Mike Helber and Uffe Bodin have chosen Tyler Kelleher as Hockeyallsvenskan’s best player for September and October.
We think they picked the wrong player. Joel Svensson should have won.
Joel is first in the official scoring standings. He and Kelleher both have 30 points, but Joel has more goals: 15 to 12. Joel does not play on IK’s first line. He has spent much of the season on the third line, although he has an established role on the first powerplay unit. His average ice time is 17:26 per game. Kelleher’s is 19:30.
The powerplay has produced 17 of his points. And Kelleher reached 30 points in 15 games, compared with Joel’s 18. Those are the numbers. The judgement starts there.
Kelleher was signed by Leksand as an established offensive star. The expectations reflect that. Joel is coming off a season of 20 points in 51 games and has now become one of the players carrying IK’s offence. In that respect, Joel reminds us of Smejkal: he can hold his own.
For us, that development, his goals and his importance to the team outweigh Kelleher’s higher scoring rate. Especially at an IK where, throughout the autumn, we have argued that too much rests on too few players.
Kelleher is a big name. We think Helber has gone for the comfortable, established choice and missed the greater achievement.
That grates even more given what he said in October.
Back then, Helber argued that IK might need to sell Joel Svensson or Calle Karlsson if an SHL offer arrived. The finances and IK’s lack of a promotion target were used as arguments.
IK reported SEK 14.6 million in equity as of 30 April 2026. That is not the same as cash in the bank, but it is a financial foundation Helber should take into account. Selling off key homegrown players during the season to bring in money requires a much better argument than IK not targeting promotion. We think his advice shows a poor understanding of the club. Starting to dismantle what is lifting the team is an absurd starting point. These players matter to the people buying tickets, bringing their children and hoping for a future for the club.
Back in September, we argued that IK should strengthen around their emerging heroes. We stand by that. Joel is from Oskarshamn, a homegrown player for people to rally around and someone who makes IK better. His sporting and local importance must carry real weight when the club’s future is discussed.
When the pundit’s chair becomes a place to tell a club how little it should settle for, we think it starts to smell of hubris.
Helber needs to come back down to earth. IK are entitled to ambitions for their season too.
And no, our point is not that Joel never gets recognition. He has already been named Player of the Week twice. Our criticism concerns this decision and Helber’s view of what IK should do with their own success.
But being underestimated can be useful. We tend to respond well when others set our limits.
Keep piling up the points, Joel. Make it even harder to choose the big name.