Björn Bjurling in a Vålerenga jersey. Photo from http://www.bb-goalie.com/
For Björn Bjurling it came as a complete surprise when, at age 24, he was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers, 274th overall in the 2004 entry draft. At the time he was quoted, perhaps a bit tongue-in-cheek, as saying: “Oh wow, am I that good?!” He was playing with Stockholm’s Djurgården (which included a short time paired with former Oiler goalie, Joaquin Gage) and when he learned he'd been drafted he commented that it was “a confirmation that I’ve had a good season and I look forward to the future”. Little did he know how quickly his hockey future would change.
Three and a half years after draft day, and after having bounced around Europe with his goal pads in tow, Bjurling is, statistically, the best goalie in Swedish Elite Series hockey.
Yesterday, Aftonbladet (Sweden’s biggest tabloid “evening” newspaper) dedicated the front page of its weekly Elite Series supplement to Bjurling. With a save percentage over 93%, the headline about Bjurling was The Year’s Biggest Surprise.
It comes as a surprise because Björn Bjurling was practically chased out of Stockholm and the Elite Series after a disastrous playoff series in 2004. While playing with Djurgården, his team was beaten in 4 straight by Gothenburg's Frölunda and outscored 25-6. Many in the media and fans cast blame at the goalkeeper and with the forthcoming NHL strike, his days in Djurgården were all but done.
What came next was a journeyman’s story of hockey perseverance. Tomas Ros’ article in Aftonbladet touches not only on his expulsion from Djurgården but also a serious concussion, severe eye injury and his ethnic background as ½ Serbian that all give his hockey perspective.
Akin to Mathieu Garon’s story, Björn Bjurling has learned that being a professional hockey goalie is a lot about being in the right place at the right time and taking the chance.
After leaving Djurgården, Bjurling had club addresses in Austria’s Red Bulls Salzburg, Switzerland’s Geneva (Oiler connection: coached by Marty McSorley's brother Chris), and last year in Norway’s Vålerenga, where he won a league championship.
In a match while playing for Geneva, he was bulldozed into his own crossbar and the resulting concussion resulted in a 3 month stint on the injury shelf. In Norway, a high shot cracked his facemask and did severe damage to his left eye putting not only his career at risk, but also his eyesight.
Today, Björn Bjurling is playing for the Södertälje SportKlubb (SSK) and has adopted the helm as number 1 goalie, thanks in part to the World Juniors. It was actually young prodigee Jhonas Enroth that started the year brilliantly in SSK’s net, but during the World Junior tournament, Bjurling took over the job and his poise and experience has helped him hold the job since.
Currently with a save percentage (after Thursday’s match) of 93.32% and facing on average 34 shots a game, Bjurling is best in the Elite Series. His goals-against is a respectable 2,29 (good for 3rd overall). Bjurling’s fellow goalkeeper, Enroth, is 3rd in sv% 92.46% and 2nd in GAA 2,26. Together this tells quite a story about why SSK is even still involved in the 2007-08 Elite Series. Offensively they are stagnant or, perhaps better put, inconsistent. Thanks to the Enroth/Bjurling duo, they are still among the fight for the eighth and final playoff spot (currently 10th – 3pts, or one win, out of 8th).
One can only speculate what inside info or motivatation led to the Oilers in selecting Björn Bjurling. As the blog Coming Down the Pipe suggests, he might have been seen as another potential Jussi Maarkanen. A proven 24 year-old goalie is a much safer wildcard pick than the many unknowns of any young 18 year-old. Developing a goalie is as much about character as it is about technique.
Bjurling has displayed tremendous fortitude and character over the last 3½ years. He will likely never wear the Oiler silks, but given his recent run, there could very well be another right-place, right-time in the near future.
For Björn Bjurling it came as a complete surprise when, at age 24, he was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers, 274th overall in the 2004 entry draft. At the time he was quoted, perhaps a bit tongue-in-cheek, as saying: “Oh wow, am I that good?!” He was playing with Stockholm’s Djurgården (which included a short time paired with former Oiler goalie, Joaquin Gage) and when he learned he'd been drafted he commented that it was “a confirmation that I’ve had a good season and I look forward to the future”. Little did he know how quickly his hockey future would change.
Three and a half years after draft day, and after having bounced around Europe with his goal pads in tow, Bjurling is, statistically, the best goalie in Swedish Elite Series hockey.
Yesterday, Aftonbladet (Sweden’s biggest tabloid “evening” newspaper) dedicated the front page of its weekly Elite Series supplement to Bjurling. With a save percentage over 93%, the headline about Bjurling was The Year’s Biggest Surprise.
It comes as a surprise because Björn Bjurling was practically chased out of Stockholm and the Elite Series after a disastrous playoff series in 2004. While playing with Djurgården, his team was beaten in 4 straight by Gothenburg's Frölunda and outscored 25-6. Many in the media and fans cast blame at the goalkeeper and with the forthcoming NHL strike, his days in Djurgården were all but done.
What came next was a journeyman’s story of hockey perseverance. Tomas Ros’ article in Aftonbladet touches not only on his expulsion from Djurgården but also a serious concussion, severe eye injury and his ethnic background as ½ Serbian that all give his hockey perspective.
Akin to Mathieu Garon’s story, Björn Bjurling has learned that being a professional hockey goalie is a lot about being in the right place at the right time and taking the chance.
After leaving Djurgården, Bjurling had club addresses in Austria’s Red Bulls Salzburg, Switzerland’s Geneva (Oiler connection: coached by Marty McSorley's brother Chris), and last year in Norway’s Vålerenga, where he won a league championship.
In a match while playing for Geneva, he was bulldozed into his own crossbar and the resulting concussion resulted in a 3 month stint on the injury shelf. In Norway, a high shot cracked his facemask and did severe damage to his left eye putting not only his career at risk, but also his eyesight.
Today, Björn Bjurling is playing for the Södertälje SportKlubb (SSK) and has adopted the helm as number 1 goalie, thanks in part to the World Juniors. It was actually young prodigee Jhonas Enroth that started the year brilliantly in SSK’s net, but during the World Junior tournament, Bjurling took over the job and his poise and experience has helped him hold the job since.
Currently with a save percentage (after Thursday’s match) of 93.32% and facing on average 34 shots a game, Bjurling is best in the Elite Series. His goals-against is a respectable 2,29 (good for 3rd overall). Bjurling’s fellow goalkeeper, Enroth, is 3rd in sv% 92.46% and 2nd in GAA 2,26. Together this tells quite a story about why SSK is even still involved in the 2007-08 Elite Series. Offensively they are stagnant or, perhaps better put, inconsistent. Thanks to the Enroth/Bjurling duo, they are still among the fight for the eighth and final playoff spot (currently 10th – 3pts, or one win, out of 8th).
One can only speculate what inside info or motivatation led to the Oilers in selecting Björn Bjurling. As the blog Coming Down the Pipe suggests, he might have been seen as another potential Jussi Maarkanen. A proven 24 year-old goalie is a much safer wildcard pick than the many unknowns of any young 18 year-old. Developing a goalie is as much about character as it is about technique.
Bjurling has displayed tremendous fortitude and character over the last 3½ years. He will likely never wear the Oiler silks, but given his recent run, there could very well be another right-place, right-time in the near future.
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