Many of the countries set to go to the Olympics to represent their countries for hockey have chosen their rosters, and there are surprises for multiple teams, even more so than just Canada and the U.S.
Sweden made a shocking decision with their forward group as Pontus Holmberg made the team over a number of better players, including Andree Burakovsky. Not only was Holmberg selected over the Chicago Blackhawks' top line winger, players like Mikael Backlund, William Eklund, Emil Heineman, Fabian Zetterlund, and Marcus Johansson were all passed over as well.
Holmberg plays in the bottom-6 of the Tampa Bay Lightning, logging under 13 minutes per game this season. He doesn't play power play or penalty kill, averages a hit per game, and a block every two games. The 26-year-old has six goals and 12 points in 34 games, so what's so special about him that got him selected over a player like Burakovsky or any of the others doing far better?
Burakovsky plays nearly 17.5 minutes per game and has nine goals and 28 points in 37 games this season. That would far exceed career highs for Holmberg offensively in his career, which tops out at seven goals and 19 points.
If they were directly looking at roles, Burakovsky has one less blocked shot this season and actually plays on the power play, not like it would be needed with the other skilled players on the team. Holmberg is going to be one of the extras on Team Sweden, so if he's not even going to be playing a role in the lineup, it would have made sense to bring someone who's more talented and has proven it many times over.
Maybe Burakovsky is an injury replacement for Gabriel Landeskog, who will be out a while after suffering a recent injury, but we'll have to wait and see there as well.
There are going to be questions for certain teams that don't finish as well, and the decision to take Holmberg will be one of choices brought up at a later date.
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