Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN /
Team Sweden Preview
After settling for bronze in August, Sweden looks for gold in December, with an almost completely new-look roster. Sweden will only have six returning players from August’s team, Fabian Lysell (BOS), Isak Rosen (BUF), Liam Ohgren (MIN), Jonathan Lekkerimaki (VAN), Ludvig Jansson (FLA) and Victor Stjernborg (CHI). Majority of their defence and all of their goaltending has been turned over, including Simon Edvinsson (DET), who declined the invitation to play for Sweden. Sweden will rely heavily on their offence, with six NHL first rounders at forward.
The goaltending duties are expected to be handed to Carl Lindbom (VGK). The seventh-round prospect of the Golden Knights is having a phenomenal season in Sweden’s second league, the HockeyAllsvenskan. Fighting for the back-up spot will be Ian Blomquist and Marcus Brannman. Blomquist, like Lindbom is having a strong season in the HockeyAllsvenskan. Brannman, on the other hand, is holding the fort down in the USHL for Dubuque Fighting Saints.
Uniquely, Sweden will have two 2023 draft eligible players on their World Junior roster in Leo Carlsson and Axel Sandin-Pellikka. As of now, Leo Carlsson is expected to be a top five selection in the upcoming draft. He has a combination of a strong frame, great motor and creative puck skills. Sandin-Pelikka has been rising quickly on many draft boards after a strong start to his season. He has shown plenty of offensive promise, producing over a point per game in the J20 league. Both these players will likely have a chance to be pivotal to Sweden’s success this year.
Sweden is a part of Group A which includes, Canada, Czechia, Germany and Austria. They begin their tournament December 26th against Austria.
Top 10 players to watch:
Fabian Lysell (BOS)
Fabian Lysell is off to a phenomenal start in his first AHL season for the Providence Bears. Lysell has, at times, struggled with physicality in the AHL, but he has adapted his game to still find succeess. He has dominated using his combination of speed and skill, adjusting nicely to playing against men after playing out of the WHL previously. Lysell, one of six returning players for Sweden, was the leading scorer for Swedish forwards with six points in seven games in the summer and will be counted upon for much of the same this time around. One of the fastest players in this tournament, his ability to attack the middle of the ice will be the key to him making a large impact.
Isak Rosen (BUF)
One and two on this list could be interchangeable. Like Lysell, Isak Rosen is also having a strong start in his first year in the AHL. While most of his points have come off of his playmaking ability, Rosen possesses a lethal shot. In August’s World Juniors, Rosen tied with Emil Andre for most goals for team Sweden with four. Rosen’s skating is textbook; he uses his feet to deceive opponents and excels in his east-west movement. Sweden is loaded with offensive talent and Rosen should provide the scoring for Sweden.
Photo: Simon Hastegård / BILDBYRÅN /
Liam Ohgren (MIN)
Ohgren offers Sweden a balance of offensive skills, with both power and finesse. He uses a quick and deceptive release on his wrist shot to beat goaltenders, and also has strong puck protection with his solid frame. Ohgren is one of five Djurgårdens IF players who made Team Sweden, so it will be interesting to see if Sweden keeps Ohgren playing with line mates Lekkerimaki and Ostlund like they have done for many years. Ohgren has been consistent with playmaking and scoring for Djurgårdens in the HockeyAllsvenskan this year producing six goals and five assists in 24 games. Playing against the best in the world, and considering his skating is only average, his ability to minimize the gaps will be a factor in his success this tournament.
Noah Ostlund (BUF)
Noah Ostlund, the second Buffalo Sabres prospect on this list, is mesmerizing to watch on the ice. He’s a gifted playmaker with a smooth skating stride and good agility. Ostlund is also a responsible defensive centre, using his skating ability to be involved in most plays. Ostlund thrives in transition, as he reads the game at a high level and combines it with his nifty hands and strong skating ability. He should help Sweden transition the puck to their star-studded wingers. The biggest caveat in Ostlund’s game is his lack of size and strength; his puck protection is limited, which is why he excels more in open ice. Ostlund is projected to play a top six centre role for Sweden at this tournament.
