Olympics: Team Sweden 2022

[Phil McKraken]

KLART: NHL-spelarna kommer till OS 2022

Erik Karlsson: "Fy fan vad jag har längtat efter det."

Erm... who has the heart to tell him he's probably not going, unless he has a strong season now? But I would never say never, even if his skating is far from what it used to be, he's still a fantastic puck handler.

Unfortunately no one, which is why he'll go no matter how he performs until then. Just like Garpenlöv he'll get a spot due to long and faithful service (plus name recognition), because our federation is more about being buddies than about trying to win.

I'm not saying he can't deserve it. He still has an elite gear, but he should only come if he proves he can reach it.

 

[Makaveli]

Landeskog-Pettersson-Nylander
Forsberg-Backstrom-Lindholm
Rakell-Zibanejad-Hornqvist
Backlund-Karlsson-Arvidsson
Eriksson Ek/Burakovsky

Hedman-Brodin
Lindholm-Klingberg
OEL-Ekholm
Dahlin/Larsson

Lehner
Markstrom
Ullmark

 

[ORRFForever]

Landeskog-Pettersson-Nylander
Forsberg-Backstrom-Lindholm
Rakell-Zibanejad-Hornqvist
Backlund-Karlsson-Arvidsson
Eriksson Ek/Burakovsky

Hedman-Brodin
Lindholm-Klingberg
OEL-Ekholm
Dahlin/Larsson

Lehner
Markstrom
Ullmark

William Nylander on the Top Line. Wow.

 

[majormajor]

Landeskog - Pettersson - Zibanejad
Forsberg - Backstrom - Nylander
Burakovsky - Karlsson - Lindholm
Bratt - Eriksson Ek - Hornqvist
Backlund, Arvidsson

Hedman - Lindholm
Ekholm - Klingberg
Brodin - Larsson
Dahlin, Andersson

Lehner
Markstrom
Ullmark

 

[ORRFForever]

Landeskog - Pettersson - Zibanejad
Forsberg - Backstrom - Nylander
Burakovsky - Karlsson - Lindholm
Bratt - Eriksson Ek - Hornqvist
Backlund, Arvidsson

Hedman - Lindholm
Ekholm - Klingberg
Brodin - Larsson
Dahlin, Andersson

Lehner
Markstrom
Ullmark

The lineup is not horrible by any means. Would you expect it to be better? Yes, but...

 

[majormajor]

The lineup is not horrible by any means. Would you expect it to be better? Yes, but...

Better in what way? There are zero holes in it. Sweden might have been better a few years ago when Erik Karlsson was still elite but it's still dynamite.

 

[ORRFForever]

Better in what way? There are zero holes in it. Sweden might have been better a few years ago when Erik Karlsson was still elite but it's still dynamite.

I, like many, expect the lineup to be more explosive. To have names jump off the page - where you think, "Wow".

I get that Wow-ness when I see Canada's centers (Mc David, MacKinnon and Crosby) or the U.S.'s wingers. Sweden does not have that anyone like that.

But, I agree, it is a solid lineup and it is certainly capable of taking Gold.

 

[ORRFForever]

I think a lot of Swedish forwards are solid fly-under-the-radar guys on their NHL teams. Take William Nylander. Even as a Leaf fan, it is easy to forget how effective he is. And, when you do notice him, I attribute a lot of his success to Matthews or someone else.

But, then I think, "If Nylander chose Canada, would he make either Canada A or Canada B?" A definite NO on A and a maybe on B. Yet he is a Top 6 on Sweden's A so...

That's my long winded way of saying Sweden is a solid but UN-explosive team up front.

 

[majormajor]

I, like many, expect the lineup to be more explosive. To have names jump off the page - where you think, "Wow".

There isn't as much of a wow factor, for sure.

I am really curious how Zibanejad and Pettersson would do if they were on the same line. That sounds explosive to me. I don't know if the Swedish brass would take that idea seriously.

 

[Mathieukferland]

Coach will matter a lot, I know a Par Marts team on NHL ice would have gone down terribly so hopefully they pick someone able to coach a less possession based style

 

[SportsFan94]

Landeskog-Zibanejad-Burakovsky
Petersson-Eriksson Ek-E Lindholm
Forsberg-Backstrom-W Nylander
Rakell-W Karlsson-Hornqvist
Arvidsson

Hedman-Brodin
Ekholm-Klingberg
H Lindholm-E Karlsson
Larsson


Markstrom
Ullmark
Lehner

Taxi Squad 5
Nyquist, Olofsson, Dahlin, Ekman-Larsson, F Gustavsson

 

[Phil McKraken]

I think a lot of Swedish forwards are solid fly-under-the-radar guys on their NHL teams. Take William Nylander. Even as a Leaf fan, it is easy to forget how effective he is. And, when you do notice him, I attribute a lot of his success to Matthews or someone else.

