'I've never met nicer people' - Jonas Liwing reflects on his sole season with Sheffield Steelers

The 8-4 win over Nottingham Panthers was an unforgettable experience - the Yorkshire team coming from 3-0 down to seize the points, roared on by 8,461 fans.

But after 10 games, the bubble burst.

The classy Swedish defenceman suffered a dislocated elbow against Cardiff Devils in September and while he reappeared on the scene just before new year, things didn't always go well and he was frequently a healthy scratch.

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Liwing, looking to embark on a new season back home in Sweden, admits 2019-20 was: "one of my tougher seasons."

He felt wretched having to miss so many games through injury and admitted: "I never really got up to my standard which is very disappointing."

The 37-year-old veteran did his best to cope with the pressure.

"It's always tough being outside the squad no matter the reason," he says.

"In Sweden we are taught to be a good teammate whatever the situation, so that is what I tried to do. Stay positive and come to the rink with a smile every day. But I was very frustrated. I even had thoughts about leaving the team."

But overall, he seems happy to have made his debut in the EIHL and embraced the Sheffield community.

And it all started with that Panthers' game.

"In the beginning of the year we played Nottingham at home and we were down and we turned it around and won with 8-4. The crowd were absolutely amazing and I remember thinking: 'Wow, this is something I will never forget.'

"Another great memory is meeting a lot of nice people. I thought that British people were grumpy and unpleasant but it was the complete opposite. I never met nicer people in my whole life."

The injury was a sickener: "As an athlete you always want to practice and play. Watching hockey from the stands and doing rehab for three months is almost as painful as getting your elbow dislocated."

Liwing hopes the top Swedish league will start in the middle of September, as long as the corona pandemic does not make that impossible.

"I think they will start without a crowd and maybe after new year's people are allowed in the arenas, but that's just my guess.

"I really hope EIHL will start to but I know it's hard since the teams really depend on selling tickets."

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His own future lies in his home city, the capital of Sweden.

"I don't want my career to end with the season I had with the Steelers. Steelers is not an option and neither is any other team outside Stockholm.

"We bought a house after the season and have just settled in so moving away one more time is not an option for us. In SHL there is only one team but I am not at that level. In

Hockeyallsvenskan (2nd league) there are two teams in Stockholm and another three within an hour of driving. Hopefully I will manage to get a contract with one of them."