Sweden's Hopes Of Winning 4 Nations Face-Off Are Dim, But Potential Positives Still Remain

Sweden has had a disappointing 4 Nations Face-Off tournament thus far. But Adam Proteau says the Swedes can still salvage something positive in their remaining games.

NHL players are expected to play in best-on-best competition every two years.

As the only team at the 4 Nations Face-Off without a win, Team Sweden and their fans are thoroughly disappointed at the moment.

But the Swedes have been agonizingly close to being unbeaten at the tournament. Although Sweden is currently the worst team in the 4 Nations Face-Off, they can take some solace in knowing that they aren’t that far off from being a top team at a best-on-best tourney down the line.

Saturday's overtime loss to the Finns came after another OT loss to Canada earlier this week. But Sweden coach Sam Hallam made a bold lineup change against Finland that potentially saved their tournament.

After goalie Filip Gustavsson allowed two goals on four shots in the first period, Hallam replaced him with Linus Ullmark. It would’ve been easy for Hallam to stick with Gustavsson and hope he improved, but the stakes were too high to take that risk. You have to respect the coach for making that call, and despite the loss, Ullmark helped the squad get to overtime.

And now, they have to take on the powerhouse American team on Monday. But their fate isn't within their control right away. Sweden needs the Finland and Canada game at 1 p.m. ET to get to overtime for their hopes of reaching the final to stay alive. And then, they need to pull out a regulation win.

Clearly, it will be a tall order for Sweden to emerge as a finalist at the 4 Nations Face-Off. But this tournament is also a precursor for the 2026 Olympic Games, and a solid showing from the Swedes will provide optimism that they can win a gold medal at the Olympics. Remember, Sweden had two Olympic golds in 1994 and 2006, so there’s a history of success on the biggest international hockey stage.

Let’s be realistic – it’s unlikely Sweden even makes it to the 4 Nations Face-Off final, let alone win the tournament. The line between winning and losing is thinner than ever, and two goals in overtime prevented them from being right up there with Team USA.

But Sweden still has some positives already. Lucas Raymond is tied for third in tournament scoring with three assists, including two against Canada to force overtime. Erik Karlsson looks more confident with the puck and is one of only four blueliners with multiple points. And they can still salvage some pride by giving it their all against the Americans and letting the Canada/Finland game play out.

In a short, high-stakes tournament like the 4 Nations Face-Off, you basically need all your ducks to line up in a row to become a champion. That hasn’t happened for Sweden, but that doesn’t mean Swedish fans should be ashamed of their team’s efforts. They have to look for positives where they see them and build their team at the next best-on-best tournament based on what they’ve learned in this one.

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