The now 34-year-old team captain – who was named the most valuable player in the qualifying round – came home three years ago after a career abroad that, among other things, gave him two Stanley Cup titles with Chicago Blackhawks.
When Krüger signed in the winter of 2022, Djurgården was playing in the SHL.
When he and his family moved home, it was to a club that had been relegated to the Allsvenskan.
So Friday evening's 4–1 win over AIK, which put an end to the qualifying final, meant both relief and joy.
You need a special team to win, and I think we had that this year, he says.
If you look at these three years, there haven't been any calm years, things have happened. I think we've found a way to handle it, he says.
"Definitely possible to learn"
But despite the celebration and joy – a player of Marcus Krüger's caliber and CV is not satisfied with just being back in the SHL.
He himself has not played in the SHL, or the Elite League as it was called back then, since 2011.
We have many skilled players who will do well, but it will require a collective effort from the club to establish ourselves. It's definitely possible to learn from other clubs like Brynäs, he says.
Brynäs did, after all, beat Djurgården in last year's qualifying final and has, as a newcomer in the SHL, gone all the way to the SM final.
This after making history in the regular season and becoming the first newcomer to win it.
Praises the management
Djurgården, which is Sweden's most successful ice hockey team with 16 SM gold medals, has had a strained economy since the relegation in 2022, but the place in the SHL gives around 50 million kronor in TV and advertising agreements.
Marcus Krüger praises the leadership from Niklas Wikegård, who last year left his job as an expert commentator in TV4 and became the sports manager in the club, and coach Robert Kimby, who joined from Almtuna.
It has been strong. They set their mark on it, at the same time leaving quite a lot up to us players as well. Dare to release it to us, all credit to them for how they've found players and keys to winning matches, says the Djurgården captain.
