by Aidan Bennett '24 on November 9, 2023
Sports
Big things are on the horizon for the Friars this year. The men’s hockey season is starting up this Saturday when they play at the University of Michigan in a tough two-day battle. The team’s home opener comes on Oct. 13 against Stonehill College, which should yield an easy victory. The Friars are ranked fourth in the preseason Hockey East polls behind Boston University, Boston College, and Merrimack College, but I say to hell with those rankings. This season is going to be different in Friartown. The gloves are off and we will win Hockey East, the main reason being the netminder Philip Svedebäck ’26. I don’t know what they make people out of around here, but over in Sweden, they make them out of bricks. This kid is simply a wall that no one will get past. At 6’3” and 205 pounds, he is a big body in net. If this guy gets in front of the net, you’re going to know about it. He also has a sick haircut, which is definitely going to intimidate any forward trying to get into his kitchen. He must be getting lined up over at the Atomic Salon on game days. The word on the street is that he might mix it up and get a freedom flowing mullet. If these reports are true, we are planning for the Frozen Four already. The netminder let in 2.18 goals a game last season, but with this new flow this year we should be thinking shoutouts. Svedbäck is still a young pup, as he is only a sophomore, but he put up great numbers as a tough freshman last year. He was probably out being a menace in St. Joe’s Hall and then dominating Hockey East all in the same night. They probably have him somewhere fancy like Shanley Hall now where he can really come into his own. This kid, with some more time under his belt and a new haircut, could be one of the best players in all of Hockey East and the X-factor for a dangerous Providence team.