After a 4-3 against Finland at the Czech Hockey Games, Sam Hallam’s winning machine continues on the Euro Hockey Tour.
But now is a serious day and graduation day in WC.
And jelly need a star.
I have my dream ready.
The player who never said no.
I’m of course thinking of William Nylander, as his Toronto side lost 2-0 in games before tonight’s third meeting in Carolina.
William, who got a WC in the same class as Mats Sundin when he joined Tre Kronor.
In 21 World Cup matches, he scored 37 points (15 + 22).
That’s an average of 1.76 points per game.
And when Sweden won WC gold in Cologne in 2017, he was named the most valuable player of the tournament.
No one has forgotten the picture when Henrik Lundqvist hit there in the Swedish box, since the Swedes decided on penalties in the final match against Canada.
And last time in WC 2019, he won the points league in Slovakia with 18 points.
lies in the blood
He’s exactly the player Sam Hallam’s team will need, especially since today’s opponent Finland brings three new superstars to the WC.
Moreover, he never said no if he was healthy.
It’s in the blood.
Father Michael Nylander was always featured though the house is full of kids and brother Alexander Nylander is already on the team.
I like this position.
And in Toronto’s exit, Calle Järnkrok is also available, one of the most underrated Swedes in the NHL in my eyes.
oh well.
Next week will show where we are and Sam Hallam will announce his first World Cup squad on Tuesday.
But we can check out seven players already now, as all NHL players who call home are guaranteed a spot on the team.
They are Lucas Raymond, Jonathan Berggren, Alexander Nylander, Jacob Silverberg, Rasmus Sanden, goalkeeper Jesper Walstead and defender Patrick Nemeth.
Fabian Zetterlund is the eighth player in the National Hockey League, but he agreed to experiment and tried to play in the team at the Czech Hockey Games.
I think he succeeded, because he certainly didn’t give up, played physical and solid and ended up sending Sweden into extra time with 3-3 minutes left.
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The Czech hockey games were a shining example of what the top of the NHL means to a World Cup team.
Lucas Raymond was the reigning points king with six (3+3) points in his first three ever matches at Tre Kronor.
Everyone knows he has a good shot, but against Finland he showed a different side.
Amid Finnish dominance in the second half, he rose and dribbled past half of Finland into the stands, before sending a perfect pass to defender Henrik Tommernes who snuck in to the far post.
A global display and Tömmernes just had to shave the puck into an empty net.
And when I count the Swedes’ points during regular time in this tournament, the six NHL players accounted for a total of fourteen (6 + 8) points.
The other team got eight (3 + 5).
Then of course the NHL players have the advantage, matching up in the power play where the most points came from.
But everyone knows how decisive numerical superiority can be in a World Cup tournament.
Matches are often decided.
Actually now, Hallam
Now I still think that Sam Hallam wants to take a lot of people out of the frame he’s been with all season.
It was successful and led to one of the best national team seasons in a long time.
He doesn’t want to move around too much and have men pushed into the system.
But who cares what happened in a bunch of training tournaments when the seriousness starts?
Few disappear.
Therefore, Sam Hallam is only now becoming a real test subject.
Sweden’s newest goldsmith, Rikard Grunborg, has chosen a completely different path.
There, the influx from the NHL pretty much dominated everything and broke record after record with Swedish NHL players on Team WC.
The players controlled the game more than the game controlled the players.
Today, the association would not be able to secure the halving if I got it right.
But the Swedes at Eruopa have great quality and defensive skills and will be the foundation of the Swedish WC team.
But it’s the striker’s and goalkeeper’s play that usually decides how it ends.
And there are question marks.
Leo Carlson rested for this last match, but I only see that as a sign that he’s really ready for Team WC.
There is certainly the largest point on home soil.