Frölunda and Seven SHL Teams Start Season with New Coaches

When Frölunda was eliminated from the playoffs in the semifinals against Luleå in the spring, it was also the end of twelve years with Roger Rönnberg in the coach's box.

The Gothenburg club is not alone in a coaching change. All eight teams - including Färjestad, Leksand, Linköping, Rögle, Skellefteå, Timrå, and Växjö - start the season with a new coach in the box.

It's clear it affects. Some clubs are probably so ingrained in what they do that they just keep going. But you'll probably notice a little something new, says Robert Ohlsson.

The new Frölunda coach has a past as an assistant coach in the club, but left Gothenburg in 2016 to become the head coach of Djurgården.

In recent seasons, he has coached Skellefteå - which he led to the SM gold in 2024 before being fired last year after "scoring an own goal" in a radio interview.

"Not the smartest thing"

Almost a year later, the 50-year-old smiles a little uncomfortably at the memory.

One thing is that you've moved on. But two, it was of course very sad after three and a half years that were still damn good in Skellefteå, he says.

But it was a bad week and then I got to quit. And a bad interview... I said something about not caring what the supporters think - and that was probably not the smartest thing I can say.

However, Robert Ohlsson continues, it may also be the case that he had already signed on as a replacement for Roger Rönnberg.

With three or four losses we had with Skellefteå and that I would then start coaching Frölunda... maybe it was a bit too tough a pill for the club to swallow at the time, he says.

A handful of the players were in the squad the last time Robert Ohlsson worked in Frölunda. But it will still be an adjustment after such a long time with the same coach, notes veteran Nicklas Lasu.

There have been quite a few changes in hockey over the years. But Robert is probably one of the very few you could think of taking over after Roger, he says.

Sharpened offense?

Both Nicklas Lasu and Robert Ohlsson point out the offense as the area where the biggest changes have occurred compared to Roger Rönnberg's time.

But it's not about any earth-shattering differences.

If you're a real hockey nerd, I think you'll see a little difference in the game. But what Roger and we built up won't just disappear overnight, says Lasu.

Robert Ohlsson agrees.