HockeyNews.se’s Mattias Persson had a chat with Jonatan Berggren prior to today’s SHL action. Here’s a rough translation of the article:
Berggren about his successful start and his spot on the national team: “Before, I played more on the outside”
His successful start to the season has been rewarded with a place on the Tre Kronor[‘s Karjala Cup roster].
Now Skellefteå prospect Jonatan Berggren discusses his success formula for this autumn.
“he biggest difference is that I work on taking the puck to the goal. Before, I played a little more on the outside,” says Berggren to HockeyNews.se.
After a successful start to the SHL season, Skelleftea’s talented forward Jonatan Berggren was selected to join the Tre Kronor on Monday. The 20-year-old, who has posted 16 points in 10 games, is looking forward to representing the national team for the first time.
“It’s incredibly cool to get me the chance with the big guys. I’m really looking forward to it,” he says when HockeyNews.se reaches him.
What made you [want to] play for a spot on the team?“I don’t know exactly. I’m playing a lot like I did last season. The difference is that the pucks are going into the net rather than the goalpost. It is a coincidence that the puck goes in now. I’ve always been an offensive player, so it’s fun to get dividends [for my work].”
Have you worked on anything special with your game to get the bounces going for you?“The biggest difference is that I work on taking the puck to the goal. Before, I played a little more on the outside. Now I push more toward goals than before.”
Did you have any contact with the [national team] leadership during the start of the season?“Well not really, It was (Markus) Åkerblom who called me. We chatted for a while, not about anything special, but he just congratulated me for coming. I will not change that much in my game, I have agreed on how I play in Skelleftea, so I will continue with that,” says Berggren who was one of seven debutants on the team:
“It is of course fun that there are more young players [on the team]. You know who most of them are. You have encountered them and played both with and against them, so it is more fun than being completely alone as a young person.”
Skellefteå enters a close schedule before the break. Three games in five days will be played, and after the miserable loss against Rögle on Saturday, there are things to improve.
“We were not involved in the defense as we usually are. We should be able to prevent almost all the goals we gave up, but we left “Gurra” (goalkeeper Gustaf Lindvall) in the lurch. Offensively we led the game, and if we had just been a little more careful in the defensive zone, we would have won that game.”
He continues: “There are three important games coming now. The important thing is to get a good end going into the break, so that we have a nice flow during the free week. These are incredibly important games.”
First out on Tuesday Malmö awaits–a team that had a tough time in the beginning and which sits last in the SHL.
What do you know about them?“Nothing special. They have been a bit sluggish here in the beginning, but it is always tough to play against Malmö away, so we have to be at one hundred percent tomorrow.”
