How a trip back home to Sweden put Joakim Nordstrom back on track

Joakim Nordstrom is used to taking some punishment out on the ice.

A key cog on Boston’s fourth line, Nordstrom was often a magnet for pucks during the Bruins’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last spring, blocking 21 blasts that sailed his way over the course of the postseason.

And while the emotional sting from last June’s crushing result hasn’t dulled more than a year later, the tenacious forward’s physical state was also in rough shape by the time Boston cleared out its lockers and looked ahead to the 2019-20 campaign.

One of those 21 blocked shots left its mark on the Swede, fracturing Nordstrom’s foot and forcing the winger to spend most of the club’s already shortened summer in a boot.

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Already behind schedule after missing Boston’s training camp back in September, Nordstrom’s attempt at playing catch-up was often interrupted by a myriad of bad breaks this season.

Along with nagging back injury, an infection also sidelined the versatile skater through the first few months of the new campaign, while complications from an allergic reaction also kept him out of game action during the winter.

Even though he still managed to log minutes in 48 games this season, Nordstrom's extended stretch of bad breaks forced him to spend most of his second year in Boston mired in a stop-and-go cycle — a frustrating reality for a player that prides himself on gutting through the aches and pains that come with the territory as a hockey player.

Still, weeks of inactivity and rehab earlier this season clearly don't hold a candle to Nordstrom's current predicament — self-quarantining in his Boston apartment after over three months away from NHL hockey.

Nordstrom, who is hoping to join his teammates back on the ice at Warrior Ice Arena next week, doesn't expect any issues when it comes the mandatory safety protocols put in place. After spending a few months back home in Sweden, isolation back in the U.S. was a necessary requirement, with the forward already returning three negative tests for COVID-19 since arriving stateside. A fourth test, scheduled for Friday, stands as the final hurdle before getting the green light to return to Warrior.

 

Even though restrictions in Sweden were much more lax when compared to the U.S. — and Massachusetts, especially — Nordstrom didn't spend the spring shaking off any added rust by skating at any rink near his hometown of Stockholm. By the time Nordstrom and his girlfriend decided to head back to Europe, time was not on their side — with the B's winger leaving his gear back in Boston and only flying with carry-on luggage and his dog, of course.

But even with the stringent regimen of testing now on the docket — coupled with the lack of on-ice work back in Sweden — Nordstrom was quick to note that taking such a trek back home was exactly what the beleaguered forward needed, especially with playoff hockey now back on the horizon.



Even without the ability to stay fresh on a sheet of ice back home, Nordstrom did gain one luxury upon making the decision to fly to Sweden — peace of mind. Cooped up in their apartment for two weeks in March after the NHL opted to suspend play, Nordstrom and his girlfriend were often faced with uncomfortable scenarios when it came to staying safe. An elevator was the only way for them to bring their dog out for daily walks, with the threat of a packed lift ever-present in the new normal that we've all had to adapt to.

Compounded with the fears involved with potential bans on travel, especially internationally, Nordstrom jumped on the chance to return home for a breather, even if it meant leaving his skates and other gear back in Boston.

Granted, it was unlikely that Nordstrom was going to be spending much time in high-density spots in Sweden either. Even though gatherings of 50+ people were banned, the government's response in Sweden was to preach social distancing and rely on its citizens to follow through on their end of the bargain — with stores, restaurants and gyms all remaining open throughout this first wave of the pandemic. (A move that, mind you, hasn't exactly led to stellar results within the country).

"It was like a different world coming from Boston ...  Back home, I could be a little bit frustrated that people didn't really care about the whole social distancing downtown," Nordstrom said via Zoom on Tuesday morning.

Thankfully for Nordstrom, his offseason home is far from the hustle and bustle of Sweden's capital city — about 30 minutes out in the countryside. Even without his skates, Nordstrom was still able to keep his conditioning up, working outside with his regular offseason trainer. And, to the relief of many, Nordstrom's dog could roam freely and avoid any elevators.

Even with such a prolonged period of inactivity — especially with a return to game action looming — Nordstrom remained focused on drawing the positives from his time back home. Given the number of hurdles he's had to clear this season, taking a few months away from the rink has allowed him to regroup and reset for what will be a rapid ramp-up into the postseason.

“It was a tough season for me mentally with those setbacks,” Nordstrom said. “Even last summer I had my foot in a cast all summer, so I couldn’t work out, I couldn’t prepare really for this season. I just felt like it was never — you couldn’t really see the horizon. It was always something else. Like I got the foot out of the cast, and (then) I hurt my back. And then it was the infection and then something else, something else. It was, I’m not going to lie, it was tough mentally. Obviously you never want this to happen, the pandemic or anything, like if I could pick — 100 percent I would just keep going and play the season. But to answer your question it was kind of nice to go home a little bit and regroup and recharge and I feel now mentally I’m in a way better state than what I was in February.”

Boston could certainly use his contributions once Phase 4 begins, ideally at the end of July. Along with the shot-blocking totals he racked up last postseason, Nordstrom was one of Cassidy's most dependable bottom-six forwards — chipping in with three goals and eight total points during the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, while averaging 14:49 of ice time per game during the Cup Final against St. Louis.

For Nordstrom, a clear head and a clean bill of health will only compliment what is already a motivated mindset — one spurred not only by a desire to rewrite last year's ending, but also to cash in on a new deal offseason as a pending free agent.

"That's definitely something that's crossed my mind, with the season that I had too with injuries and sickness," Nordstrom said of playing for a new contract. "If we get to play now, that's also a positive for me in terms of putting myself in a better position for free agency or what happens next for next year. It's a little bit different than years in the past, but this is probably the new normal."