900-game veteran leaves to coach women’s soccer after betrayal in the NHL

He may have hung up the skates, but he is staying put in the world of sports. Defenseman Anton Stralman has reportedly retired and is now a coach for Skultorps IF, a Swedish women’s soccer team, according to Robin Olausson of Hockey Sverige.

Stralman last played for the Boston Bruins back in 2022-23 when he earned a spot on a professor tryout contract and had then remained a free agent, going to play for HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He put up two goals and 16 points in 48 games. In his last campaign in the NHL saw him taking part in just eight contests for the Bruins, recording zero points and a minus-3 rating.

It was time to move on and you have to say that his new career choice has caught several fans off guard.

But the soccer team is thrilled to have him on board.

“We are incredibly humbly grateful that we get this opportunity. He will help us with the physical training before and during the coming season.”

Some saw it coming as Stralman claimed that he was betrayed by the Bruins in his last NHL stint. After the 2022-23 season in Boston, the blue liner had said that he felt the team just wanted to sign him to fill in the roster for a few weeks only to then bury him in the AHL. Stralman played in 17 games with the Providence Bruins, posting four assists.

“They did as they probably thought at the beginning, it became a loan for a few months. Then they got rid of me in the AHL, you feel betrayed, that was not what we were talking about. It’s just an example of how it can be.”

“Then I wanted to join a team that had a chance to win,” added Stralman. “I wanted a chance to compete for a spot on a team. I made it pretty clear that I wasn’t going to be a loan player.”

Stralman played for a number of teams during his NHL career, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, New york Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Arizona Coyotes, and finally the Bruins. He won a gold medal with Sweden at the 2017 World Hockey Championship, and was named Sweden’s hockey rookie of the year in 2006.

Stralman definitely has the reputation of a winner in Sweden and his experience and leadership should help other athletes prepare for their upcoming seasons.