With the NHL regular season now finished, weeks or even months of speculation over which players will be coming to this year’s World Championship can start turning into concrete answers. In recent days, the website HockeyNews.se has found a few yeses, nos and maybes for the Swedish team.
Buffalo Sabres defenceman Rasmus Dahlin was the first Swedish NHLer to say "yes".
“Yes, of course,” Dahlin reportedly told streaming service Viaplay. “I don’t feel finished with my season yet, I don’t want to end the season in April. Play in front of the Swedish fans and for Sweden. I love doing it and always will.”
Dahlin was soon joined by Seattle Kraken winger André Burakowsky.
“Yes, I’m going to play in the World Championship for Tre Kronor,” Burakowsky reportedly told Expressen via SportBladet. “We have some things that we have to do before we leave, so I think we will go home on May 1.”
“There will be no World Championship for me because of concerns for the injury I had during the season,” said Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markström.
A broken finger during the season limited Markström to 48 games this season. He’s also been the subject of trade rumours, which might make him less inclined to play if he expects to move this summer.
Jesper Bratt has also declined. Despite playing in all 82 games for the New Jersey Devils this season and recording 83 points, Bratt’s agent announced that after a medical examination, it was decided he shouldn’t play.
Erik Karlsson has played in the Worlds since 2012, but he’s considering it this year after a disappointing campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“Now I’m going to drink a few beers and take it easy for a few days, then we’ll see where it goes. But I'm very keen on the Worlds,” Karlsson reportedly told Expressen.
“The body still feels perfectly fine,” he said. “After all, I’m not young anymore, so you see how it feels when everything is settled, if everything is perfect, see how things are with the family and what the plans for the summer look like.
“The urge is always there, that’s not the question. I hope we can get something together.”
Karlsson’s Pittsburgh teammates Marcus Pettersson and Rickard Rakell have also expressed interest in going. Rakell despite pending medical examinations for a shoulder problem he’s had.
“I love playing with the Swedish national team,” Rakell told Expressen. “One of my best hockey memories is when we played in Copenhagen and won gold. It would be fun to experience it again.”