SAN JOSE —  Filip Hallander (pronounced HAUL-and-er) hails from Sundsvall, Sweden, the gulf town of roughly 75,000 that gave the hockey world such names as Henrik Zetterberg, Fredrik Modin and Vancouver centreman Elias Pettersson.

Hallander arrived at Edmonton Oilers practice and skated on a regular line Friday, looking forward to a new start in a new town with a new team.

“Great team, great players, great city, great fans,” the 26-year-old said of Edmonton, after a spirited practice on the left side of centre Jason Dickinson and Kasperi Kapanen. “It’s the whole package, coming to a team that wants to win. (He is) just happy about the chance to be part of this group.”

There are injuries, but then there are circumstances like what Hallander went through last season. He played 13 games for the Penguins, took a puck in the leg, and doctors found a blood clot. They shut him down for the season.

“It was a tough year, but a good year too,” he said. “I was able to do everything except contact on the ice. So it was like an off-season for 11 months.

“I came back stronger, both mentally and physically. You get a lot of resilience going through something like that, and have a bigger appreciation for the game.”

Oilers fans should be realistic about this trade.........

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