Finnish vs. Swedish hockey "identity"

[meangene]

Kinda vague, but what would you say are the hallmarks of Finnish and Swedish hockey style and culture? And how do they differ from one another? I know Finns tend to be a bit more defensive and physical, but anything specifically from an X's and O's perspective? How and why did these two neighboring countries develop the differences in their style?

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[FiLe]

Let's just get this out of the way so that the topic may begin in earnest...

 

[Selannne]

Let's just get this out of the way so that the topic may begin in earnest...

It seems like the swedish players are more professional...
Maybe that's why they are better overall

 

[Snowsii]

Kinda vague, but what would you say are the hallmarks of Finnish and Swedish hockey style and culture? And how do they differ from one another? I know Finns tend to be a bit more defensive and physical, but anything specifically from an X's and O's perspective? How and why did these two neighboring countries develop the differences in their style?

IMO, it all comes down to the youth programs..

Thank god, we did get rid of the "Everyone plays" mentality. Sweden is ahead of us as they changed their youth programs somewhere in the 90's ?, but our styles might be actually be very similar.

 

[Kennel]

"Ulf Sterner, a Swedish hockey star, has said in an interview that Swedish players are big drunkards. He thinks that Swedish mentality requires a drink every now and then and it's unlikely they'll get rid of that habit. He mentions Finns, Russians and Czechs as examples of good behavior and abstinence."
-Suomen Urheilulehti 11.3.1970