17:15: Kallio on the new gold hunting – Göteborgs-Posten

Tomi Kallio has shot Frölunda to gold – and for that, he has fans’ eternal love.

– I’ll enjoy the ambiance of the Scandinavium says Växjö’s captain.

When Vaxjo made it to the semifinals, it was as if time stood still. Tomi Kallio, 38 years young, shot away Július Hudáček and Örebro from the pursuit of LeMat trophy – and still is the Lakers captain is not satisfied.

When he goes into the Scandinavium Arena on Sunday afternoon, it’s the first time it is really serious about a different team than Frölunda.

– It’s true. I have thought about it before, that it would happen one day – to play a playoff series against Frölunda. I see it most positively. It will be fun to play even a playoff game in Scandinavium – and get to feel the atmosphere again.

Daniel Persson is chairman of Goa old men – and Frölunda’s fans have not forgotten his old hero.

– Tomi Kallio means a lot to us. In all the years in Frölunda, he gave always everything for the team and he always took time to talk to the fans. Many Supporting think to this day that Frölunda treated him incredibly bad when they did not renew his contract. With us he will always be one of the greatest players – no matter what team he plays in.

Tomi Kallio silenced.

The voice thickens indeed.

– The feels very good to hear such words … it moves me every time I hear someone say such words. As you know, I thought they over eight years in Gothenburg was absolutely amazing. The people of Gothenburg and the crowd treated me always as their own – and I felt really loved there.

Tomi Kallio living for four years in Växjö with the wife Sini and children Walter and Wilmer, six and three years old.

– What touches me the most is that it’s been four years – but I still feel that I liked and appreciated in Gothenburg …

Växjö was tipped by experts as the gold favorite pre-season – but corresponded maybe not quite the expectations in the game. So after Christmas enlisted club two more players of high quality, Josh Hennessy and Jeff Tambellini.

– When they arrived it became very fierce competition

for places. We found a very good level thereafter. We have repeatedly talked about it will be different when the Lakers are gold favorite – and that we must be able to shut off the outside and think only of their own performance. It was perhaps an educational period, for somehow got the experts’ words still up to the guys in the locker room. We found neither game or level before Christmas, not as we thought or thought we would.

The Lakers also have twelve players who come from outside – the largest number in the SHL.

Frölunda talking about testing your morality – as an up-acquired team?

– I understand that many outside may think so, because we have different nationalities. But we have an incredibly good team, we works really well together. All foreigners who are in Växjö is very well scouted, it’s good guys. There are no egoists here – without all the pushing and moving toward the same goal.

And the goal?

– It is to go beyond the semi-finals … we’re not satisfied.

Exactly how an injury suffered Frölunda be defeated is not easy to explain, but Kallio makes an effort.

– You have to play tough for Frölunda has many fast players. They are not as tall. At the same time, do not overdo it. We have to be very good with the puck. Frölunda like bringing the game, but so do we.

It could also be the last time that Tomi Kallio visit Scandinavium, for his contract expires – and the family has talked about moving home to Turku in Finland.

– I do not know at all what I will do. It is quite honestly. Before the playoffs, I tried to think of different scenarios, but felt I did not come to any decision. I do not know if I have any future left – and I have it in that case.