Preseason gave us two different versions of IK. One won four straight after the opening loss to Vimmerby and showed enough pace, skill and competitive edge to make the winter interesting. The other conceded six in Vimmerby and finished with two very poor periods in Kalmar. That version has to stay in September.
The final record is four wins and three losses, with 18 goals scored and 19 conceded. It tells us less than it first appears to. Preseason is preseason: lines change, workloads differ and players are missing. But seven games are enough for some questions to start taking shape.
Matt Brown has looked capable of carrying the first-line centre role even when points are not the whole story. The hockey sense, pace and will to win are there. Danny Dzhaniyev has been less even, but there is enough in his hands and his head to make it very interesting when everything starts to click. Calle Karlsson has taken steps and looks capable of becoming more important than many expected at the start of the summer.
On defence, Pontus Näsén remains the clearest offensive engine. Axel Elofsson has technique and speed that stand out, but he is 18 and should be allowed to be 18. That is an argument for IK needing offence from more defencemen, not for putting more responsibility on Elofsson.
Goaltending remains one of the most interesting questions. Emil Vuorio has already shown that he can steal a game when the team in front of him is not perfect. Axel Nyman has looked big and calm, and last season’s Almtuna performance shows the ceiling, but preseason has not given us enough reason to judge his consistency yet. We are happy to wait until around November.
There are warning lights too. Conceding six in Vimmerby cannot simply be dismissed because it was an exhibition game. Neither can the first two periods in the final tune-up in Kalmar. And when Manuel Ågren had to leave after the collision in the corner, we also wanted a clearer response from the team around him. A team that wants to get out of HockeyAllsvenskan has to be skilled without becoming soft.
The positive part is that IK do not need to pretend they are finished already. This is a team with many new pieces, young players and roles that are still settling. We have seen the ceiling. We have also seen the floor. From opening night, the task is simple to describe: make the first one more common and the second one much rarer.
Preseason is over. Now the games start where a bad night actually costs something.