Team 18 2025

[ThunderStrike]

Strange that the national team in the age group considered to be the strongest in many years contains two minors. None of the other age groups have minors selected for the national matches in February. There should be a few more players in the age group who deserve the chance to try international play this season. Any thoughts?

 

[hockeyprospects9]

Strange that the national team in the age group considered to be the strongest in many years contains two minors. None of the other age groups have minors selected for the national matches in February. There should be a few more players in the age group who deserve the chance to try international play this season. Any thoughts?

Only that I like his choices tbh

 

[luddf]

Björck is too good not to be taken out. Hermansson would probably benefit more by playing important minutes in U17.

What’s most surprising is that Hillström doesn’t take a place in bottom 6 instead of Anderberg?

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Björck is too good not to be taken out. Hermansson would probably benefit more by playing important minutes in U17.

What’s most surprising is that Hillström doesn’t take a place in bottom 6 instead of Anderberg?

Hillström & Drott should be on the team.

 

[HockeyAnalys]

If you look at today’s U18 national team, all selected players play in J20, and all 07:player have played senior hockey accept two player. The fact that they are promoting two players born in 2008 in a year group considered strong is remarkable. This year, only 30 players have participated in the three tournaments for which selections were made. Only 10% of all HG players have been part of any national team since U16.

The national team is sending completely the wrong signals and is far too narrow in its selections, which could be one of the reasons why results are lacking in the World Juniors.

This also creates pressure to quickly move up, causing players to miss critical years of development over time.

The Swedish Hockey Federation preaches not to rush development, yet they do the opposite in their selections.

The risk is that Swedish hockey will lose genuine talents as everything starts shifting to younger and younger age groups.

 

[erikhamren]

Hermansson makes sense, we have no right handed offensive winger apart from Wozniak and Hermansson isnt some kind of nobody that will go undrafted, he's a big talent and probably have a higher ceiling than Wozniak. Maybe the best 08 after Björck. (competing with Nordmark).

 

[ThunderStrike]

Hermansson makes sense, we have no right handed offensive winger apart from Wozniak and Hermansson isnt some kind of nobody that will go undrafted, he's a big talent and probably have a higher ceiling than Wozniak. Maybe the best 08 after Björck. (competing with Nordmark).

But that's exactly the problem: right now is not their time; that time will come. There are right handed talented players like Hillström, Drott, P. Larsson, Boije, Sundqvist, Wedin, and others who could be given the chance during a tournament like this. The squad for the U18 World Championship in Texas is something else. Hockey Analysis is on to something—if Swedish Hockey continues to send signals that if you don't play seniorhockey at the age of 17, you are not considered for the U18 national team, we will lose talents along the way.

 

[Gazewithin]

But that's exactly the problem: right now is not their time; that time will come. There are right handed talented players like Hillström, Drott, P. Larsson, Boije, Sundqvist, Wedin, and others who could be given the chance during a tournament like this. The squad for the U18 World Championship in Texas is something else. Hockey Analysis is on to something—if Swedish Hockey continues to send signals that if you don't play seniorhockey at the age of 17, you are not considered for the U18 national team, we will lose talents along the way.

I don't really mind picking a younger player who is clearly better than the older competition. I can see why tiebreaks generally goes to the older player, but it's quite bizzare how obsessed our teams usually are with picking mediocre older player for our junior teams. Keep in mind, this is the national team, not a club rushing young player into an environment they won't prosper in.

I would actually say it's the opposite regarding your point about senior hockey in this case. Hillström has looked better than pretty much every other player in this age group at the senior level, and plays one of the most projectable and mature games(not the highest potential, but at this point it should definitely be noteworthy). How he(and Drott as well) doesn't even make the team, let alone behind Hermansson, is odd from any performance based assessment. Björck absoutely makes sense, but to me there is nothing Hermansson has done that warrants this. He is not even a clear top2 08, in fact I would say there a couple of more interesting players than him in his own age group.

 

[ThunderStrike]

I don't really mind picking a younger player who is clearly better than the older competition. I can see why tiebreaks generally goes to the older player, but it's quite bizzare how obsessed our teams usually are with picking mediocre older player for our junior teams. Keep in mind, this is the national team, not a club rushing young player into an environment they won't prosper in.

