Luleå Hockey Reinforces Squad with Ben Tardif Amid Season Struggles

Luleå Hockey has faced a difficult start to the 2025 Swedish Hockey League season, enduring four consecutive losses. In an effort to strengthen their team, the club has secured the services of Canadian forward Ben Tardif from Finnish club Kärpät. According to Aftonbladet, Sportchef Thomas Fröberg believes that Tardif will provide the missing spark the team needs after a challenging beginning, stating, "He will add a bit of what we have been missing during parts of the season's start."

Expressen reports that Luleå successfully negotiated a transfer with Kärpät for approximately 100,000 euros after discussions of a player exchange fell through. Tardif, who scored ten goals in his time with Kärpät, had expressed dissatisfaction with his situation in Uleåborg and was eager to make the move to Luleå. He has played in Finland for the past three seasons and had a contract extending to 2027, which was resolved early due to a contractual clause.

Tardif will sign a contract covering the remainder of the current season and the next. He is reportedly willing to accept a reduced salary for this season but expects a significantly increased salary next season, estimated at over 200,000 euros net. At 25 years old, Tardif’s arrival is seen as a strategic move to help Luleå reverse their downward trend before the break.