Meet the team: Sweden’s list for the U18 World Cup in hockey 2022
Sweden brings a stacked roster to Landshut and Kaufbeuren for this year’s U18. While they may lack an elite star in the form of a Connor Bedard or Logan Cooley, this list is deep with players who have produced well this season. They also have responsible two-way defenders and defensively healthy centers to keep things honest.
However, the strength of this team will be its depth of points. That will be the driving force behind the success of this list. However, their weakness is in goal, there Hugo Hävelid and Lukas Swedin is expected to keep the fold down after solid seasons in the Swedish junior circuit.
Sweden took the bronze medal in the Hlinka-Gretzky tournament this summer, and should definitely be one of the medaled teams here with Russia and Slovakia absent from the tournament.
One of the big questions for this group is about the health of their two star strikers. Leo Carlssonqualified for the 2023 NHL Draft, was injured late in the season, although he returned in time for the J20 National’s final four and should be ready to go. Jonathan Lekkerimäki, however, is still training only after missing the end of his season with glandular fever; he has not played since the beginning of March.
In addition, this is the best team Sweden has to offer. Djurgården’s course (Liam Öhgren, Noah Östlundand Lekkerimäki) will be the leading line with players like Carlsson, Filip Bystedtand Alexander Suzdalev further down the line up. Defensively, Mattias Hävelid, Calle Odeliusand Elias Pettersson project to go in the first two rounds of the forthcoming draft.