There have been six best-on-best international hockey competitions since the start of this century. Five of those events were claimed by Canada. The only other country to best everyone else’s best? Sweden at the 2006 Olympics.
The Swedes, of course, were also in the running for Games gold in 2014, losing the final matchup to Canada in Sochi. The Tre Kronor will once again enter a talented, balanced squad when the 4 Nations Face-off begins six months from now on Feb. 12, 2025.
Anders Lundberg, who’s picked Sweden’s past three entries at the annual World Championships, is charged with selecting the players who don, hands down, the best uniform in international hockey. (Both the blue on yellow and yellow on blue are just immaculate).
So with our Team USA and Finnish rosters already built earlier this week, let’s turn our focus to the second European nation in this event.
(Players already named to the team are listed in bold).
Forwards
Elias Pettersson-Joel Eriksson Ek-William Nylander
Gustav Nyquist-Mika Zibanejad–Filip Forsberg
Jesper Bratt-Elias Lindholm-Adrian Kempe
Leo Carlsson-William Karlsson-Lucas Raymond
Extra: Mikael Backlund
In the mix: Gabriel Landeskog, Fabian Zetterlund, Rickard Rakell, Alexander Wennberg
You look down the middle at Sweden’s roster and think anyone of the four guys playing centre here could conceivably be the first-line pivot depending how coach Sam Hallam wants to roll things out. Throw Elias Pettersson in the mix and there’s actually five guys you could see starting as the top centre on this squad.
William Nylander and Filip Forsberg give the Swedes a 40-goal guy on each of the top two units and it would be so fun to see kids Leo Carlsson and Lucas Raymond add some exuberance and skill to the fourth line.
Obviously Gabriel Landeskog is in a tough spot in that we don’t yet know when — or if — the Colorado Avalanche captain will play his first NHL game since the Cup-clinching contest of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final. If he can get on the ice and show he’s still even close to the player he once was, Sweden is going to find a spot for him.
Defence
Victor Hedman–Erik Karlsson
Gus Forsling-Rasmus Dahlin
Hampus Lindholm-Mattias Ekholm
Extra: Rasmus Andersson
In the mix: Jonas Brodin, Adam Larsson, Timothy Liljegren
There’s no shortage of offensive or defensive talent on this blueline. What is at a bit of a premium is right-handed players. The only righty in the top six listed above is Erik Karlsson. Depending on how much Hallam values that left-right balance, it could open the door for righties like Rasmus Andersson, Adam Larsson and even Timothy Liljegren — with a step-forward season — to carve out a role.
Even with a heavy left-shot bent, this is a marvellous group. Karlsson is the only three-time Norris winner in the league and Hedman won the award in 2018 and never finished lower than third in Norris voting in six straight years from 2017 to 2022. Yes, they’re both now mid-30s guys, but it’s still a great pair to start your defence crew with.
Goalie
Linus Ullmark
Jacob Markstrom
Extra: Samuel Ersson
In the mix: Filip Gustavsson, Anton Forsberg, Jesper Wallstedt
It’ll be interesting to see who the Game 1 starter is because both Linus Ullmark and Jacob Markstrom are beginning the season with new NHL teams, Ullmark having been dealt to the Ottawa Senators and Markstrom beginning the New Jersey Devils chapter of his career. Ullmark has the best save percentage in the league (.924) dating back to the start of the 2021-22 season and won the 2023 Vezina Trophy. If he adjusts well to an increased workload in Ottawa, he might have the inside track on Markstrom to begin the event as the starter.
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
No comments:
Post a Comment