Fife Flyers: Lucas Sandstrom aims for winning start to Challenge Cup

The former Sheffield Steelers forward has joined Fife Flyers for the 2022-23 campaign which starts on Friday night with a road trip to face Glasgow Clan in the opening Challenge Cup game, followed by a home game against Dundee Stars.

The two-way forward arrived in Fife on the back of a good summer back home in Sweden where he got himself back to fitness after injury curtailed his ice time last season.

“I feel I am in good shape, “ he said. “Summer was good, and I hope to stay healthy and help the team win games.”

At 32, Standstrom brings a lot of experience to the dressing-room.

He comes from a hockey background - his dad played, and his uncle Tomas was part of the 1997 Stanley Cup winning Detroit Red Wings side.

In common with many of his North American team-mates he also laced up at a young age - “I was probably two or three when I first went on ice, so I knew what I was going to do!”

While his career has been spent mainly in his native Sweden, his previous experience of the EIHL will stand him in good stead for the tests that lie ahead.

“I know this is a good league,” he said.

“It’s a fun place to play - more open than in Sweden and that makes it fun for fans and players.

“There’s more back and forward play, and that suits me.”Sandstrom came to the UK to ice with Steelers in season 20219-20, registering 31 points in 44 games.

He returned to Sweden to play during the pandemic, icing with Fagersta and Osterunds.

Last season took him to HC Poruba in the Czech Republic and back to Vasterviks in Sweden, but injury kept him on the sidelines.

Flyers’ short-pre season gave him a chance to get some games under his belt island get to know his new team-mates before plunging into another full-on season of hockey.

“The atmosphere here is great,” he said. “These didn’t feel like exhibition games. I really, really enjoyed paying here.

“It’s a long time since I last played, but I am used to the big ice surface - so no worries - and I feel good after summer.”

Sandstrom joins a six-strong Scandinavian quota in the dressing-room with a mix of experience players from North America, and he likes what he has seen so far.

“It’s a good group, and we get on well. It’ll be good to talk in my native language too!

“The Swedes and Finns are from the same sort of school on and off the ice. We play the same way.”