From Sweden: Wild practice on large surface at Hovet, will play games at tighter Avicii rink

Sarah McLellan's postcard: The older Hovet arena has wooden fold-down seats and steep aisles, like an old-time rink.

November 17, 2023 at 9:40PM
The Wild practiced Friday at Hovet, the oldest ice arena in Stockholm. (Sarah McLellan, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

STOCKHOLM — Watching the Wild practice on Friday felt like traveling back in time.

Overlooking the ice were wooden fold-down seats divided by steep aisles.

Welcome to Hovet, Stockholm's oldest arena, which served as the Wild's on-ice home this week while they prepared for the NHL Global Series beginning Saturday vs. Ottawa at Avicii Arena next door.

The Wild didn't hold any of their practices at Avicii Arena in the lead-up to their first game, but they did take a team photo there where the seats are red.

"It's unique how red it is," said coach Dean Evason, who was there previously while suiting up for Team Canada. "Yeah, it's a fun building to play in. Looking forward to coaching there."

At Hovet, the ice is larger than the NHL-size rink the Wild are used to skating on, and the difference was noticeable.

"It's tough to recover a puck when it goes in the corner," winger Marcus Foligno said. "I feel like you've got so much space to try to get it down the ice and things like that. I think we're trying to keep it tight and keep things to kind of an NHL rink but once you get out there, you'll pick it up again.

"It's only been two practices out here, and I think we're all excited to get back in an NHL-sized rink."

Hovet, which has a capacity of 8,100, held its first hockey game at its inauguration on Nov. 4, 1955; Sweden beat Norway 7-2.

As for Avicii Arena, it was formerly known as the Ericsson Globe before it was renamed to honor the Swedish DJ Avicii after his death. That's where Sweden's national team plays, but on Sunday the Wild will be the "home" squad against Toronto.

"Really cool look to it," Foligno said. "There's the suites above the net that go straight up. It's got a really cool vibe and just excited to be there tomorrow."

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about the writer

Sarah McLellan

Minnesota Wild and NHL

Sarah McLellan covers the Wild and NHL. Before joining the Minnesota Star Tribune in November 2017, she spent five years covering the Coyotes for The Arizona Republic.

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