Sweden named their 2024 IIHF World Championship roster, filled with youth and talented players from the SDHL, PWHL, and NCAA.
Sweden named their 2024 IIHF World Championship roster, filled with youth and talented players from the SDHL, PWHL, and NCAA.
Sweden has announced their roster for the upcoming IIHF World Championships in Utica, New York.
"Instead of saying the obvious that it is an exciting squad with all the ingredients in terms of hockey, I want to emphasize the importance of group dynamics," Sweden's manager Ulf Lundberg said in a translated news release. "I think this group of forward-leaning individuals can become ruggedly strong together and help each other to personal bests in the USA."
Hanna Olsson, who missed almost the entire SDHL season due to injury was a surprise addition to Sweden's lineup, and if healthy, is a major addition to their attack. She'll be joined up front by Lina Ljungblom, Sara Hjalmarsson, and Hanna Thuvik, who all starred this season in the SDHL. Josefin Bouveng was a breakout star for the University of Minnesota in the NCAA, and should play a bigger role with Sweden's attack, similar to Mercyhurst star Thea Johansson. Also joining the attack up front for Sweden are youngsters Hilda Svensson, Wilma Sundin, Ebba Hedqvist, and Mira Hallin. Rounding out Sweden's forward group is Sofie Lundin, Lova Blom, and Felizia Wikner.
Notable omissions from Sweden's forward selections were Nicole Hall, who was the top Swedish scorer for Djurgardens this season at only 19-years-old, along with former Swedish national team captains Emma Nordin and Michelle Lowenhielm. Nordin was the leading scorer left off the list, finishing second among all Swedish players in the SDHL this season with 43 points in 35 games with Lulea, trailing only Ljungblom in Swedish scoring.
On the blueline, Sweden is bringing a strong group headlined by Maja Nylén Persson, Linnéa Andersson, Mira Jungåker, and Anna Kjellbin from the SDHL, who are returnees from last year's team. Sweden is also bringing a pair of NCAA defenders from Minnesota-Duluth in Ida Karlsson and Paula Bergström. The 19-year-old Karlsson is one of two first time national team members on Sweden's blueline alongside 21-year-old Emma Forsgren who played for Djurgardens this year.
In net, PWHL Boston netminder Emma Söderberg is back, and she's joined by a strong pair of secondary netminders in Long Island University's Tindra Holm and Djurgardens' Ida Boman.