Sweden enters the U18 Five Nations with an intriguing mix of puck-moving offensive defensemen and steady defensive presences. The Hockey News’ Jacob Smeds breaks down the blue line group player by player.
Sweden enters the U18 Five Nations with an intriguing mix of puck-moving offensive defensemen and steady defensive presences. The Hockey News’ Jacob Smeds breaks down the blue line group player by player.
Theodor Knights (2026 draft), MoDo Hockey
Theodor Knights is a big, team-first defenseman who takes pride in his work in the defensive zone. He leans on his physical style to shut down opponents and is often trusted against opposing top lines. Over the past year, he has also taken steps forward with the puck, showing more confidence in moving play cleanly out of his own end.
Knights earned a look with MoDo’s senior team during the preseason, though he has yet to make his full pro debut. Even against stronger competition, he showed his defensive upside with assertive play in his own zone. His blend of size and skating ability gives him real upward mobility in the draft conversation.
Theodor Knights: Hlinka Lessons and Five Nations Mindset
The Hockey News’ Jacob Smeds speaks with 2026 NHL Draft prospect Theodor Knights. After starring for Team Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he now prepares for next week’s U18 Five Nations Tournament.
Axel Elofsson (2026 draft), Örebro HK
Elofsson has excellent puck skill and can create offense on his own. He is a dynamic puck carrier from the blue line and can transition play from defense to attack by himself. Despite being on the smaller side, he has shown he can produce at the U20 level, recording 19 points in 14 games so far.
Elofsson’s strengths were on full display to start the season, most notably at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup where the offensive-minded defenseman recorded an impressive 11 points. That total was the highest by a defenseman at the tournament since 1993–94, when Oleg Tverdovsky also finished with 11 points.
Vilgot Lidén (2027 draft), Leksands IF
Lidén is a mature defenseman despite not turning 17 until December. He was already a regular in the U20 league last season and showed that he can compete with opponents several years older than himself. He took major steps defensively, due in large part to his strength and strong skating ability.
In addition to his defensive qualities, Lidén has strong passing skills that allow him to play high in the lineup even against international competition. At the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he showed he can be a steady partner to the more offensively minded Axel Elofsson. This season will be an interesting one to see if Lidén can take another step offensively and add more layers to his game.
Samuel Eriksson (2026 draft), Färjestad BK
Samuel Eriksson is a big, sturdy defenseman with an impressive reach at 6'5" and 207 lbs. He moves pucks well with his first pass and owns a heavy shot from the blue line. Eriksson took significant steps forward last season by leaning more into his strengths. With his physical style and defensive reliability, he could work himself into consideration for the later rounds of the draft if his development continues in this direction.
Ola Palme (2026 draft), Växjö Lakers
Palme is a defenseman whose strengths lie primarily on the offensive side of the game, though he can handle his defensive responsibilities as well. He is at his best with the puck on his stick, using his vision and puck skill to drive play forward. Palme moves pucks efficiently, finds breakout options, and creates solutions under pressure.
Zigge Bratt (2026 draft), Frölunda HC
Bratt is an offensive defenseman who brings finesse from the blue line. He handles the puck extremely well and has a shot that would fit any sniper. On top of that, he has excellent mobility and can move fluidly in all four directions. His skating also makes him an effective puck-mover, unafraid to carry the puck through the neutral zone when passing options are limited. Bratt is a player worth keeping an eye on this season.
Måns Gudmundsson (2026 draft), Färjestad BK
Gudmundsson is a stable all-around defenseman capable of handling several aspects of the game. With his club team, he has been used on both the power play and the penalty kill, showcasing his versatility. He also brings an appealing combination of reliable puck management and assertiveness in the defensive zone. It will be interesting to see how those qualities translate on the international stage.
Johan Rosén: Sweden Brings Strong U18 Group Into the Five Nations
The Hockey News’ Jacob Smeds speaks with head coach Johan Rosén as Team Sweden brings a deep U18 group into the Five Nations Tournament.
The U18 Five Nations begins Wednesday when Switzerland faces the United States at 9 a.m. ET. The tournament runs through Sunday, November 9, with each nation (Sweden, USA, Finland, Czechia and Switzerland) playing four games.
Schedule — Eastern Time (ET)
Wednesday, November 5
9:00 AM – Switzerland vs. USA, Lassalyckan Ice Arena
1:00 PM – Czechia vs. Sweden, Lassalyckan Ice Arena
Thursday, November 6
9:00 AM – Finland vs. Czechia, Lassalyckan Ice Arena
1:00 PM – Switzerland vs. Sweden, Lassalyckan Ice Arena
Friday, November 7
9:00 AM – Czechia vs. Switzerland, Lassalyckan Ice Arena
1:00 PM – USA vs. Finland, Lassalyckan Ice Arena
Saturday, November 8
8:00 AM – USA vs. Czechia, Lassalyckan Ice Arena
12:00 PM – Sweden vs. Finland, Lassalyckan Ice Arena
Sunday, November 9
6:00 AM – Finland vs. Switzerland, Lassalyckan Ice Arena
10:00 AM – Sweden vs. USA, Lassalyckan Ice Arena