Leo Carlsson addresses the media following the Ducks' 4-2 loss to the Avalanche The 4 Nations Face-Off begins on Feb. 12 with Canada taking on Sweden in the first game of the tournament. Leo Carlsson is unlikely to get much ice time, if any, in this game, but that’s quite alright. The 20-year-old has acknowledged that he may not play at all [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/latest-news/ducks-morning-report-02-03-25]. After all, he is the youngest player out of all four competing nations by more than two years. Sweden is flush with depth down the middle and while Carlsson is more than capable of playing on the wing, he excels when he’s playing the center position. “I think he deserves to make the team,” Team Sweden general manager Josef Boumedienne said of Carlsson during a conference call shortly after the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters were announced. “Not because he’s young, because he’s a heck of a player. He’s one of the best play drivers in the NHL throughout the neutral zone the way he carries the puck, the way he distributes the puck.” “He had a huge summer as far as developing strength and power. I think Anaheim did a really good job with him last year sitting him out some games to work on the physical aspect. He’s not on the team because he’s young, he’s on the team because he deserves to be on the team.” It’s a lot of praise for a player who might not even see the ice outside of practice during this tournament, but it shows how much the Swedish hockey federation values Carlsson. He was on the 2023 World Championships roster and with an eye toward the future, could be on the radar for the 2026 Olympics roster as well. The opportunity for Carlsson to be in a locker room with players who all speak the same native language as him for a short period of time should be a delight. The New York Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad, who has struggled offensively for most of the season, said he felt like a kid again after being able to speak in Swedish in the locker room and during meetings. Perhaps the brief time away from the Rangers and being with fellow countrymen can help rejuvenate Zibanejad upon his return. There’s a thought about whether that could help Carlsson as well. This season, he hasn’t quite reached some of the offensive heights that he did last year during his rookie season—though many of the Ducks’ young players have struggled to take the next step this season as well. Being around some of the best Swedish played to ever play hockey and learning from them will also benefit Carlsson as he continues to navigate being an NHLer. His inclusion on Team Sweden’s roster will benefit him in many different ways, now and in the future.
