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*roastpuff* · 05-12-2020, 10:38 PM

Team Sweden S53 World Junior Championships Roster Announcement

Welcome! Today, @LordBirdman and I are proud to announce the roster for the S53 edition of the Swedish World Junior Championship team! After we had applied for the World Junior Championship General Manager’s position and knew that we were likely to get it, we started working on this roster early as we knew it would not be an easy decision. We have high hopes for this team that is so full of talent, and we know that these players will give it their all for their country's chance at a gold medal!

Heja Sverige!

Forwards

Henrik Lundqvist Jr. - @FreakinAnime

Returning from previous year’s bronze-winning World Junior Championship team, Henrik Lundqvist Jr. provides a steady, veteran presence both on and off the ice. The hardest-working, most defensively responsible playmaker forward in his class, Henrik controls the puck and distributes it well to his linemates while creating offence. This is his last run at the World Junior gold medal, and having won the silver, bronze, and just a couple of days ago, the Four Star Cup with the Detroit Falcons, he is here to complete his collection!

Taylor Johansson - @Tayjay

Our first Swede playing for the Anaheim Outlaws, Taylor Johansson had a great sophomore year, hitting 21 points and contributing to the team’s run for the Four Star Cup. Unfortunately they were not able to get past the Knights and were eliminated in the Western Conference Finals. Johansson is a speedy player with a great burst of speed who can steal the puck in a blink of an eye.

Rikard Hammarberg - @jtam

Another Anaheim Outlaw, Rikard Hammarberg is the third line linchpin for the Outlaws and has produced a quietly good season, amassing 29 points (11 goals, 18) assists. He is a very versatile player that can be deployed in all situations and plays a great 200-foot game. We will look to rely on him to handle the minutes thrown at him with aplomb!

Marcus Ohlsson - @CleverPin

Marcus Ohlsson is another veteran WJC presence returning for another shot at the ultimate goal. With his final season in the SMJHL playing for the Vancouver Whalers, Ohlsson contributed 27 points (8 goals, 18 assists) playing a key part on special teams. A consummate passer, Ohlsson seems to be able to find those little seams to get the puck to his teammates, and has great bursts of speed, enabling him to make smart plays that turn into dangerous chances.

Sven Svenson - @LordBirdman

Sven Svenson makes his third WJC appearance for Team Sweden with aspirations to finally capture the Gold after previously taking home the Silver and Bronze Medals. The half-Swede half-American winger had a productive sophomore season for the Raptors, scoring 18 goals and 15 points for 33 assists. Svenson is a scoring threat from anywhere on the ice and is an asset on the power play, but is known to be a liability in his own zone. Svenson’s devotion to King Carl knows no bounds.

Gylfi Eriksson - @pazuzu15

A WJC veteran, Gylfi Eriksson returns for his final year of eligibility to play for Team Sweden. The talented forward finished the season with 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists), 4th highest among a talented cast of players on the Kelowna Knights. Eriksson plays a physical game, an attribute Sweden will value in its top 6 forward group. The veteran Swede will bring experience into a relatively young locker room and should prove to be an invaluable asset.

Etan Merauk - @dngrweelz (Transfer in Progress)

A transfer hailing from Poland, Etan Merauk is a two way forward with a balanced game. The Anaheim Outlaw winger finished his rookie season with a respectable 9 goals and 13 points. Merauk is surprisingly responsible in his own zone for a young player and isn’t afraid to get dirty in the corners or block a shot.

Sven Gunnar - @Southie
Sven Gunnar is a fresh face and welcome addition to Team Sweden. The Gävle native will be entering the upcoming SMJHL draft and the outspoken Swede has already shared his opinion on possible teams with league media. Scouts say this prospect has a wicked shot, great hockey sense, and decent skating ability. His defensive skillset is raw and could certainly use some polishing, but Gunnar will be sure to make his presence on the ice known with the puck.

Al Kayhall - @mxman991

Kayhall is a playmaker forward extraordinaire who you swear can do magic with the puck on his stick. With a hockey brain that can’t be turned off, Kayhall sees the ice two or three steps ahead of everyone else and is always in the right place at the right time. This man was instrumental in keeping the Timber upright as their newly drafted players found their footing, and was the scoring leader for the Timber alongside Kyle Sutton. We hope that his scoring success carries over to the international ice!

Kwame Dakari - @Zaitsev

A recent transfer, Kwame Dakari hails from Accra, Ghana, and has just spent the S54 season with the Carolina Kraken who managed to get into the first round of the playoffs - an impressive achievement for a team so loaded with rookies as they were. Kwame contributed 10 points this season, with 7 goals and 3 assists, and looks to earn some international ice time with his blend of pinpoint accuracy and strength.

Alexander Oscarsson - @Zema

Alexander Oscarsson is another young Swedish prospect getting their first taste of pro hockey at the WJC. The 6 ft, 200 lb winger is a talented playmaker with a keen eye for setting up his teammates. He’s deceptively quick for a big player, often catching defenders looking to take the body off guard. We’re glad to have another young Swede joining us to try to bring back Gold for our glorious King Carl!

