Yahoo Sports Sweden Makes Surprising Pick As Two Oilers Join National Team
Team Sweden is set.
Both Sweden and Finland announced their rosters for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off on Wednesday afternoon, and the Edmonton Oilers are well represented. Defenceman Mattias Ekholm and forward Viktor Arvidsson will represent Sweden at the tournament in February.
🇸🇪👑 Tre Kronorin 4 Nations -joukkue Expressenin mukaan:
Filip Gustavsson, Minnesota⁰Jacob Markström, New Jersey⁰Linus Ullmark, Ottawa
Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo⁰Rasmus Andersson, Calgary⁰Mattias Ekholm, Edmonton⁰Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay⁰Gustav Forsling, Florida⁰Erik…— Miikka Lahtinen (@ladalahtinen) December 4, 2024
Ekholm's inclusion was no surprise, thanks to his emergence as an elite two-way defenceman since arriving in Edmonton. He'll join an absolutely stacked Swedish blueline, featuring Erik Karlsson, Victor Hedman, Rasmus Dahlin, and two of the league's best shutdown defenders in Gustav Forsling and Jonas Brodin.
Arvidsson, however, comes as a bit of a surprise. The small, speedy winger has struggled to stay on the ice over the past couple of seasons, playing only 18 games for Los Angeles last year and currently occupying a spot on the Oilers' Injured Reserve. He's struggled to produce this year with just 5 points in 16 games but can bring plenty of speed, skill, and forechecking to the bottom of Sweden's lineup.
Both Ekholm and Arvidsson have represented Sweden multiple times throughout their careers. Ekholm won bronze at the 2010 World Juniors, before playing in five World Championships and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, picking up a gold medal in 2018 and a bronze in 2014.
Arvidsson won silver with Team Sweden at the 2013 World Juniors, scoring 4 goals in 6 games, and joined then-Predators teammate Ekholm on the gold-medal-winning team at the 2018 World Championships.
Sweden may be sending more Oilers to the 4 Nations Face-Off than any other country, as early indications are that Connor McDavid will be the only Oiler to make Team Canada. The Canadian and American rosters will be announced later tonight, at 4:30 MT.
The 4 Nations Face-Off will be played in Montreal and Boston from February 12-20.
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