GDT: WJC: Germany vs Sweden, Dec 28, 1:30 EST
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theslatcher
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The swedish mobility especially on the back end is super impressive
theslatcher
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Salomonsson back in tomorrow, well rested.
Also, Kechter nominated as Germany's player of the game is laughable.
Also, Kechter nominated as Germany's player of the game is laughable.
DieSendungmitderMaus
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Hockeyfrilla
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Bump down A.Johansson to 7th defenseman when Salmonsson is back. I also think O.Pettersson should play more.
theslatcher
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You read my mind on both things. I'd be interested to see O.Pettersson take Wagner's spot next to Bystedt.
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I posted this in the Canucks' forum, but thought I would post here too since I discuss other players as well. Please try to ignore the obvious Canucks prospect bias!
Thoughts on Sweden's first two games:
Honestly a little underwhelming despite winning 6-0 and 5-0. Sweden plays a very careful structured game which means they give up very little but also don't create as much as they could, especially against weaker teams like Latvia and Germany. That said, results are results and in both games they sort of just wore the opposition down and eventually capitalized on their chances. It will be very interesting to see how they cope with a more physical and much more skilled team Canada tomorrow. If they can continue to shut things down I will be a believer.
On defense, the players seem to all have clearly defined roles such that ASP and Havelid are the designated offensive defencemen and the rest are more defensively oriented. Both were joining the rush or pinching deep in the offensive zone a lot in the first game, but did less of that today. These two play first and second unit PP respectively but have not been used on the PK at all. I don't mind the idea of given each player a clearly defined role, but eventually the coaching staff should decide who their top guys are and start leaning on them.
Sandin-Pellikka is a good puck mover but has had an underwhelming tournament overall outside of the transition game. That said he hasn't exactly been given many opportunities to show his defensive capabilities since Sweden has rarely been trapped in their own zone outside of PKs (which he does not play). He was touted as the number 1 coming in but has been used more like a 5/6 so far.
Havelid has been better than ASP so far and has also not looked physically overmatched despite being the smallest of the Swedish defensemen at 5'10, 176. I have also liked his movement on PP2 more than ASP's on PP1.
Johansson looked great in game 1, but had a less good game today. He is tall and skates well, but has some awkward moments reaching for the puck and getting beaten wide off the rush vs Germany. He and ASP were the bottom pair today and I expect one of them to be relegated to the 7th defenseman spot when Salomonsson returns.
Lindstein has been solid so far. Honestly probably better than Noren was in the pretournament. He and Willander have formed an effective pair and he is certainly deserving of continuing to get regular minutes when Salomonsson returns.
Willander has been good overall. In 1-1 defense he has been very effective and has been very good at tieing up opposing forwards and separating them from the puck both using the body and the stick. Latvia and Germany did not capitalize, but he can occasionally pivot away from the play while it is still in his zone and he has been a little slower than I would like in some of his reads when picking up loose forwards while defending off the puck. He is a very strong skater, which usually means he makes up these gaps, but it is something to watch for against the better offensive teams moving forward. His play on the puck is a similar combination of very good with a little bit of frustration mixed in. About half the time he takes decisive action to move up the ice and is able to evade forecheckers and make space for himself with his skating; he has also taken up good positions at times in the offensive zone (resulting in one very good scoring chance for him pinching off the point today) and SWE forwards could stand to look for him more as an offensive option in zone. The other half of the time he can look a little tentative with the puck on his stick and tends to defer the play to his teammates more than he should. Overall he has not looked as smooth as ASP or Havelid with the puck on his stick. He is the type of player that can be frustrating to watch because the tools are so good that it feels like he can and should be a more proactive force on the game. That said, him playing it a little safe is better than trying to do too much and making mistakes.
Pettersson has been the best of the Swedish defensemen and has deservedly gotten the most ice time so far. He is big and has been physical, but also moves fairly well for his size. On the puck he tends to make simple, intelligent passes, but does not seem to have the offensive accumen for more creativitiy and has left a little to be desired with some of his activation timings in the offensive zone. He has a hard shot when he has time to get it away, but has struggled to find lanes with it from the point. Defensively he has been good overall but if I have a complaint it is the same as Willander in some of the reads about off-puck danger when defending in zone. I am interested to see how he handles some of Canada's speedier players off the rush since that will be a test of his mobility, which I see as a potential weekness in his game. It is worth noting that he appeared to be struggling with a leg (knee?) injury today which may be impacting his movement.
Not much to say about Salomonsson with him being suspended 25 seconds in to game 1. He looked good in pre-tournament action and I expect him to return and play big minutes alongside EP2 on the top defensive unit against Canada.
The 19 year old players have also been given more ice time than the 18 year olds in general.
All four forward lines have been solid although the fourth line hasn't really created much offensively in their slightly more limited usage. Sweden has basically rolled 4 lines (plus 13th forward) outside of special teams so far.
