Nordic Vikings Congrats Jaca (Men) and PUIGCERDÀ (Woman) the New La Liga Champions 2026.
My pre favourites Jaca struggled a bit to become La Liga Champions, and it was not an easy walk in the park for them. It was needed a fifth game settled on extra penalties against the outsider Majadahonda, in the Semifinal series. Majadahonda levelled the Semi series in Madrid from 0-2 to 2-2. In the fifth game in Jaca penalty it was needed extra shoot-out rounds. Former Nordic Vikings players John Wedin scored one and Alex Pedraz missed the other one – when Spain’s best player Jamie Capillar scored both. I felt before the games that this semifinal series would be the real final – like last year when Majadahonda was up against PUIGCERDÀ in the Semi and they become Champions in the end…but again a strong season by Majadahonda so close…
In the final Jaca needed 4 games to secure and to beocome the Champions against Txuri Hrudin – Txuri sensationally took out last year’s Champions PUIGCERDÀ in the other Semifinal series also in the fifth game. They also took one victory in the Final against Jaca – so great season for Txuri.
We also congratulate PUIGCERDÀ Woman to their La Liga Hielo Victory – after the Majadahonda Woman lost a couple of players to the play off they could not take the tittle and became Runners up this year as well..
On Men’s side I really think the Finnish Players in both Txuri and Jaca changed the Road Map this year in the end of the season. If you look at it from a Nordic Vikings point this year – we had to say that it was a year when “The Finnish Case became also ours” as it popular was described in Sweden when Finland fighting Russia in the Finnish Winter War 1939… Well, we gave them some blankets back then… And this year we should honour them from a Nordic Point of view; they are not always many – but they are damn hard – and they have really coloured the Spanish League this year…
It is still the Copa del Rey left – but I think IIHF WC DIV 1 B in Shenzhen China (door to door to Hong Kong and a well-known production place for Bauer and CCM) now is the big focus of Attention in Spain. It will be a really tuff task for Spain to keep their position in the group – Last year they did not play well in the beginning of the Tournament when Jamie Capillar saved them in the last games and moments. The big questions are how they learned from that experience and to not give up. However, when a looked at the Rooster Nordic Vikings Dorian Donath Sanchez will be there. China then.. well, it is hard to say if any of the former Nordic Vikings player and connections will play. Kunlun Redstar changed name to Shanghai Dragons this year and went to play off in KHL, with many of the Chinese Olympic Players… The Chinese Politics will show what the Rooster will be and in which end of the table they compete this year with home expectations.. Estonia and especially Korea who had developed their Team play last year with a new generation… will also be tuff and interesting to see. Then you also have Romania that could be a contender hard to beat. Spain have had many decisive games against Netherlands the last years so maybe this last game will be the game they must win….
IIHF 1B Games could be followed on iihf.com – and you often need to be an early bird..
29 April Spain vs Estonia – 06.30 CET, 30 April Korea vs Spain – 10.00 CET, 02 May Romania vs Spain – 06.30 CET, 03 May China vs Spain – 13.30 CET, 05 May Spain vs Netherlands – 10.00 CET
