I've enjoyed every part of it

By André Savage

If you would have asked me 10 years ago where I would be in my life at the age of 30, the last thing on my mind would have been living and playing hockey in Malmö, Sweden. But the good thing about this once I go back home, I'll be bringing an experience and a memory that will last with me for the rest of my life.

From day one, the players greeted me on this team as if I was already part of the family and that helps a lot when you come from a different team let alone a different country and culture. I find the people of Sweden to be very genuine and welcoming.

The game of hockey was a little bit of an adjustment at the beginning of the season because of the size of the ice surface and the system that we play here is different from how the game was played back home. But I do enjoy the style of game that we play, there are a lot of talented players on our team and it's nice to see the offensive play that we bring to our games.

As a player it's always nice when you have a rivalry within the league and I always look forward to playing Rögle. The atmosphere and the energy are always high and it makes it that much more exciting to play. I think those types of games is great for the teams but especially for the fans, it really gets them involved.

One of the great things about playing in Europe is that you really get to experience what it is like to live in a different country. When you are on vacation you may get a taste of what a different country might have to offer. But to be able to live here six months out of the year you really get a feel of what it's really like to live in a different part of the world. Since I've been in Malmö, I've been able to experience what real Swedish meatballs are, what a traditional Swedish Christmas dinner taste like, how glögg keeps you warm in the cold, how some words in Swedish is the same as in French since my first language is French. These are just a few examples of my experiences here in Sweden and I've enjoyed every part of it.

Also, the good thing about Malmö is that Copenhagen is only 30 minutes from here. I got a little taste of what Danmark is about, it's such a beautiful city and I had Kim Staal show me around so I could be familiarized with the city when my family comes to visit. Malmö has so much to offer especially for someone coming from over seas and I wouldn't trade anything for the wonderful experience that I've had here this year.

I don't know what lies ahead for my future but I'm happy that Malmö was my first destination in my professional career in Europe.

Sincerely,
André Savage