Sweden's Kim Martin Hasson #30 takes to the ice for quarterfinal round action against Russia at the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship.
photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Andre Ringuette
As a teenager, Kim Martín Hasson backstopped Sweden to an historic Olympic silver medal at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin. Now she’s the GM of Frolunda, one of the most celebrated women’s teams in her country. And she’s only getting started.
In another world, Martín Hasson would still be playing. After all, a 38-year-old goalie is not unheard of even in the best leagues in the world, but Martín Hasson hung up her pads almost a decade ago. While she did it in style by allowing only one goal in four playoff games as her Linkoping club won the Swedish title, it’s easy to argue that she did it at least five years too soon.
Or, to put it another way, the PWHL came a decade too late for Martín Hasson, who will be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in May in Stockholm.
“I would’ve loved to have played in North America, and I wish I had had the chance,” she told IIHF.com. “It’s a little surprising that, with all the players and the hockey culture that they have, there hasn’t been a proper pro league before. It was about time!”
As Frolunda’s GM, she keeps an eye on the new North American league. With only six teams in the PWHL – and even with expansion on the horizon – the risk of the SDHL becoming a farm league is so far quite small. Still, the Swedes are aware of it.
“The PWHL can have an effect on the SDHL, but I still think that there are players who want to stay at home and play in a good Swedish league,” Martín Hasson said. “The number of players leaving the SDHL for the PWHL isn’t that large yet. But a pro league is the way to go. It’s a good league, they draw big crowds, and I can tell people are interested.”
On the other hand, the SDHL is widely considered the best league in Europe. This season, fifteen players switched from the PWHL to the SDHL, including Frolunda defender Sydney Brodt, who previously played for PWHL Minnesota
“In the long run, it’ll just be the same as on the men’s side [where the NHL is the goal] and we’ll have to be better at developing players,” Martín Hasson said. “But obviously, women must have a pro league.”
The two-month gap between the European season opener and the opening of the PWHL training camps gives players an opportunity to start their season in Europe and arrive at the training camp in game shape. Only two Swedish teams, HV71 and Brynas, had PWHL players on the rosters at the beginning of the season, though. Others, such as Lulea, clearly stated that they’d only sign players for a full season.
“We don’t have any out clauses in our contracts at Frolunda and I’m not a fan of players leaving in the middle of the season,” said Martín Hasson. “I’m fine with them prolonging their seasons after our playoffs, of course.
“For us, it would be best if the PWHL had their tryouts in the summer, before our season starts, so that we could then sign the free agents. That’s about the only negative thing I can think of.”
According to Martín Hasson, Sweden still has a lot of work to do as far as women’s hockey is concerned.
“We’ve turned the SDHL into a really good league and now we need to do the same with the junior leagues. The challenge we have is that a good junior player pretty much must step into the senior game to continue her development. We need to raise the quality of our junior leagues, and I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
A proper developmental ladder would benefit players at both ends of their careers.
“We see that players come up quite young, and the older players retire too early,” Martín Hasson said. “I retired because I had done it all. It was hard to find the motivation anymore.”
The same phenomenon of players taking a step up as teenagers can also be seen in the national team. To help nurture the most promising players, Sweden has set up an “Olympic group” for players who have graduated from the U18 national team but haven’t quite made it to the senior women’s team.
“Maybe a U20 competition would be a solution, so that there would be good games for them on the international level as well,” Martín Hasson said. “That way, there’s a new carrot for them to chase, so that they know they are seen.”
In another world, Martín Hasson would still be playing. After all, a 38-year-old goalie is not unheard of even in the best leagues in the world, but Martín Hasson hung up her pads almost a decade ago. While she did it in style by allowing only one goal in four playoff games as her Linkoping club won the Swedish title, it’s easy to argue that she did it at least five years too soon.
Or, to put it another way, the PWHL came a decade too late for Martín Hasson, who will be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in May in Stockholm.
“I would’ve loved to have played in North America, and I wish I had had the chance,” she told IIHF.com. “It’s a little surprising that, with all the players and the hockey culture that they have, there hasn’t been a proper pro league before. It was about time!”
As Frolunda’s GM, she keeps an eye on the new North American league. With only six teams in the PWHL – and even with expansion on the horizon – the risk of the SDHL becoming a farm league is so far quite small. Still, the Swedes are aware of it.
“The PWHL can have an effect on the SDHL, but I still think that there are players who want to stay at home and play in a good Swedish league,” Martín Hasson said. “The number of players leaving the SDHL for the PWHL isn’t that large yet. But a pro league is the way to go. It’s a good league, they draw big crowds, and I can tell people are interested.”
On the other hand, the SDHL is widely considered the best league in Europe. This season, fifteen players switched from the PWHL to the SDHL, including Frolunda defender Sydney Brodt, who previously played for PWHL Minnesota
“In the long run, it’ll just be the same as on the men’s side [where the NHL is the goal] and we’ll have to be better at developing players,” Martín Hasson said. “But obviously, women must have a pro league.”
The two-month gap between the European season opener and the opening of the PWHL training camps gives players an opportunity to start their season in Europe and arrive at the training camp in game shape. Only two Swedish teams, HV71 and Brynas, had PWHL players on the rosters at the beginning of the season, though. Others, such as Lulea, clearly stated that they’d only sign players for a full season.
“We don’t have any out clauses in our contracts at Frolunda and I’m not a fan of players leaving in the middle of the season,” said Martín Hasson. “I’m fine with them prolonging their seasons after our playoffs, of course.
“For us, it would be best if the PWHL had their tryouts in the summer, before our season starts, so that we could then sign the free agents. That’s about the only negative thing I can think of.”
According to Martín Hasson, Sweden still has a lot of work to do as far as women’s hockey is concerned.
“We’ve turned the SDHL into a really good league and now we need to do the same with the junior leagues. The challenge we have is that a good junior player pretty much must step into the senior game to continue her development. We need to raise the quality of our junior leagues, and I think we’re moving in the right direction.”
A proper developmental ladder would benefit players at both ends of their careers.
“We see that players come up quite young, and the older players retire too early,” Martín Hasson said. “I retired because I had done it all. It was hard to find the motivation anymore.”
The same phenomenon of players taking a step up as teenagers can also be seen in the national team. To help nurture the most promising players, Sweden has set up an “Olympic group” for players who have graduated from the U18 national team but haven’t quite made it to the senior women’s team.
“Maybe a U20 competition would be a solution, so that there would be good games for them on the international level as well,” Martín Hasson said. “That way, there’s a new carrot for them to chase, so that they know they are seen.”
Sweden's Kim Martin Hasson #30 and Johanna Fallman #5 celebrate at the bench after a first period goal against Japan during preliminary round action at the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship.
photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Andre Ringuette