Rikard Bjerg - @AgentSmith630

Rikard Bjerg is usually a defenseman, but has kindly agreed to play at forward for us during this WJC! Rikard spent the latter half of the season with the Maine Timber, and played a total of 12 games in which he scored 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) and played a key position on their penalty kill. Rikard is a versatile player and has great physical tools - we look forward to seeing him develop in the SMJHL and to continue to impress on international ice!

Defense

Sven Yxskaft - @kenvald

Sven Yxskaft is a versatile, dependable two-way defenseman who was the clear standout for the defensive squad in Vancouver, as they played him over 25 minutes a game alongside a rotating cast of rookie defenders. Sven still managed to do quite well defensively, with 92 hits and 77 shot blocks, not to mention 24 points (5 goals, 19 assists), and was a creative force on the power play. Playing with fellow S52 defender Ulrik Bergstrom, Sven will be part of the first pairing which will see a lot of ice time!

Ulrik Bergstrom - @Wiad

Ulrik was the defensive linchpin for an Anchorage Armada team that proved to be able to hang with anyone, as they gave as good as they got. Handed heavy minutes, Ulrik still amassed 21 points (2 goals, 19) assists, and was a takeaway machine as he stripped pucks from opposing forwards using heavy hits and a very active stick. Alongside Sven Yxskaft, Ulrik will form the first defensive pairing and be leaned on in all situations.

Emilia Bergman - @Renomitsu

A Jönköping native, Emilia Bergman has made quite the splash after being thrown into the deep end, being selected in the second round by the Anaheim Outlaws. Due to some call-ups, she found herself on the first pairing alongside veteran defenseman Alex Petrenko, and stepped up massively to handle the load thrust upon her. Averaging over 25 minutes a game, Bergman still chipped in to the tune of 23 points (and stayed positive in the +/- category!) and was a key part of the Outlaws’ first round win over the Anchorage Armada, and had a jaw-dropping 45-minute game during the second round as the Outlaws faced off against the Knights.

Magnus Liljestrom - @roastpuff

Back for his third time in a Tre Kronor jersey, Liljestrom is fresh off a Four Star Cup win with the Detroit Falcons where he played on the second pairing with offensive dynamo Jack Kanoff. Left with the more defensive portion of the minutes, Liljestrom still chipped in twenty points (6 goals, 14 assists) including a short-handed assist. A two-way defenceman, Liljestrom doesn’t particularly stand out anywhere, but is able to slot up and down the pairings wherever he is needed - a true Swedish-army knife!

Jöörgüštrâäd DuBølk - @MCP_

Another second-generation defense Swedish player alongside Joseph Fantobens, DuBølk has mitts that are silky smooth and the instinct in finding those seams to thread them through to his teammates. With a knack for creating offence, he is sure to give opposing team fits trying to contain him!

Joseph Fantobens - @Fantobens

An offensively-gifted defenceman, Fantobens was a member of the Detroit Falcons team that clinched the Four Star Cup in six games against the Kelowna Knights. His rookie season was marked by an impressive 18 points while averaging over 15 minutes a game. Part of the growing Swedish defense juggernaut, Fantobens will be a special player for years to come as David Fantobens was for the forward core.

Goal

Jerry Huuveri - @Jerppu

Jerry was our goalie last year on the way to a bronze medal, and this year we are aiming higher! The young goaltender hails from Finland, but has embraced the DNA test he took which uncovered Swedish bloodlines. Huuveri played 20 games for the Raptors this past season, going 9-9-1 with a 3.02 GAA and 0.910 save percentage. Coaches and scouts alike will argue that statistics can be deceiving and the eye test shows that this guy is the real deal.

Scoochie Stratton - @honkerrs

Scoochie has been kindly loaned to us from the USA World Junior Hockey team (thank you @"Geekuzoid"!) to serve as our backup netminder and to gain some international play experience. He has had a great rookie season with the Anchorage Armada learning under Sergei Potvinov, with a 9-9-2 statline, and got a taste of the playoffs as his team matched up against the Anaheim Outlaws in a hard fought series. Welcome to Team Sweden, Scoochie!

That concludes our announcement for today, but stay tuned for more news for Team Sweden WJC! We are excited, and sure that this team is going to go far in the World Junior Championships!

1750 words, ready for grading - please split between LordBirdman and roastpuff

*CementHands* · 05-12-2020, 10:59 PM

Get that gold!

Southie · 05-12-2020, 11:04 PM

[Image: 559f389561bff0c39c158c7041d2a51c.jpg]

LordBirdman · 05-12-2020, 11:44 PM

[Image: king-carl-gustaf-sweden-royal-family.jpg...628&crop=1]

Zema · 05-13-2020, 03:20 AM

Let's go Team Sweden!

Jerppu · 05-13-2020, 04:23 AM

Henrik · 05-13-2020, 06:41 AM

***AgentSmith630*** · 05-13-2020, 02:38 PM

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