The top line has been good and perhaps a little unlucky not to factor more in the scoring. Ostlund would be my pick for standout performer for Sweden so far. I love his skating, which allows him great ice-coverage and he has been impressive in often leading rushes offensively then immediately getting back into position when the puck goes the other way. Nice finish on the final goal tonight, but he has missed on some other good looks (including a post and a breakaway today). If he can add some more strength (he already seems better in the board battles than last year) he projects as solid 2-way top 6 pivot, but his game is also projectible as a checking center and the NHL level. The shot is not a standout skill at this point, but may improve as he matures physically.
Lekkerimaki has been good overall, and would be my pick for most consistently dangerous offensive player for Sweden. His shot is an absolute weapon and he has a very deceptive realease as showed by his two goals vs Latvia. His boards work still isn't great, but it is improved from last year and he has showed a better ability to cut to the middle of the ice to get his shot off. I also want to qualify this by saying while he doesn't typically win boards battles with physicality he does have the quick hands to occasionaly pickpocket defenders which also typically means he is a good puck receiver on the boards even when in congested areas. His skating also looks improved from last year and is a plus attribute - if not a standout one like Ostlund's. He has taken boatloads of shots so far, especially on the PP, probably a little frustrating to non-Canucks Sweden watchers, but honestly he is the most dangerous trigger-man on the team, so I don't mind the shoot first attitude. His shot is of a quality to beat fully set and unscreened goalies cleanly. He has barely missed on several and is unlucky not to have more than the 2 goals so far. His passing has been quite good so far as well and he has combined nicely with Ostlund on some give and gos.
Wahlberg has been an effective compliment to the line and typically relied on to dig up pucks for the other two. If he can do that they will create offense.
The second line has been good, but a little less effective, I think largely because Bystedt and Ohgren both seem to want the puck on their sticks a lot and to be the ones taking shots. There have been several times where both had obvious options to pass back to their point-men but elected to take shots instead. That said, they both look physically imposing at this level and have shown some ability to make power moves and beat guys with size/speed. Wagner has been far less noticeble simply because he has played more of a role of getting the puck to the other two who do most of the handling. I understand splitting up Ohgren from Ostlund and Lekkerimaki, but I would not be surprised to see them reunited since Ohgren's speed would really compliment their playmaking abilities.
The third line has been great and likely only getting less ice time because they are all 18 instead of 19. Unger Sorum is a good playmaker, if perhaps a little too unselfish at times, Edstrom has been a very responsible two way center, and Stenberg has showed some good hands in tight and has finished his opportunities well.
Overall I would be very happy if I was Blues fan since both Stenberg and Lindstein have exceeded expectations, if I were a Sabres fan since Ostlund has looked great and Wahlberg good, if I were a Golden Knights fan since Edstrom looks like a legitimate first round talent at 32 OA. I would be medium if I were a Sharks fan since Havelid has been good but Bystedt has more to give. And I would be disappointed as a Wings or Jets (not a good day for flying things) fan since ASP, Johansson, and Wagner have been underwhelming and Salomonsson has not played because of a boneheaded hit. Also not a good showing so far for the Sens prospects despite O Pettersson having a better game today. Not so much at stake since he and Reidler (third goalie) were not as high picks as some of the other names.
Thoughts on Sweden's first two games:
Honestly a little underwhelming despite winning 6-0 and 5-0. Sweden plays a very careful structured game which means they give up very little but also don't create as much as they could, especially against weaker teams like Latvia and Germany. That said, results are results and in both games they sort of just wore the opposition down and eventually capitalized on their chances. It will be very interesting to see how they cope with a more physical and much more skilled team Canada tomorrow. If they can continue to shut things down I will be a believer.
On defense, the players seem to all have clearly defined roles such that ASP and Havelid are the designated offensive defencemen and the rest are more defensively oriented. Both were joining the rush or pinching deep in the offensive zone a lot in the first game, but did less of that today. These two play first and second unit PP respectively but have not been used on the PK at all. I don't mind the idea of given each player a clearly defined role, but eventually the coaching staff should decide who their top guys are and start leaning on them.
Sandin-Pellikka is a good puck mover but has had an underwhelming tournament overall outside of the transition game. That said he hasn't exactly been given many opportunities to show his defensive capabilities since Sweden has rarely been trapped in their own zone outside of PKs (which he does not play). He was touted as the number 1 coming in but has been used more like a 5/6 so far.
Havelid has been better than ASP so far and has also not looked physically overmatched despite being the smallest of the Swedish defensemen at 5'10, 176. I have also liked his movement on PP2 more than ASP's on PP1.
Johansson looked great in game 1, but had a less good game today. He is tall and skates well, but has some awkward moments reaching for the puck and getting beaten wide off the rush vs Germany. He and ASP were the bottom pair today and I expect one of them to be relegated to the 7th defenseman spot when Salomonsson returns.
Lindstein has been solid so far. Honestly probably better than Noren was in the pretournament. He and Willander have formed an effective pair and he is certainly deserving of continuing to get regular minutes when Salomonsson returns.
