Two pillars of the Bisons blue line over the past five years are taking their talents to Sweden.

Defenders Erica Rieder and Alexandra Anderson — who also shared a line together during their time in the brown and gold — will be suiting up for MODO and SDE Hockey, respectively. The two squads compete in the ten-team Swedish Women's Hockey League (SDHL).

The pair of former U SPORTS All-Canadians, who were instrumental in helping the program win their first-ever national title two years ago, acknowledged that it will be strange at first competing against each other, but are excited for the change of scenery and opportunity to grow as hockey players.

"We've talked about it a little bit and what we're bringing. I think our third game we're playing SDE, so we play each other and that'll be interesting," Rieder says. [Anderson] is pretty offensive-minded and I'm also that same way so it'll be interesting to see how it plays out."

Both players had their minds firmly set on playing overseas after their university careers came to an end and leaned on fellow alumni/assistant coaches Maggie Litchfield-Medd and Venla Hovi for advice.

The former spent multiple years with SDE after her U of M career finished in 2014-15, while the latter has won two Olympic bronze medals with Finland and has a plethora of insight regarding the women's game internationally.

"When I was in my first year Maggie was in her fifth year and then the year after that she went to Sweden to go play. As soon as I knew that was possibly an option for me, I guess it was lingering in the back of my head. Once my final season as a Bison came to an end, it was like yeah, I want to make this happen and go over there to play," Anderson says.

"Maggie had nothing but good things to say about the team and it sounded like she had a great time and an amazing experience and that really encouraged me to make my way over there to play."

While Litchfield-Medd contributed her personal experience to the conversation, Hovi touched more on the logistics, as Rieder was originally trying to decide between heading to Finland or Sweden.

"I asked [Hovi] and I said if I were to go overseas, what teams in Finland would I go to? She was like 'I would go to Sweden.' Obviously Finland is doing really well for female hockey right now but she said Sweden has a little bit more money and their programs are just a little bit more established."

The duo both started emailing their respective teams from Sweden relatively soon after the 2018-19 season concluded, with over the phone conversation and a contract coming later on in the summer.

In Anderson's case, the process was slightly more challenging, as she had taken a two-and-a-half month bike trip across the U.S. with a professor of hers the day after her last exam and didn't have a consistent internet connection.

"It was a little bit stressful because I only had wi-fi a couple of times a week. There was also the time change, so 6:30 our time was like midnight over there, so I really only had the morning to communicate with them and that was when I was biking all day.

In the evening I would have to send an email if I had wi-fi and then I would have to wait until the next morning for their response. There was probably an easier way to do that but I didn't choose the easier way."

On the ice, the defenders will look to benefit their teams with their size, physicality and well-rounded 200-foot game. But Anderson is just as excited for the comradery off the ice.

"I'm really excited to meet my new teammates and build a relationship and a bond with them. It'll be a bit nerve-wracking starting over but it's part of hockey and one of the things I enjoy, just being with your teammates and creating a family with them."

Rieder needs to be in Sweden for August 1 to start training camp, with Anderson embarking slightly afterwards. The regular season lasts from September until February, which will be a slight adjustment as Rieder noted that she's typically just starting up with hockey towards the end of August.

Regardless, both players are ready for the task in front of them, acknowledging the impact that Bisons head coach Jon Rempel and the program in general has had on their hockey journeys.

"I can't say enough good things about this program and [Rempel] as a coach," Rieder says.

"He was hard when he needed to be hard but he was also really good at getting to know his players and how different players respond to how he coaches. I've become a way better player and person coming out of this program, so I'm totally prepared."