But, then I think, "If Nylander chose Canada, would he make either Canada A or Canada B?" A definite NO on A and a maybe on B. Yet he is a Top 6 on Sweden's A so...

That's my long winded way of saying Sweden is a solid but UN-explosive team up front.

I don't know, I think Zibanejad - Pettersson - Bäckström - W. Karlsson is a sleeper for best center group after Canada, if we go that route. Eichel - Matthews and Barkov - Aho are great 1-2 punches, but Bäckström - W.Karlsson >> Larkin - Miller and Hintz - Kotkaniemi. Russia was already a bit weaker at center, and now Kuznetzov can't come either.

The defense is great and well balanced and goaltending is solid. The wing is a big weak spot though, compared to most other top teams. Preferably you'd want someone like Nylander on the third line in an Olympic squad.

 

[Eye of Ra]

I, like many, expect the lineup to be more explosive. To have names jump off the page - where you think, "Wow".

I get that Wow-ness when I see Canada's centers (Mc David, MacKinnon and Crosby) or the U.S.'s wingers. Sweden does not have that anyone like that.

But, I agree, it is a solid lineup and it is certainly capable of taking Gold.

the amount of superstars sweden had in the early-mid 00s upfront was crazy for such a small nation. zetterberg, näslund, sedins, forsberg, sundin, alfredsson. 7 superstars upfront.

 

[Eye of Ra]

There was a interview with Garpenlöv today about WC. Garpenlöv said that the players did not understand what roles they should have.

Is it not Garpenlövs job to resolve that?

This clown is gonna coach our team in Olympics.

 

[Eye of Ra]

edit: bugging

 

[TheDoldrums]

The wing is a big weak spot though, compared to most other top teams. Preferably you'd want someone like Nylander on the third line in an Olympic squad.

Nylander is usually one of Sweden's best players whenever he puts on the jersey, I don't think him being in the top 6 is an issue tbh

 

[MNRube]

I still think this is the best bet to beat Canada. They have more two-way players than the USA and tend to play a more responsible and cohesive game than Americans do in best on best hockey. Plus they have very good role players that can take on workmanlike roles in Eriksson Ek, Landeskog, Brodin to compliment all the skilled players. It's strange being concerned about Swedish goaltending, but they really are weak there compared to the USA, Canada & Russia.

My take on their lines:
Landeskog-Backstrom-Nylander
Forsberg-Pettersson-Zibanejad
Rakell-Eriksson Ek-Lindholm
Arviddson-Karlsson-Burakovsky/Hornqvist

Hedman-Klingberg
Brodin-Karlsson
Ekholm-Lindholm/Dahlin

 

[HockeyWooot]

Agree completely. In lieu of a ton of game breakers I think they’ll be stacked with 200 ft skilled players.

As someone mentioned earlier a bit of a shame the 2018 games didn’t have NHLers.

Prime Hedman and Karlsson would have been a monster pairing.

 

[bert]

No love for kids: Eklund, Raymond, Holtz ...?

None have even played in the league yet.

 

[Eye of Ra]

None have even played in the league yet.

well, if they do play in NHL until the olympic break and does it crazy good, they might force their way into the team

 

[bert]

well, if they do play in NHL until the olympic break and does it crazy good, they might force their way into the team

I don't see it, unless one of them is a top 5 scorer they won't make it over a reliable player. Imagine one of those guys playing Canada or USA best on best?... The intensity and compete will be something they've never come close to seeing.

Would they make it over Arvidsson or Eriksson Ek... probably not.

 

[Czechboy]

I'll be in shock if Dahlin is not in top 6.

 

[ValeriKamensky]

Landeskog - Pettersson - Nylander
Forsberg - Backstrom - E. Lindholm
Burakovsky - Zibanejad - Bratt
Arvidsson - W. Karlsson - Eriksson Ek
Backlund, Hornqvist

Hedman - Klingberg
Ekholm - E.Karlsson
Dahlin - Larsson
Brodin - H. Lindholm/Ekman-Larsson

Lehner
Markstrom
Ullmark

 

[Czechboy]

Every set of line combos I think the same thing.. Sweden is not weak anywhere. C's are great, W's are great, G's are great and D is great.

 

[Johnny Tomala]

Can You list me all possible candidates to make Sweden defence? I want to rate depth of Swedish D.