Luleå Hockey Captain Signals Open Door for linus Omark Return
Luleå Hockey captain Erik Gustafsson has publicly expressed the team’s eagerness to welcome back former star Linus Omark, though emphasizing any return must be driven by the player himself. the comments come amid ongoing speculation about Omark potentially returning to the SHL after time spent playing in Switzerland.
Gustafsson revealed he has been in contact with omark, primarily through messages, stressing the importance of Omark’s personal motivation. “I’ve just said that if he’s going to come back, I want it to come from himself and for him to have that drive,” Gustafsson told hockeysverige.se. “It’s not that damn easy to just get in, but then you really have to feel that you have that drive. I have no doubt in and of itself that he has the drive but… It is special to play in Luleå, especially when you are from there. So it really matters that he wants it himself.” He clarified he hasn’t actively tried to persuade Omark, but rather focused on understanding his current feelings about a potential return.
Omark previously led Luleå Hockey to an SM gold championship last spring, lifting the Le Mat trophy alongside Gustafsson. his potential return is viewed as a significant boost for a Luleå team that has struggled offensively and on the power play this season.
“That would be extremely crucial for us,” Gustafsson stated. “If you onyl look at it in hockey terms, he would have been extremely critically important on the power play and could have made it work. I think our defensive game still looks pretty good for long periods. If we then have even more puck, then you can play even better defense, and if you get a goal or two to go on, that makes it easier to. It will be like the whole package. We’ll see if he comes, it would be damn nice.”
Linus Omark, a prominent figure in Luleå Hockey’s history and a consistent offensive threat in the SHL, currently plays for SC Bern in Switzerland.