I would actually say it's the opposite regarding your point about senior hockey in this case. Hillström has looked better than pretty much every other player in this age group at the senior level, and plays one of the most projectable and mature games(not the highest potential, but at this point it should definitely be noteworthy). How he(and Drott as well) doesn't even make the team, let alone behind Hermansson, is odd from any performance based assessment. Björck absoutely makes sense, but to me there is nothing Hermansson has done that warrants this. He is not even a clear top2 08, in fact I would say there a couple of more interesting players than him in his own age group.

But it seems like it operates like a club team that rushes in younger players. Part of the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation's mission, besides performing in championships, is also to develop talents in our national teams through play at the international level. Therefore, I believe that we should ensure that many have the opportunity to play against international competition in those tournaments that do not aim for us to have "the best" team, such as the U18 World Championship and the Junior World Championship. We see that Canada and the USA allow many players to participate in these international tournaments, so Sweden should also be able to try this and take the concept further with clear goals on how many players should be given the opportunity to play for the national team in smaller tournaments. So far, 57 players born in 2007 have participated in national teams, which is about 15% of the total number of players born in 2007 admitted to NIU. Or, recalculated, 1.7 players per NIU. The goal should be to have 2 players per NIU, totaling 82 players or 22%. It is my firm belief that Swedish hockey would benefit from this over time.

 

[HockeyAnalys]

Sweden was completely outplayed by Finland, a national team they had consistently beaten since the U16 level. Finland looked significantly more technical, had better play, and created more chances. A trend in Swedish national teams is the focus on early-born players. For example, Finland had seven U16 players, while Sweden had none. Sweden wins in the younger years, but as players develop, other nations catch up and surpass them, which is evident in the World Juniors. Hockey is about patience and allowing players to grow into their roles. This is a major issue in Swedish hockey today.

Additionally, almost all players in the Swedish U18 national team play in J20 and have been involved with senior teams, fueling the debate about rushing development and skipping crucial steps in player education.

Looking at the performance against Finland, at least ten players would need to be replaced before a World Championship. Several players struggled with the pace and game sense. There are significant deficiencies in stickhandling, mainly due to the higher speed of play. The fact that Paananen hasn’t tested more players during the season could prove to be a costly mistake ahead of the U18 World Championship. However, judging by the tournaments played under Paananen’s leadership, it seems unlikely that he is a coach who will make major changes. I predict that the U18 World Championship will be a tough challenge for the Swedish national team.

The entire 2007-born group has far more technical players than those who have been in the national team so far, making it a strong age group. The question is whether they will get a chance.

 

[erikhamren]

Feels like the whole team switched off since the US game. Hasnt played good at all since

 

[erikhamren]

Gästrin is badly needed next time on the second line. Cant rely on only Björck and Frondell who right now doing all the work offensively, Wozniak being passenger in the NT shirt as usual doesnt help.

Stenberg - Frondell - Björck
Klingsell - Gästrin - Ihs-Wozniak
Ekberg - Nilson - Nordmark
Genborg - Hillström - Hermansson
Stockselius

these forward lines in april pls

 

[Mr T]

Gästrin is badly needed next time on the second line. Cant rely on only Björck and Frondell who right now doing all the work offensively, Wozniak being passenger in the NT shirt as usual doesnt help.

Stenberg - Frondell - Björck
Klingsell - Gästrin - Ihs-Wozniak
Ekberg - Nilson - Nordmark
Genborg - Hillström - Hermansson
Stockselius

these forward lines in april pls

Why split the extremely successful line with Klingsell, Gästrin and Stenberg?

 

[erikhamren]

Why split the extremely successful line with Klingsell, Gästrin and Stenberg?

Stenberg -Frondell - Björck will be more succesfull

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Sweden was completely outplayed by Finland, a national team they had consistently beaten since the U16 level. Finland looked significantly more technical, had better play, and created more chances. A trend in Swedish national teams is the focus on early-born players. For example, Finland had seven U16 players, while Sweden had none. Sweden wins in the younger years, but as players develop, other nations catch up and surpass them, which is evident in the World Juniors. Hockey is about patience and allowing players to grow into their roles. This is a major issue in Swedish hockey today.

Additionally, almost all players in the Swedish U18 national team play in J20 and have been involved with senior teams, fueling the debate about rushing development and skipping crucial steps in player education.

