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A NEW KING IN MALMÖ
At the start of the Elitserien 2006-2007 campaign hopes were high of a successful season at Malmö Redhawks. Nineteen games in and most of those hopes have been deflated. Rock bottom in the league, things had to change. Despite some players leaving the club fortunes did not improve and this weekend Malmö Redhawks made, what was, a very difficult decision. Head coach Lars Osten Bergström was to be replaced. Club director Thomas Stenberg says "We were happy with Ostens efforts last year but have not had the development we had hoped for this season. Therefore we have made the decision to bring new blood in to help bring about the necessary changes."
 It has been a Canadian roundabout at Malmö Ice Stadium this week. At the start of the week defender Ross Lupaschuk departed to pursue his career in Finland. By weeks end the Redhawks had a new coach in Canadian Dave King. The new head coach will bring with him twenty five years of coaching experience at all levels of ice hockey and is one of the most respected coaches in the business. The latest stage in this illustrious career starts on Tuesday evening when the Redhawks face up to Skellefteå AIK in a crucial match at Malmö Isstadion.
Born in 1947 in Saskatoon, his first job in hockey coaching was with the Canadian Juniors from 1982 to 1984 where the team won gold at the World Junior Championships in 1982 and bronze in 1983. After this success he went on to coach the Canadian national team for the Olympics in the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games, Canada won silver in 1992. He had further experience of the Olympics with Japan in 1998. He was assistant coach for the Canadian team when they won bronze at the World Championships in 1982 and returned to that event as head coach in 1999.
Our new head coach also has experience at NHL level coaching the Calgary Flames from 1992 to 1995(During his time at Calgary, the Flames won a pair of divisional titles), assistant coach at the Montreal Canadians between the years 1997 1999 as well as the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2000 to 2003. He served as Montréals European scout during the 1999 2000 season.
He most recently coached at Russian Super League team Magnitogorsk Metalurg.
Alongside his coaching achievements he has voted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1995 and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2001.
It is going to be a real baptism of fire for the new management at home on Tuesday to Skellefteå. Many will remember the four epic encounters between the two teams in last years Allsvenskan and Kvalserien. It was honours even overall last season but Malmö winning when it counted. It couldnt be more needed than in this upcoming fixture. Hopefully it will begin a new trend at the Ice Stadium, onwards and upwards.
The puck drops at 1900. For those who cannot make the game in person you will be able to follow it on www.malmoredhawks.com match tracker.
Text: John Noonan
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