger with each year.”
“I think CHL is very fun; you can meet teams that you do not usually play against and go to cities that you may not otherwise go to play hockey.”Emil Sylvegård (Malmö Redhawks)
The Redhawks got through the group stage of last year’s competition before going out in the first playoff round. This season they are in a good place in Group B with two games left. “I think we started with two strong home games,” he explained. “We scored a lot of goals but we conceded too many in the first match. We went down to Belarus and didn’t play a very good game, but fortunately we were then able to get a win in Finland. It’s a group with good teams, so if we can move through from here we’ll have done well.”
Emil hit two goals in their opening game against TPS, and with 1+1 since he’s third top scorer for the Redhawks so far. “This year the goal opportunities have come to me and I have taken chances, so it's fun to be seen in the scorecard and help the team as well.” In the CHL so far, brother Marcus also has a goal.
Having gone out early last year, what’s the aim for the CHL this season? “We play to win every game. I know that there are extremely good teams in the CHL, and it will be difficult. Our goal is to go further than last year but we know that the longer you go the harder it will be, but we go out to win”, concluded Sylvegård.