Originally published in Rinkside in 2003 By Lucas Aykroyd All year long, they’re going to hear the ABBA jokes. Questions about whether coach Marc Crawford is fluent in Swedish yet. Suggestions that General Motors Place should be renamed the Volvodrome. So the Swedish members of the 2003-04 Vancouver Canucks may as well get used to […]

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Canada clearly ruled the hockey world from 2002 to 2005, holding every major title early in the latter year (Olympics, World Cup, World Championship, and World Juniors). However, it’s equally clear that 2006 belonged to Sweden. Even though Brent Sutter’s Canadian World Junior team earned […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd In the NHL, the jersey number 39 is most closely associated with superstar Buffalo goalie Dominik Hasek. Per Svartvadet of the Atlanta Thrashers also wears that number, and although he may not be quite as adept as Hasek at preventing goals, he is an excellent defensive […]

Originally published on EuroReport in 1999 By Lucas Aykroyd The silent Swede sat in a sled, staring at a snowbank outside Stockholm. That’s definitely not Mats Sundin. In conversation, his affable personality is eons removed from the somber tone of an Ingmar Bergman film. But the Toronto Maple Leafs captain must hope he makes more […]

Originally published in Rinkside in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Last year, two young forwards from Ornskoldsvik, Sweden proved it’s possible to be Number Two and Number One at the same time. Brothers Henrik and Daniel Sedin chipped in 75 and 71 points respectively for the Vancouver Canucks, forming two-thirds of arguably the NHL’s best second […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd On a St. Louis Blues squad that boasts such perennial Norris Trophy candidates as Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger, the name of Ricard Persson is easy to overlook. But the shaven-headed 30-year-old defenseman from Ostersund, Sweden knows his value to the team isn’t measured in bone-crushing […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2000 By Lucas Aykroyd Timing is everything, especially when you’re a skilled NHL defenseman like Mattias Ohlund. Since taking a puck in the right eye in a preseason game in Ottawa on 21 September 1999, the fourth-year Swedish stalwart has undergone a series of operations to maintain his sight. Returning […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2001 By Lucas Aykroyd In recent years, every Stanley Cup champion has featured at least two defensemen with elite physical and scoring skills. Rob Blake and Ray Bourque in Colorado. Scott Stevens and Brian Rafalski in New Jersey. Derian Hatcher and Sergei Zubov in Dallas. So if the Vancouver Canucks […]

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2001 By Lucas Aykroyd Today, Michael Nylander plays a key role with the Chicago Blackhawks. But the playmaking Swedish center was once regarded as a fragile commodity, physically and mentally. When he broke into the NHL with the Hartford Whalers in 1992-93, he lacked upper body strength. He missed 15 […]

Originally published on IIHF.com in 2006 By Lucas Aykroyd Sometimes it’s all about quality instead of quantity. The number of European NHLers has declined from 300 (29.5%) in 2003-04 to 262 (27.2%) in 2005-06, but elite talent from the Old World still made a big splash at the 2006 NHL Awards in Vancouver, Canada. At […]