Tord Yvels Biography

[Trazan 131]

Tord Yvel… Who is this 22 year old just joining the Mississauga Hounds? To answer that, I have translated this open letter from Tord found in the Swedish Sports Paper “En Timma Spååt.

Enjoy!

 

Hello. My name is Tord Yvel.

I'm just a normal kid from Southern parts of Sweden.

Never met my mom. Or I have met her I suppose. But I was way too young to have any memories of her. Dad never talked ill about her even though it couldn’t have been easy raising me alone. Where mom went? I’m not really sure since dad won't talk about that.

 But the talk of the town suggests that she ran off with the guy who invented knobs. 

 

My father was Ost Yvel and for as long as I can remember we went to the local hockey games together. Although he didn't play the game himself, he understood the players like few others(In my opinion) . What makes a player good? What is that player's weakness? “If he can tweak that he might have a shot at the big leagues”. 

SInce i started hockey as a wee child I have followed his advice to the letter. He preached defense,  defense, defense!! So that's the player I am today, A Defensive defender with a knack for finding open teammates. Not particularly speedy but I know that's where I have to put in  a lot of work, I’m not big enough to get by smashing people against the board. Dad always said I have to get faster, More aware with the stick. Not to get physical, be smart instead.

He was my Mentor until he suddenly got beamed up by aliens on a cold winter morning. That was traumatic for Me, and I do not like to talk about it. Never ask me about my fathers sudden abduction!. Never!I Or i will politely but firmly ask you to leave.

 

Before that life changing event I had never really thought for myself. My dad always had the what-to-do’s ready for me. “that team has the best coach and hats so that's where you are playing this year”. His advice has taken me through some teams and cities. 

 

2006-2008

Malmö Mighty Otters

This is where I started my hockey experience.A peewee team located in the outskirts of the city. Old rink that smelled like rotten bananas and sweat. Even though the facilities were bad as hell, the feeling of being a community was stronger than the rink was bad. I still know and talk to the guys who I played with on that team. 

We were really bad and I can't really tell anything about those seasons without embarrassing myself. But good times were had. 

 

2008-2009

Halmstad Hamsters

This was a hard time for me as a person. I left the close knitted club of Mighty Otters and didn’t mesh well at all with this new environment. But I learned alot about how to play and about life in general. Especially from their famous physiologist “Pudding”.

 

2009-2012

Eslövs GodisKungar™ 

Just thinking about this time gives me goosebumps. I loved my time here in the lovely city of Eslöv. Some may try to convince you that Eslöv is a little white-trash town with nothing to do but let me tell you, There are plenty of hockey to be experienced in this town. How about the legend Tuffe-Uffe Brölin in charge of all the junior operations? Not impressed? Peter Forsberg’s sister's brother-in-law drives the zamboni! Knut Andersson(Or as he was called in his hay days “Knut SlagskottsKingen”) had on-ice training with us juniors. This place is basically what made me the hockey player I am today. 

 

2012-2020

Malmö NightHawks Program for talented youth

As I was playing in Eslöv some suits from the BIG club came and talked to me. They said that they had talked with some personnel in the Eslöv organization and had heard great stuff about me and my game. They offered me a try-out for their junior development program. As a big fan all my life and even in generations before me I couldn't say no. I got the chance of a lifetime and my dad told me to take it! This place refined me and teached me how to be a pro. This is a lifelong fandom and without this organization I wouldn't be where I am today.

 

After 2020 I was lost. My dad had just disappeared and I had to stand on my own two feet. 

The last few years have been really dark and i won't go into details about it. Let's just say I did a lot of stuff I'm not proud of. That I'm ashamed to even think about. 

A time in my life I consider to be behind me.

 

A new chapter is about to be written. The fine folks at Mississauga Hounds have found it in their hearts to give me a second chance at life and to pursue my dream! For that I will always be grateful.

 

To new beginnings!

Cheers

/Tord Yvel