Willander has been good overall. In 1-1 defense he has been very effective and has been very good at tieing up opposing forwards and separating them from the puck both using the body and the stick. Latvia and Germany did not capitalize, but he can occasionally pivot away from the play while it is still in his zone and he has been a little slower than I would like in some of his reads when picking up loose forwards while defending off the puck. He is a very strong skater, which usually means he makes up these gaps, but it is something to watch for against the better offensive teams moving forward. His play on the puck is a similar combination of very good with a little bit of frustration mixed in. About half the time he takes decisive action to move up the ice and is able to evade forecheckers and make space for himself with his skating; he has also taken up good positions at times in the offensive zone (resulting in one very good scoring chance for him pinching off the point today) and SWE forwards could stand to look for him more as an offensive option in zone. The other half of the time he can look a little tentative with the puck on his stick and tends to defer the play to his teammates more than he should. Overall he has not looked as smooth as ASP or Havelid with the puck on his stick. He is the type of player that can be frustrating to watch because the tools are so good that it feels like he can and should be a more proactive force on the game. That said, him playing it a little safe is better than trying to do too much and making mistakes.
Pettersson has been the best of the Swedish defensemen and has deservedly gotten the most ice time so far. He is big and has been physical, but also moves fairly well for his size. On the puck he tends to make simple, intelligent passes, but does not seem to have the offensive accumen for more creativitiy and has left a little to be desired with some of his activation timings in the offensive zone. He has a hard shot when he has time to get it away, but has struggled to find lanes with it from the point. Defensively he has been good overall but if I have a complaint it is the same as Willander in some of the reads about off-puck danger when defending in zone. I am interested to see how he handles some of Canada's speedier players off the rush since that will be a test of his mobility, which I see as a potential weekness in his game. It is worth noting that he appeared to be struggling with a leg (knee?) injury today which may be impacting his movement.
Not much to say about Salomonsson with him being suspended 25 seconds in to game 1. He looked good in pre-tournament action and I expect him to return and play big minutes alongside EP2 on the top defensive unit against Canada.
The 19 year old players have also been given more ice time than the 18 year olds in general.
All four forward lines have been solid although the fourth line hasn't really created much offensively in their slightly more limited usage. Sweden has basically rolled 4 lines (plus 13th forward) outside of special teams so far.
The top line has been good and perhaps a little unlucky not to factor more in the scoring. Ostlund would be my pick for standout performer for Sweden so far. I love his skating, which allows him great ice-coverage and he has been impressive in often leading rushes offensively then immediately getting back into position when the puck goes the other way. Nice finish on the final goal tonight, but he has missed on some other good looks (including a post and a breakaway today). If he can add some more strength (he already seems better in the board battles than last year) he projects as solid 2-way top 6 pivot, but his game is also projectible as a checking center and the NHL level. The shot is not a standout skill at this point, but may improve as he matures physically.
Lekkerimaki has been good overall, and would be my pick for most consistently dangerous offensive player for Sweden. His shot is an absolute weapon and he has a very deceptive realease as showed by his two goals vs Latvia. His boards work still isn't great, but it is improved from last year and he has showed a better ability to cut to the middle of the ice to get his shot off. I also want to qualify this by saying while he doesn't typically win boards battles with physicality he does have the quick hands to occasionaly pickpocket defenders which also typically means he is a good puck receiver on the boards even when in congested areas. His skating also looks improved from last year and is a plus attribute - if not a standout one like Ostlund's. He has taken boatloads of shots so far, especially on the PP, probably a little frustrating to non-Canucks Sweden watchers, but honestly he is the most dangerous trigger-man on the team, so I don't mind the shoot first attitude. His shot is of a quality to beat fully set and unscreened goalies cleanly. He has barely missed on several and is unlucky not to have more than the 2 goals so far. His passing has been quite good so far as well and he has combined nicely with Ostlund on some give and gos.
Wahlberg has been an effective compliment to the line and typically relied on to dig up pucks for the other two. If he can do that they will create offense.
The second line has been good, but a little less effective, I think largely because Bystedt and Ohgren both seem to want the puck on their sticks a lot and to be the ones taking shots. There have been several times where both had obvious options to pass back to their point-men but elected to take shots instead. That said, they both look physically imposing at this level and have shown some ability to make power moves and beat guys with size/speed. Wagner has been far less noticeble simply because he has played more of a role of getting the puck to the other two who do most of the handling. I understand splitting up Ohgren from Ostlund and Lekkerimaki, but I would not be surprised to see them reunited since Ohgren's speed would really compliment their playmaking abilities.
The third line has been great and likely only getting less ice time because they are all 18 instead of 19. Unger Sorum is a good playmaker, if perhaps a little too unselfish at times, Edstrom has been a very responsible two way center, and Stenberg has showed some good hands in tight and has finished his opportunities well.
Overall I would be very happy if I was Blues fan since both Stenberg and Lindstein have exceeded expectations, if I were a Sabres fan since Ostlund has looked great and Wahlberg good, if I were a Golden Knights fan since Edstrom looks like a legitimate first round talent at 32 OA. I would be medium if I were a Sharks fan since Havelid has been good but Bystedt has more to give. And I would be disappointed as a Wings or Jets (not a good day for flying things) fan since ASP, Johansson, and Wagner have been underwhelming and Salomonsson has not played because of a boneheaded hit. Also not a good showing so far for the Sens prospects despite O Pettersson having a better game today. Not so much at stake since he and Reidler (third goalie) were not as high picks as some of the other names.
