Good day eh.
I have been living in Scandinavia, mainly Sweden, for the last two years. I have really come to appreciate the passion and knowledge of the Swedish hockey fans here.
In talking with most fans quite a number pay pretty close attention to the NHL during the regular season and really get into it in the playoffs. In my experience most people follow Swedish players and/or teams with Swedish players more closely.
It seems a lot of fans have latched onto to teams featuring star Swedes from the last 10 years (give or take). For instance there are a tonne of NYR and Detroit fans for obvious reasons, with Vancouver, Colorado and Toronto seemingly in a second tier. As all those teams have featured star Swedes, past and present. However rarely do I encounter a Sens fan or see people wearing Sens merchandise.
I understand starting to follow a team for whatever reason and now being a lifer, but the time has come to adopt the Ottawa senators. If you already have a team, add them if you do not follow a specific team now is the time to hop aboard.
The Senators are through a rough period and will look to compete for the cup in the coming years and feature a team filled with Swedish talent, they are the new Detroit.
Alfredsson- longest serving captain in NHL...the man, nothing more needs to be said! (hopefully sticks it out for one more year)
Karlsson- reigning Norris trophy winner...no other player like him in the world, exceptional talent and is one of if not the most exciting players to watch night in and night out (unfortunately out for season after freak skate cut injury)
Silfverberg- last years SEL scoring leader, and playoffs MVP. First year in the league and just getting comfortable, but will definitely be a star in the NHL. Super gifted offensively but is also very defensively aware (already and maybe prematurely being labelled an Alfredsson lite)
Zibanejad- last years WJHC golden goal boy. Also first year in NHL, the Sens high draft pick from a couple years back, but starting to enter his own and playing really well both ends of the ice, when he and Silfverberg are playing together and going, they are special to watch. A bulldog on skates with a good set of hands.
Lehner- Senators goalie of the future. Currently carrying the load with a injury to Anderson and looking good doing it. He had been brought along slowly in Ottawa as goalies should be but he is ready and proving it nightly.
Now I don't know of any other team with as many high end Swedish players, that will be leading their team into the future but there it is. The Senators are currently in playoffs spot while missing essentially their entire top offensive line, top defensive unit and top goalie for pretty much the whole season. While it has not only been the Swedish players maintaining their playoffs spot they have been a major part of it. All while being forced into roles that I am sure management would have preferred be given to them next year *three rookies playing major roles not necessarily what you want, but is working so far.
So climb aboard or don't, but you cannot say you were not warned. You don't wanna get caught cheering for some random team and have them face the mighty Senators and be saying, 'damn Silfverberg just put my team out of the playoffs, I never even knew he was in the NHL yet'.
p.s. if you all know all this already, then sorry, it just seems that most people I talk with do not seriously consider the Senators or are aware of all the Swedes on the team.
p.p.s. do not mean to say Swedes only cheer for Swedish players...but in my experience it definitely leads to added interest (I am Canadian but do not exclusively follow Canadian players...obviously)
I have been living in Scandinavia, mainly Sweden, for the last two years. I have really come to appreciate the passion and knowledge of the Swedish hockey fans here.
In talking with most fans quite a number pay pretty close attention to the NHL during the regular season and really get into it in the playoffs. In my experience most people follow Swedish players and/or teams with Swedish players more closely.
It seems a lot of fans have latched onto to teams featuring star Swedes from the last 10 years (give or take). For instance there are a tonne of NYR and Detroit fans for obvious reasons, with Vancouver, Colorado and Toronto seemingly in a second tier. As all those teams have featured star Swedes, past and present. However rarely do I encounter a Sens fan or see people wearing Sens merchandise.
I understand starting to follow a team for whatever reason and now being a lifer, but the time has come to adopt the Ottawa senators. If you already have a team, add them if you do not follow a specific team now is the time to hop aboard.
The Senators are through a rough period and will look to compete for the cup in the coming years and feature a team filled with Swedish talent, they are the new Detroit.
Alfredsson- longest serving captain in NHL...the man, nothing more needs to be said! (hopefully sticks it out for one more year)
Karlsson- reigning Norris trophy winner...no other player like him in the world, exceptional talent and is one of if not the most exciting players to watch night in and night out (unfortunately out for season after freak skate cut injury)
Silfverberg- last years SEL scoring leader, and playoffs MVP. First year in the league and just getting comfortable, but will definitely be a star in the NHL. Super gifted offensively but is also very defensively aware (already and maybe prematurely being labelled an Alfredsson lite)
Zibanejad- last years WJHC golden goal boy. Also first year in NHL, the Sens high draft pick from a couple years back, but starting to enter his own and playing really well both ends of the ice, when he and Silfverberg are playing together and going, they are special to watch. A bulldog on skates with a good set of hands.
Lehner- Senators goalie of the future. Currently carrying the load with a injury to Anderson and looking good doing it. He had been brought along slowly in Ottawa as goalies should be but he is ready and proving it nightly.
Now I don't know of any other team with as many high end Swedish players, that will be leading their team into the future but there it is. The Senators are currently in playoffs spot while missing essentially their entire top offensive line, top defensive unit and top goalie for pretty much the whole season. While it has not only been the Swedish players maintaining their playoffs spot they have been a major part of it. All while being forced into roles that I am sure management would have preferred be given to them next year *three rookies playing major roles not necessarily what you want, but is working so far.
So climb aboard or don't, but you cannot say you were not warned. You don't wanna get caught cheering for some random team and have them face the mighty Senators and be saying, 'damn Silfverberg just put my team out of the playoffs, I never even knew he was in the NHL yet'.
p.s. if you all know all this already, then sorry, it just seems that most people I talk with do not seriously consider the Senators or are aware of all the Swedes on the team.
p.p.s. do not mean to say Swedes only cheer for Swedish players...but in my experience it definitely leads to added interest (I am Canadian but do not exclusively follow Canadian players...obviously)
) in the east after NYR. Then we have Ducks and the Wild in the West 
Trade them for Klefbom, Brodin and Johansson and I'll switch full time to being a Sens fan 
