The SHL’s brightest star is back.
But… then we’re talking the regular season.
Now I want to see David Tomasek at his very best even in the most important stage of the season.
Frölunda won the rival meeting – fight at the final signal
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David Tomasek has returned and in a league that really needs his profiles, it’s about the best Christmas present the SHL could get.
Not to mention Färjestad, who during the first 30 games has struggled with one thing above all: pointlessness.
Only 77 goals so far – and of the other 13 teams, it’s really only Timrå and Leksand that are noticeably worse. In some games, the inefficiency has been really painful.
When it comes to the ability to defend and not concede goals, only the series sovereign Frölunda has sharper numbers than Färjestad. And speaking of Frölunda: it was in a packed Scandinavium, against the archrival, that David Tomasek made his comeback.
Initially, much was the same. Färjestad is not a rusty player with battered self-confidence. On the contrary. The joy of playing shone through.
Frölunda only needs a toenail to…
The tall Czech was close to brilliant in the first period. In the chain with Nygård and Steen, he was the architect behind much of what Färjestad created. The takedown at speed with the right skate before Oskar Steen’s goal – which, however, was ruled out – shone with class.
After two unsuccessful power plays at the start of the middle period from the visitors, a hyper-efficient Frölunda looked to kill the rival meeting. After half the match, Frölunda had only fired seven shots on goal – but scored three goals, Emil Larmi was replaced after 3-0.
Färjestad had so far, for the most part, played a good game – but lost too many pucks in the wrong positions. Frölunda only needs a toenail to then tear open the chest of the opponent with full force.
Färjestad scored two quick goals at the end of the middle period, but Frölunda made it 4-2 early in the third period when a certain Tomasek was sent off. After another unsuccessful power play from Färjestad, Nicklas Lasu made it 5-2 before Färjestad got another reduction.
There was a lot to like in this match which, in the darkest of December, exuded playoff character. Färjestad shot more than twice as many shots as the series sovereign and scored more goals than any other team managed in Scandinavium.
Was sometimes in a class of its own
I thought that the twelve million kroner David Tomasek was guaranteed this season was more important than returning to Sweden and Färjestad. I was wrong, and no one is happier than anyone with FBK sympathies.
On paper – and considering the timing – this is the perfect signing. No player scored more goals or points than David Tomasek in his two seasons in the SHL: a mighty 48 goals and a total of 101 points, numbers that speak for themselves. Last season he won the scoring league and was voted the most valuable player by the players themselves. A better rating is hard to get.
The Czech was sometimes in a class of his own. An offensive top player who could both play forward – and not least score goals. The fact that he was also a nice profile who could offer himself did not make matters worse. Who doesn’t remember the bum shock before the meeting with Linköping?
A bird sits on one of my shoulders and sings carefree and happy. On the other, another croaks more doubtfully and points out that what I mentioned above is about the basic series.
Only then does he have a chance to make it big in Karlstad
In the playoffs, then? Not so much. Neither from Tomasek nor Färjestad, who both years were sent out in the quarter-finals and only won two out of ten matches. The big star, who had eight points in the regular season, was in the playoffs – just like the team – a shadow of himself. One goal and a total of three points in ten games does not ooze class or the best when it comes down to it.
For Färjestad, which three years in a row made it to the quarter-finals, the grade (also) this season will be set in the playoffs. No one remembers a grandiose regular season if it ends already in the quarter-finals. Just ask Färjestad in the spring of 2024. Few remember a point king who gets a point drought in the playoffs.
And if there are some who really want to see their players at their very best in the most important part of the season, it is Färjestad’s top sporting management: the winners Jörgen Jönsson and Rickard Wallin.
Now Tomasek is coming from an unsuccessful stay in Edmonton, which he does not need to be ashamed of – there are much easier things than getting into the NHL as a producing forward in the world’s best league by far.
The big Czech definitely has unfinished business in Karlstad, and in the playoffs. Färjestad needs to move on from a quarter-final and Tomasek needs to be a leading player even at the end of the season. If he is, Färjestad will go further than a quarter-final.
Then Tomasek also has a chance to become really big in Karlstad.
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