Leo Carlsson (2023)
There is a lot to like about Leo Carlsson, a projected top five pick in the upcoming 2023 NHL entry draft. Carlsson has size, speed, and immense skill, which he has already showed off in the SHL. Even as a teenager, he uses his large frame at 6’3, 194Ibs to protect the puck against men at the SHL level. Carlsson began this season on a torrid pace scoring 10 points in his first 11 SHL games but has cooled recently. Transitioning from wing to center this year, Carlsson has been provided the opportunity to attack the open ice more using his combination of size, awareness and skills to help him to maneuver from end to end. His aforementioned cold spell in the SHL could impact his play at this tournament, however, hopefully a stint at the World Juniors can re-spark Carlsson’s game.
Calle Odelius (NYI)
With only one returning defenceman, Sweden will rely heavily on Calle Odelius, who played a large role for Sweden in their gold medal win at the under-18s last Spring. Odelius is a two-way defenceman with strong mobility and an eye for playmaking. His four-way mobility stands out; he generates speed with large crossovers and can transition the puck from end to end. He also uses a combination of awareness and puck-moving skills to find open passing lanes and advance play for his team. Odelius is expected to play meaningful top four minutes for Sweden’s inexperienced blueline.
Filip Bystedt (SJS)
Filip Bystedt, the fourth Swedish player selected in the first round of the 2022 draft, is having a strong season in the SHL. He’s playing approximately 12 minutes a night and has produced 11 points in 24 games. Bystedt’s game relies on his size, which he uses to protect the puck while attacking while attacking with speed thanks to his long, powerful strides. More than just a pure playmaker, when Bystedt gets good positioning in the offensive zone, he has a quick release to beat goaltenders cleanly. Bystedt is expected to play a third line-all situations centre role for Sweden, who will lean on his ability to transition the puck, defend well and provide offence.
Jonathan Lekkerimaki (VAN)
While Jonathan Lekkerimaki has struggled to produce at the start of year in the HockeyAllsvenskan, he has thrived in international tournaments for Sweden recently. Lekkerimaki led Sweden to the gold medal at the U18s last April, scoring 15 points in six games. He followed that up producing three points in a top nine role for Sweden at the August World Juniors as a double underager. Lekkerimaki’s shot is his strongest offensive tool, as he’s able to get it off quickly and accurately. Last season his playmaking ability started to evolve and with the threat of his passing, it opens up more shooting lanes for him. The hope is (at least for Sweden and Vancouver Canucks fans and management), that Lekkerimaki can use a strong WJC performance as a springboard to performing better post tournament in the Allsvenskan.
Ludvig Jansson (FLA)
Ludvig Jansson, the lone returning defenceman for Sweden, will be asked to play a much larger role than the depth one he played in August. Jansson has a high awareness of positioning at both ends and will be relied on heavily defensively for Sweden. He uses his reach and mobility to close gaps and take the puck away from oncoming opponents. Jansson does have some offence as well as an efficient puck mover; he’s already bested last season’s HockeyAllsvenskan point total with six points in 25 games this season.
Carl Lindbom (VGK)
The biggest question of the tournament for Sweden will be if Carl Lindbom can fill the shoes of Jesper Wallstedt. Lindbom will likely be taking over Sweden’s goaltending. He has had a strong start to the season playing for Djurgårdens IF in the HockeyAllsvenskan league, where he has 15 wins for Djurgårdens, while posting a 1.78 GAA and a .936 SV%. He will certainly have some familiarity on this team, playing with four of his Djurgårdens teammates this tournament for Sweden. His play in front of an inexperienced defence core could be the deciding factor for Sweden this tournament.
Surprise Player
Axel Sandin-Pellikka (2023)
While he is definitely not a household name, Axel Sandin-Pellikka should turn heads this tournament. The draft eligible defenceman is a shifty, dynamic puck moving defenceman. On top of his puck-moving ability, Sandin-Pellikka has a wicked shot from the point, which seems to, more often than not, find the net. He has risen up many draft rankings after an impressive start to his draft year, producing in the J20 league this year with 13 goals and 26 points in 20 games. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Sandin-Pellikka sees time quarterbacking Sweden’s powerplay, even if it is the secondary unit. Given the lack of returning defenders, ice time and responsibility are certainly up for grabs and NHL scouts will be watching closely to see if Sandin-Pellikka can secure a consistent role.