Theo Lindstein: From Last-Minute Replacement To Team Sweden Fixture At World Juniors

Last year, Theo Lindstein came in at the last minute after Jakob Noren was injured in Sweden’s last warm-up game before the world juniors. And Lindstein didn’t disappoint. After putting up eight points in seven games, the blueliner made the WJC’s media all-star team. “When I came in as late as I did, it was just about having fun and enjoying it,” Lindstein said. “I got an assist, and it just started rolling, and my confidence was building. I had no expectations. I just relaxed and played. It was, of course, special when it was at home.”

This year, the 19-year-old is expected to be one of the key players on the Swedish team. It’s nothing new for him, as Lindstein has been an integral part of Sweden’s national teams throughout his junior career. He won a gold medal in 2022 and a silver in 2023 at the U-18 worlds to go along with the silver from last year’s world juniors. “I want to contribute like I did last year,” Lindstein said. “I want to be a guy to trust and take a big responsibility.”

Domestically, Lindstein has been playing for one of the SHL’s best teams this season. Brynas, with NHL veterans such as Jakob Silfverberg and Oskar Lindblom, has been electric so far this fall, and Lindstein has been an important part of the team. “I would say my game without the puck feels better,” said Lindstein, picked 29th overall by the St. Louis Blues in 2023. “I feel bigger, and I feel stronger.”

When he’s not playing in the SHL or for Sweden’s WJC team, Lindstein likes to golf. “I might not be the best, but it’s fun,” he said. “During the winter and the season, I don’t have time for much else than hockey.”

In the dressing room, Lindstein will be one of the leaders on Sweden’s outfit for this year’s event in Ottawa. “It’s important that everyone feels welcome,” he said. “I want to be an easy and open-minded guy that everyone can talk to.”

With their 2005-born group intact, Team Sweden is looking to improve on their silver medals from both last year’s WJC and the 2023 U-18s, the latter of which they lost to Team USA in overtime of the final. “I think we have a good shot,” Lindstein said. “We have a lot of good players playing in the SHL and Hockeyallsvenskan. The team looks exciting.”

This article appeared in the Nov. 25, 2024, World Junior Championship issue of The Hockey News. In this edition, we feature wall-to-wall coverage of the 2025 World Junior Championship, complete with previews of all 10 teams plus some of the most prominent players involved. Also in this issue, we shine the spotlight on San Jose's Tyler Toffoli, Philadelphia's Travis Konecny and a team from Haida Gwaii that really goes the extra mile.

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