Looking at the performance against Finland, at least ten players would need to be replaced before a World Championship. Several players struggled with the pace and game sense. There are significant deficiencies in stickhandling, mainly due to the higher speed of play. The fact that Paananen hasn’t tested more players during the season could prove to be a costly mistake ahead of the U18 World Championship. However, judging by the tournaments played under Paananen’s leadership, it seems unlikely that he is a coach who will make major changes. I predict that the U18 World Championship will be a tough challenge for the Swedish national team.

The entire 2007-born group has far more technical players than those who have been in the national team so far, making it a strong age group. The question is whether they will get a chance.

Meh, they destroyed USA and lost one game 1-2...cmon man

 

[HockeyAnalys]

If you look only at the result, you might think this is good, but they faced a U.S. team playing its first game on a big rink after a long trip. Several top players from the college league and the Ontario league were missing. The games against Switzerland and the Czech Republic were close, and both teams are catching up to Sweden over time. Finland, as a team, has surpassed Sweden.

I’ll say it again: the U18 World Championship will be tough for this squad, even if Sascha and Gästrin join.

The team lacks players who control the game, think smart, do the unexpected, and make things difficult for opponents. The Swedish players were skating around, dribbling too much, and underperforming. It seems like many believe they are better than they actually are, possibly influenced by playing in senior teams.

Looking at past tournaments, other nations are progressing while Sweden is falling behind.

 

[Garl]

Sweden wins against USA 7-2
-meh, just got lucky, americans were adjusting to climate, bad ice
Sweden loses against Finland 1-2
-this is it, burn it down now! Finland surpassed and is much superior!


Also, 2007 group lost to Finland and to Czech 2 times out of 2 in early 2024

 

[ThunderStrike]

Gästrin is badly needed next time on the second line. Cant rely on only Björck and Frondell who right now doing all the work offensively, Wozniak being passenger in the NT shirt as usual doesnt help.

Stenberg - Frondell - Björck
Klingsell - Gästrin - Ihs-Wozniak
Ekberg - Nilson - Nordmark
Genborg - Hillström - Hermansson
Stockselius

these forward lines in april pls

Hermansson and Nordmark have nothing to do with the team in the spring. There are other players of the right age if these two are to fit into the third and fourth lines. It's embarrassing to suggest two underage players for a group that has been considered so talented. Did most people get it wrong when that assessment was made some time ago? The biggest question is probably who will be the third link with Frondell and Björck.

 

[erikhamren]

Hermansson probably has nothing to do with the team in the spring. He has been sidelined for large parts of this tournament and likely needs more time. There are other players of the right age if he is to fit into a fourth line. The biggest question is probably who will be the third link with Frondell and Björck.

Yeah true

 

[Gazewithin]

But it seems like it operates like a club team that rushes in younger players. Part of the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation's mission, besides performing in championships, is also to develop talents in our national teams through play at the international level. Therefore, I believe that we should ensure that many have the opportunity to play against international competition in those tournaments that do not aim for us to have "the best" team, such as the U18 World Championship and the Junior World Championship. We see that Canada and the USA allow many players to participate in these international tournaments, so Sweden should also be able to try this and take the concept further with clear goals on how many players should be given the opportunity to play for the national team in smaller tournaments. So far, 57 players born in 2007 have participated in national teams, which is about 15% of the total number of players born in 2007 admitted to NIU. Or, recalculated, 1.7 players per NIU. The goal should be to have 2 players per NIU, totaling 82 players or 22%. It is my firm belief that Swedish hockey would benefit from this over time.

Canada just straight up participates in less tournaments internationally at these levels, at least in the ones where Sweden also are. As far as I know they are not intentionally and consistently selecting worse players. The US have a NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM where they put resources into ONE TEAM that likely most professionals on the SHL teams have not even sniffed in their life. That team gets selected at like 15 years of age. So your argument is completely off here. We haven't even accounted for the fact that both those countries just have access to way more good players as well, for obvious reasons.

I don't think 57 players is a low number by any means, given how big the difference is in talent and ability between the better and worse players are at this point. Having spread spots out more would likely have done nothing for those extra players in question anyways, they are so far behind the pace anyways. Getting to play 3 games in a sweden jersey is not changing their trajectory, as opposed to efforts from the individual, and the clubs(where the biggest effect could actually, and where the problem actually is in swedish hockey compared to the north american ones). Even if I bought into the ludicrous assumption that a couple international games was a big boon for those players(keep in mind they would get SHREDDED unless the other countries did the exact same) is that worth taking away those few resources we have that were allocated to the top players? Swedens issue is not developing milquetoast, medicocre and boring players, we are the best in the world at that, per capita. Our problem is developing and getting the absolute most out of our most talented players.

