Story Summary
Joakim Fagervall has been placed at the head of Växjö Lakers’ coaching group after Björn Hellkvist left his position as head coach following the club’s difficult start to the SHL season. The defeat by Färjestad BK proved decisive, with Växjö announcing Hellkvist’s departure the following day.
Fagervall and the other assistant coaches will continue the work, while sporting director Henrik Evertsson will also be involved in the group overseeing the team. Fagervall said the news came as a surprise and described the circumstances as particularly difficult because he has previously experienced being dismissed himself, at Malmö Redhawks and Djurgårdens IF.
The immediate concern is Växjö’s defensive record. The club have conceded more goals than any other side in the league, have lost three SHL games in a row and sit 12th, three points above Linköping HC and the qualification line.
Key Facts
- Björn Hellkvist left his role as Växjö Lakers head coach after the club’s poor start to the SHL season.
- Joakim Fagervall is leading the coaching group alongside the remaining assistants, with Henrik Evertsson also joining the work.
- Växjö’s defeat against Färjestad BK was the final factor before Hellkvist’s exit was announced.
- Växjö have lost three consecutive SHL matches and are 12th in the table, three points above Linköping HC and the qualification line.
- Fagervall said Växjö have conceded the most goals in the SHL and must improve their defensive play.
IHM Discussion
This is an unusual handover for Fagervall. He is not arriving as an outside replacement with a new staff and a separate plan; he is part of the coaching group that was already responsible for the team’s work. He was clear that the remaining coaches and players cannot place all responsibility on Hellkvist.
Fagervall’s comments also set a measured tone around the change. The existing work on the defensive game will continue rather than being discarded for a short-term overhaul.
That approach makes the next phase as much about ownership as alteration. Växjö have identified goals against as the clearest issue, and Fagervall has placed the responsibility for correcting it on the people still with the club.
Why It Matters
Växjö’s position makes the defensive problem more than a statistical concern. Conceding at the league’s highest rate has coincided with a three-game losing streak and left the club only three points clear of the qualification line.
A coaching change can alter the atmosphere around a team, but Fagervall’s message is that improved results must come through sustained work rather than a dramatic reset. For Växjö, reducing the number of goals conceded is the clearest route to arresting the early-season slide.
Mini Q&A
Why did Björn Hellkvist leave Växjö Lakers?
Hellkvist left after Växjö’s difficult start to the SHL season, with the defeat against Färjestad BK proving decisive.
What is Joakim Fagervall’s main priority at Växjö?
Fagervall has identified the defensive game as the priority because Växjö have conceded more goals than any other SHL team.
Coach Mark Comment
Fagervall’s first concern was to speak with Hellkvist and ask how he was doing. That small detail matters in a situation where the hockey conversation can quickly become all about table position and goals against.
He has been dismissed before, so he understands the awkwardness of taking over from a colleague without pretending it is ordinary. Växjö still have defensive work to do, but the handover has begun with Fagervall recognising the person leaving as well as the job now in front of him.
IHM Final View
Växjö have made a change at head coach, but Fagervall has not presented it as a cure in itself. His first public assessment is direct: the club have conceded too much, and the coaches and players who remain must address it together.
The pressure is now on the interim coaching group to turn that acknowledgement into a more secure team performance. There may be a fresh reaction after Hellkvist’s departure, but Växjö’s recovery will rest on the defensive improvement Fagervall says has to come.