Swedish oldtimer hockey players return to city
The Djurgården Oldtimers enjoyed their stay in Peterborough a couple of years ago so much, they came back to enjoy the city again.
Thomas Malm, one of the organizers of a three-city international trip by the members of Stockholmbased hockey team, was one of the players who visited in 2015. The visit included an exhibition game at the Memorial Centre.
“We just had a great time. It’s as easy as that,” he said with a broad smile as players began to take the ice at the Evinrude Centre for an exhibition game with players assembled by Kevin Duguay – who first connected with the group members in 2012.
The seven Swedish players first travelled to Boston and will end their journey Friday in Toronto with a friendly game against Ryerson University alumni at the Mattamy Athletics Centre, formerly Maple Leaf Gardens.
A few players from Peterborough will join them.
That includes Duguay, who said the nearby dressing room has become a room full of friends “who just happen to live in different parts of the work.”
The connection, through hockey, has nurtured a unique bond. The Swedes and locals planned to enjoy a night out together at a local restaurant after Tuesday’s game.
“It all has to do with, simply, this sport. They play for the love of the game and arising from it, is this really cool friendship,” said Duguay, who pointed out how the locals – mostly friends of his – also feel part of something special.
Some of the players may not speak English as well as others, but there is plenty of commonality to the relationship outside hockey, Malm said. “We share a lot.”
The Swedes have relished their time in Peterborough, said Malm, who called Peterborough residents friendly and welcoming. They’ve enjoyed fishing and canoing, although the cold, wet weather has limited their opportunities, Duguay noted.
The visitors have been staying at a downtown hotel, where they have been able to take in much while on foot. They’ve shared how different they find things here than in Stockholm, which has a population of 789,024, he said. “They appreciate the connections that occur.”
One of the big differences is in opportunities to play hockey. The team has been able to get more ice time in a week here than they could get at home in a month, Duguay said.
Malm agreed, adding how there aren’t nearly as many arenas, even though Sweden enjoys hockey nearly, if not just, as much as Canada.
Duguay joked about the reaction he would get by telling the players about villages in the county that are served by two hockey arenas.
The oldtimers squad exists under the umbrella of the Djurgarden Hockey Club, the most successful Swedish hockey team of all time.
NOTE: For more information about the Djurgården organization, visit https://www.difhockey.se/omdif/english.