The NIU goal is honestly completely ridicoulous. What makes us base it on the amount of NIU programs? Have you seen how terrible some of these programs, especially the lower end ones, are run? Not only are they terribly coached, even teams with big names that aren't neccesarily top teams, at least at j18, actively select worse players from their own, than give more talented players from other regions a chance. A LIU program like Strömsbro beat Mora 4/4 games and outplaced both them and Karlskoga this year. They likely make nationell straight up if they played in regional norr or öst instead. Just like Flemingsberg actually did(and outplaced teams like Björklöven and Timrå obviously). Yet those teams does not count, but NIU teams does for whatever reason.

I probably share some of your concerns, but I don't think your arguments and "solutions" are very grounded or well-informed.

 

[ThunderStrike]

Canada just straight up participates in less tournaments internationally at these levels, at least in the ones where Sweden also are. As far as I know they are not intentionally and consistently selecting worse players. The US have a NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM where they put resources into ONE TEAM that likely most professionals on the SHL teams have not even sniffed in their life. That team gets selected at like 15 years of age. So your argument is completely off here. We haven't even accounted for the fact that both those countries just have access to way more good players as well, for obvious reasons.

I don't think 57 players is a low number by any means, given how big the difference is in talent and ability between the better and worse players are at this point. Having spread spots out more would likely have done nothing for those extra players in question anyways, they are so far behind the pace anyways. Getting to play 3 games in a sweden jersey is not changing their trajectory, as opposed to efforts from the individual, and the clubs(where the biggest effect could actually, and where the problem actually is in swedish hockey compared to the north american ones). Even if I bought into the ludicrous assumption that a couple international games was a big boon for those players(keep in mind they would get SHREDDED unless the other countries did the exact same) is that worth taking away those few resources we have that were allocated to the top players? Swedens issue is not developing milquetoast, medicocre and boring players, we are the best in the world at that, per capita. Our problem is developing and getting the absolute most out of our most talented players.

The NIU goal is honestly completely ridicoulous. What makes us base it on the amount of NIU programs? Have you seen how terrible some of these programs, especially the lower end ones, are run? Not only are they terribly coached, even teams with big names that aren't neccesarily top teams, at least at j18, actively select worse players from their own, than give more talented players from other regions a chance. A LIU program like Strömsbro beat Mora 4/4 games and outplaced both them and Karlskoga this year. They likely make nationell straight up if they played in regional norr or öst instead. Just like Flemingsberg actually did(and outplaced teams like Björklöven and Timrå obviously). Yet those teams does not count, but NIU teams does for whatever reason.

I probably share some of your concerns, but I don't think your arguments and "solutions" are very grounded or well-informed.

Certainly, North American teams generally participate in fewer tournaments, but this is largely due to the fact that traveling to Europe requires significantly more time away, considering time zone changes, etc. However, the U.S. team has 31 + 8 players in U17, Canada U17 has 42 players, Sweden has 32 + 4, Czechia U17 has 50 + 6, Slovakia has 39 + 6, and Finland has 30 + 4. You might think it’s an absurd idea to allow more players to participate at the international level, but Czechia, against whom we have lost, clearly has a different strategy, with significantly more players getting to play internationally. With only 15,000 fewer registered players in Sweden, we should be able to do better. The number is a goal for the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation and not per NIU. Players per NIU is a measure that remains relatively constant over time. Naturally, there are clubs and teams that perform well and produce good hockey players that are not NIU. Otherwise, clubs like Strömsbro and Flemingsberg might not have had their successes, and Swedish hockey advocates against moving 15-16 year-olds around the country, instead encouraging everyone to recruit locally. I share your view that there are significant differences between the NIU programs, and I don’t have a comprehensive solution, but one possibility could be to require a certain number of full-time coaches to conduct NIU operations. Having worked more or less full-time in hockey for about ten years, I consider myself reasonably well-informed about the situation in Swedish ice hockey, both in the metropolitan regions and out in the countryside.