Anton Levtchin position is becoming difficult in Sweden - is a move away from the championship team threatening?

The reigning champion of Sweden, Luleå HF, has been making waves in the transfer market. First, the team acquired Ben Tardif from Kärpät, and just recently, they signed veteran forward Linus Omark.

In Luleå, there is now fierce competition for the top line positions. The situation for the team’s Finnish forward Anton Levtchin, 29, has become precarious.

So far, Levtchin’s season has fallen short of all expectations. He has played 22 games with stats of 1+3=4, and his ice time has decreased over the course of the season. In his last game, Levtchi spent only 13 minutes and 44 seconds on the ice in the third line. With Omark joining the lineup, Levtchi may struggle to even fit into the third line.

The contract between Luleå and Levtchin is proving to be quite a mistake. The SHL team secured the Finnish forward with a three-year extension well ahead of last season. At that point, he had scored 10+13=23 points in 23 games. His scoring pace dwindled as last season progressed and has now nearly extinguished. The agreement between the parties lasts until the spring of 2028, and terminating it is not straightforward. It might be easier for Levtchi to be loaned elsewhere.

Levtchi is certainly not the only Finnish player in Luleå whose performance has been lacking. Eetu Koivistoinen has played 20 games with stats of 2+5, and Heikki Liedes with stats of 1+2. However, they are able to help their team with all-around play, while Levtchi is expected to be a scoring player.

A terrible setback for SHL’s Finnish star in Sweden – a long sick leave is looming

SHL | 26.10.2026 17:29