WJC: 2021 Sweden Roster Talk

[sportsfan944804]

Something that'll never happen, but I think would be the optimal lineup heading into the Finland game:

Olausson - Niederbach - Holtz
Raymond - Costmar - Gunler
Holmström - Sundsvik - Söderblom
Heineman - Nybeck - Kvist - Wikström/Bjerselius

Johansson - Söderström
Björnfot - Andrae
Hedström - Berglund
Brännstam

Wallstedt

The optimal lineup would be leaving Broberg out, who while significantly injured, is still the team's 2nd leading ice time behind Soderstrom?

 

[Fatass]

The optimal lineup would be leaving Broberg out, who while significantly injured, is still the team's 2nd leading ice time behind Soderstrom?

The Swedes need Raymond and Holts to lead offensively. If Costmar continues to be their best forward I don’t think they can win.

 

[VictorLustig]

The optimal lineup would be leaving Broberg out, who while significantly injured, is still the team's 2nd leading ice time behind Soderstrom?

Yes. Injured Broberg is a liability. Probably not something serious so they made the mistake of letting him play.

 

[VictorLustig]

The Swedes need Raymond and Holts to lead offensively. If Costmar continues to be their best forward I don’t think they can win.

Costmar hasn't been the best forward.

 

[lilidk]

The Swedes need Raymond and Holts to lead offensively. If Costmar continues to be their best forward I don’t think they can win.

Break them up and move Costmar to the first line

 

[Garl]

Backstrom at WJC 07 7 games zero goals and a game misconduct in the 3rd place match
Hedman, Markstrom and Karlsson collectively failed playoffs in 2009
Nylander failed in playoffs in 2015
Pettersson and Dahlin both were underwhelming in 2017 and 2018

It is a trend with swedish top players, while russian and finnish tops were great at WJCs. This is also, IMO the reason Sweden didn't convert its group success into more than one Gold.

 

[ZEBROA]

Backstrom at WJC 07 7 games zero goals and a game misconduct in the 3rd place match
Hedman, Markstrom and Karlsson collectively failed playoffs in 2009
Nylander failed in playoffs in 2015
Pettersson and Dahlin both were underwhelming in 2017 and 2018

It is a trend with swedish top players, while russian and finnish tops were great at WJCs. This is also, IMO the reason Sweden didn't convert its group success into more than one Gold.

I get the feeling many Swedish players takes longer to develop. A lot of late bloomers. At least later then their peers.

 

[Garl]

I get the feeling many Swedish players takes longer to develop. A lot of late bloomers. At least later then their peers.

Hmm, Backstrom in 2007 was already a senior WC champion and later that year had good WHC. He also was almost PPG in SHL on a bad team.
Karlsson won Norris at 22, enough said.
Pettersson had 56 pts in 44 games in SHL, beaten eternal record by Kent Nilsson from 70s and later that year totally dominated the playoffs. And he had 7 pts in 7 games that year at WJC. And the year before that he had 1 point in 6 games while going PPG in Allsvenskan.

 

[Slimmy]

Backstrom at WJC 07 7 games zero goals and a game misconduct in the 3rd place match
Hedman, Markstrom and Karlsson collectively failed playoffs in 2009
Nylander failed in playoffs in 2015
Pettersson and Dahlin both were underwhelming in 2017 and 2018

It is a trend with swedish top players, while russian and finnish tops were great at WJCs. This is also, IMO the reason Sweden didn't convert its group success into more than one Gold.

Didn't Nylander sustain a concussion against the Swiss that year? Blind side hit to the head. This was in the group stage and he was out of the tournament after that game. Maybe that was 2016?

 

[AB13]

Didn't Nylander sustain a concussion against the Swiss that year? Blind side hit to the head. This was in the group stage and he was out of the tournament after that game. Maybe that was 2016?

That was 2016, but Nylander was very good in the 2015 World Juniors, even in the medal round.

 

[Garl]

Didn't Nylander sustain a concussion against the Swiss that year? Blind side hit to the head. This was in the group stage and he was out of the tournament after that game. Maybe that was 2016?

Was 2016

 

[Slimmy]

That was 2016, but Nylander was very good in the 2015 World Juniors, even in the medal round.

It's a big "what if", though, had he not been injured that tournament.

 

[AB13]

It's a big "what if", though, had he not been injured that tournament.

I think Sweden would have won it with a healthy Nylander. We lost 2-1 to the finns in the semi-finals, in a game we dominated. If Sweden, alongside Alexander Nylander, had William Nylander on the first line to score and create instead of Asplund/Timashov, we would possibly have won gold.

 

[Svanstrom]

Backstrom at WJC 07 7 games zero goals and a game misconduct in the 3rd place match
Hedman, Markstrom and Karlsson collectively failed playoffs in 2009
Nylander failed in playoffs in 2015
Pettersson and Dahlin both were underwhelming in 2017 and 2018

It is a trend with swedish top players, while russian and finnish tops were great at WJCs. This is also, IMO the reason Sweden didn't convert its group success into more than one Gold.

There’s obviously a lot of variables behind Sweden’s underwhelming results in finals and elimination rounds. It cannot be boiled down to one single factor. However, two consistent underwhelming factors through out the years have been 1) Swedens inability to score on their chances, 2) Underwhelming coaching (especially Monten is not top class) they have in my opinion not managed to get the best out of their teams.

 

[VictorLustig]

There’s obviously a lot of variables behind Sweden’s underwhelming results in finals and elimination rounds. It cannot be boiled down to one single factor. However, two consistent underwhelming factors through out the years have been 1) Swedens inability to score on their chances, 2) Underwhelming coaching (especially Monten is not top class) they have in my opinion not managed to get the best out of their teams.

Generating good chances at even strength has generally been an issue. We usually have to rely too much on a good PP, even in games where we are carrying the play.

 

[Dala]

Boneheaded stupid tactics with a "better than thou" attitude of never adapting anything considering the opponent.

Top it of with both whining about refs and being really bad at "diving graciously". Canada has been outstanding the past decade of "grab the stick and fall on it" to get hooking penalties just to give one example. Swedes usually have replied with really obvious dives instead, making refs even more furious.

 

[ZEBROA]

Hmm, Backstrom in 2007 was already a senior WC champion and later that year had good WHC. He also was almost PPG in SHL on a bad team.
Karlsson won Norris at 22, enough said.
Pettersson had 56 pts in 44 games in SHL, beaten eternal record by Kent Nilsson from 70s and later that year totally dominated the playoffs. And he had 7 pts in 7 games that year at WJC. And the year before that he had 1 point in 6 games while going PPG in Allsvenskan.

Thats how feelings work. Still the list of late bloomers is longer then it should be.

 

[ZEBROA]

Now Gunler shat in the blue and white cupboard.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Hasn't goaltending kind of traditionally been one of the big reasons Sweden hasn't performed as well in elimination games?

 

[Dala]

Now Gunler shat in the blue and white cupboard.

?

 

[theslatcher]

Hasn't goaltending kind of traditionally been one of the big reasons Sweden hasn't performed as well in elimination games?

I can't remember a year that has been the issue.

 

[ZEBROA]

?

Common Swedish saying. Meaning that someone screw up. But the cupboard is usually only blue.

He said Sweden should win this. Thats never a good sign against Finland.

 

[Prntscrn]

 

[Prntscrn]

I don't think we can go wrong with either goalie really, even though I do feel slightly more confident with Wallstedt in net

 

[Mr Salming]

A few brief observations....

In my view, I haven't seen anything from Holts to warrent his early draft pick. He hasn't got the speed or puckhandling skills to create any offense and his shot has really looked average at best. He overhandles the puck and snaps mediocre shots at the goalies chest plates! I just don't see his greatness!

Raymond also has looked mediocre. No flair, not much speed or playmaking skills. I do know that he has an upside but we haven't seen it this year. He really hasn't impressed this tournament.

Viktor Söderström is a player I really liked last year, but this year he has looked insecure, sloppy and uninspired.