Ryan O’Byrne has arrived in SHL

06 Aug 2015Marcus Vilson»

Eurohockey.com were in Kinnarps Arena today, to see former NHL star Ryan O'Byrne make his debut in HV71 and on Swedish ice. It was a tired, but eased O'Byrne who met us afterwards.

Photo taken by Sarah Connors on February 22, 2011

Welcome to HV71 and Sweden Ryan. How does it feel to be here?
- Thank you very much. It feels great and I'm really excited to be here. It's a great city here and it looks like we got a really great team for this year. I know a few guys on the team, among them Chris Abbott, Erik Christensen and Martin Thörnberg. These are guys I've played with before and it makes the transition a lot easier and I'm just looking forward to get started.

The sports management think that you will bring in another dimension in the defensive play. What do you think about this?
- Yeah, I play my game. I'm 31-years old and I'm not going to change the way I played. I'm a big guy who plays a physical game. Play defensive and play hard against the opposing teams forward and that's the way I've been playing for 26 years, so I continue to play that way.

In what way will you contribute to HV71?
- Just as I said, I'm not coming here and try to change anything. I'm not going to change the way I play and i still going to play defensively hard and making it hard for the opposing forwards and think twice when I have the puck on the stick. Just play that hard style game.

Many fans are talking about your hit on Chara. Is that something the fans in Kinnarps Arena are going to see in winter?
- That's the way I play and I'm looking for a big hit to change the momentum of the game. I play very hard and if I get the chance a guy very hard, I'm going to do that. That one on Chara was a hard one back in the days and hopefully I can do the same here.