Axelsson Brings the Boulet Home

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Season 54 was a very successful one for Theo Axelsson and the Helsinki Titans.  Despite lagging behind Stockholm during the regular season, the Titans were able to finish the playoffs with a Continental Cup win, especially thanks to a playoff MVP performance from goalie Astrid Moon, who would also be voted the league’s most improved player.  Axelsson, meanwhile, was able to win his first individual accolade.  For the first time in his career, he scored over 50 goals and reached a career high of 98 points; combined with a third-best 363 hits, this earned him a first-ever Boulet Trophy for the league’s best two-way forward.  This seems to mark Axelsson’s development into one of the league’s top players and the VHL’s premier two-way forward after the retirements of Zach Parechkin and John Sleeman.
 
Many players would celebrate such an award with friends or teammates, but for Axelsson it was different - immediately after the VHL’s awards ceremony, he flew back to his hometown of Vasteras in Sweden to see his family.  It’s something that he’s done every offseason.  Axelsson has stated in the past that he credits much of his hockey success to his parents, sister, and now deceased brother.  With a shortened offseason due to the World Cup, the Titans forward tried his best to maximize his time at home.  Now, with Season 55 coming up and Helsinki hoping to defend their championship, Axelsson will be hoping to use that time as motivation for more success in the future.