International transfer period is in full swing as players are changing their clubs and getting ready for the new season ahead. This week we take a look at the big transfers from some of the Finnish, Swedish and Swiss players.
PSS to lose two important talents
PSS have not been the favourites to win the championship in the Finnish F-liiga during recent years and it seems their team is getting younger for the upcoming season. Last season they lost against FBC Loisto in the quarter-finals 3-0 in the best of five series. The Porvoo based Team will also lose two of its key players – Daniela Westerlund and Ella Sundström who are both moving to SSL and Kais Mora.
Westerlund and Sundström were top points scorers of their team during the regular season – Westerlund with 29 points (14+15) in 22 games and Sundström with 27 points (12+15) in 21 games. Both players were part of the Finnish roster at the 2023 World Floorball Championships in Singapore and came back home with silver medals. Before that event Westerlund had represented Finland once in Women’s WFC (2021) and in Women’s U19 WFC (2016) having silver medals from both events. Sundström also has silver medal from 2021 WFC and bronze medal from WFC 2019.
Skilful goal scorer to Switzerland
Team Thorengruppen IBK have won everything possible in the past few seasons – they are the defending champions in the SSL, Swedish Cup and Floorball Champions Cup. Now they will have to say bye to one of their top scorers Sofia Joelsson, who has decided to go and chase more titles in Switzerland together with Piranha Chur.
Joelsson scored 43 goals during the past season in the SSL and was the second best goal scorer of the league. In total she got 56 points in 26 matches. Joelsson has also been solid part of the Swedish national team having won three WFC gold medals – in 2017, 2019 and 2021.
Indians continue to chase the title in Finland
Indians played a great season in the Finnish F-liiga although the end result and fourth place was somewhat disappointing. But the Team from Espoo is definitely willing to improve their results and chase the brightest medal this upcoming season. Indians previously announced adding Jere Niemelä to their team who made a move from TPS and Turku to the “black and yellow” shirt. In addition, Indians will get two players from abroad who are returning to Finland: Joonas Kaltiainen and Otto Lehkosuo. Kaltiainen, who previously represented other Espoo based club Oilers, is now switching to Indians. Like this would not make the Espoo derbys even better! Kaltiainen has spent the past season in Team Thorengruppen and now the goalkeeper is up for a new challenge. Kaltiainen has also represented Finland in the home WFC in 2020.
Also the former Indians defender Otto Lehkosuo is coming back to Espoo after spending two seasons in Floorball Köniz Bern. Lehkosuo brings experience to Indians defence and the matches in Switzerland are definitely working in his favour in the upcoming season. Lehkosuo scored 5 goals and assisted 9 in 21 games last season.
Lehkosuo is also a familiar face in the Finnish national team and there is a high chance we will be seeing him at WFC 2024 in Malmö later this year. That would be his third Men’s World Championships event after being part of the squad in 2020 and 2022.
Swiss talent “hopping” to Thorengruppen
As Thorengruppen are losing Kaltiainen to Indians, they will get a great addition to their team from Switzerland. Swiss national team forward Noël Seiler has decided to leave Grasshopper Club Zurich and move to Sweden. Seiler rose to international fame latest at home WFC in Zurich, which was his first ever World Floorball Championships. Before that, he had represented the Swiss Men’s Team at The World Games and also at Euro Floorball Tour. Seiler gathered four points (2+2) at his first ever WFC and scored four goals in TWG 2022. During the past season in Switzerland he gathered 34 points in 22 games, 17 goals and 17 assists.
More transfers will be covered every Monday this summer on Floorball.sport and you can see the full list of confirmed transfers so far here:
