MS
1%er
Sweden will have their pick of NHL players who miss the playoffs, as well as the best of the litter from the SHL for May's World Championship.
Given the competition, there an absolutely 'zero chance' that Lekerimakki becomes 'one of their more important offensive players'. If they pick him, he'll be nothing more than a third or fourth liner, or maybe even just 'injury insurance' in the press-box.
I get the fact that every kid in Sweden who ever laced up skates wants to play for the national team one day. But comparing that experience with what Lekerimakki would gain by playing in Abbotsford, for the rest of the season, isn't really a matter of any debate.
Swedish NHLers have avoided this tournament like the plague for the past couple years.
For the record, here's their forward group at the 2023 WCs :
Jacob Silfverberg (NHL)
Lucas Raymond (NHL)
Carl Grundstrom (NHL)
Fabian Zetterlund (fringe NHL)
Jonathan Berggren (fringe NHL)
Alex Nylander (AHL)
Par Lindholm (SHL)
Denis Everberg (SHL)
Marcus Sorenson (Swiss)
Andre Pettersson (SHL)
Leo Carlsson (SHL)
Oscar Lindberg (Swiss)
Linus Johansson (SHL)
Denis Rasmussen (Swiss)
Jacob De La Rose (Swiss)
Basically 3 established NHL regulars on the team and a whole bunch of Euro journeymen. Grundstrom is a bottom-6 grinder who played that role in the WCs as well.
Leo Carlsson received top-6 minutes and put up 5 points in 8 games. Better prospect, but younger and coming off a less-impactful SHL season. So it's definitely not 'zero chance' he plays on the top 2 lines.