Viktor Svedberg, defender of HC Pustertal. © Thomas Debelyak

Visiting Barack Obama: The curious story of the HCP giant

At 2,06 meters tall, Viktor Svedberg is an imposing figure at HC Pustertal. His career is just as impressive. The Swede spoke to us about his crazy Stanley Cup journey, a visit to Barack Obama and an adventure in Russia that almost cost him his house and property.

12 November 2024

There is a special tradition in the NHL, the best ice hockey league in the world. If a team wins the Stanley Cup, the biggest trophy in ice hockey, then each player on the team is given a specially made ring decorated with elaborate engravings. A souvenir that costs a whopping 20.000 to 25.000 US dollars - and a souvenir that Viktor Svedberg also has at home in his native Sweden.

Wait a minute! Did the 2,06 meter giant from Pustertal win the best league in the world? A slight smile spreads across Svedberg's face when we ask him this question. "I was part of the team, yes. But I don't feel like a Stanley Cup winner. That's why I have the ring in a safe and not on display in a clearly visible display case. For me it's just a nice memory."

From the AHL to Stanley Cup winner

Flashback to spring 2015. Viktor Svedberg, then 23 years old, had made the leap from Sweden to North America and was playing for the Rockford IceHogs in the American Hockey League. This team is the farm team of the Chicago Blackhawks, one of the most famous ice hockey franchises in the NHL. "When our season in the AHL ended, I was called up to the NHL team," Svedberg remembers.

“I was the extra player and would only have played if someone was absent.” Viktor Svedberg

From then on, the defender was part of the team, he trained alongside the stars, went on playoff trips with them, and did the warm-ups on matchday. However, Svedberg always had to sit in the stands during matches. "I was the extra player, so to speak. If someone had dropped out, I would have been called in. But it didn't come to that and in the end I didn't play a second."

Viktor Svedberg (right at the back with the number 43) celebrates the Stanley Cup victory. On the right at the front is the former Bozen player Niklas Hjalmarsson. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / BRUCE BENNETT

Nevertheless, Svedberg was always in the thick of things rather than just there - even when Chicago won the Stanley Cup against Tampa Bay on June 15, 2015. Photos show the now 33-year-old defensive giant celebrating on the ice with his teammates - including Niklas Hjalmarsson, who was one of the Blackhawks' biggest stars at the time. South Tyrolean ice hockey fans are of course very familiar with this name, after all, the Swede played briefly for HC Bozen a few years earlier during the NHL lockout. "A great guy," notes Svedberg.

reception at the White House

The new Pustertaler will never forget these days. "The party was huge, parades were organized. Football and baseball clubs invited us to their matches," says Svedberg, adding with a laugh: "We were even guests at the White House in Washington. US President Barack Obama received us there and shook everyone's hand. That was a special moment."

Svedberg (right) played 30 games for Chicago in the NHL. © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / HANNAH FOSLIEN

Svedberg's NHL debut was only postponed. In the season after his Stanley Cup triumph, the Swede was actually allowed to play in the best league in the world. He played a total of 30 games for Chicago, and even got on the scoresheet twice. "These are moments you dream of as a child," said Svedberg, who then also had to experience the tough ice hockey business in North America. "My contract was extended for two years, but I didn't play in the NHL anymore. That's the tough business in North America, there's always a player knocking on the door who wants to take your place."

In Russia he gets caught between the political fronts

After five years in America, Svedberg finally returned to Europe, where he signed up with the KHL. There, too, the defensive giant experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. On the one hand, he left his mark on the second-best league in the world and was even naturalized by Kazakhstan, which enabled him to take part in two world championships. On the other hand, he found himself caught between political fronts.

Viktor Svedberg in a fist fight with Bozen's Cristiano DiGiacinto. © Markus Ranalter

When Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, Svedberg was under contract with the Siberian club Avangard Omsk. Numerous European players from the KHL were looking to leave at that time - also because the Swedish, Finnish and Czech clubs made a clear statement: "Anyone who stays in Russia despite the war is persona non grata for us." This is still the case today.

“That would have cost me my house and property.” Viktor Svedberg

Svedberg nevertheless decided to stay in Omsk. "I had signed the biggest contract of my career at the time. If I had left the club, I would have had to buy myself out. That would have cost me everything. I therefore decided to fulfil the contract, also for the sake of my family. I still stand by that decision today," said Svedberg, who will soon become a father for the third time.

Now the Swedish giant has landed at HC Pustertal. Whether with his boxing match against Bolzano's Cristiano DiGiacinto or with his impressive physique - Viktor Svedberg has already thrilled many fans at the Wolves. How long will he stay in Bruneck? After all, he only has a temporary contract. "I hope for a long time. I like it here." When a man who has seen so much of the world in his life says that, it means something.