STOCKHOLM – Sweden’s U20 national team coach Roger Rönnberg played it safe. His 23-man roster for the 36th IIHF World Junior Championship in Canada holds no surprises. Rönnberg has six returnees from the 2011 event.
Coach Roger Rönnberg, whose team finished a disappointing 4th in Buffalo one year ago despite defeating Canada in the preliminary round, selected 17 domestic players, four who play in the Canadian Hockey League and one from the Finnish SM-liiga. Scroll down for the full roster.
The returning players are defenceman John Klingberg (Jokerit Helsinki, Finland) and Patrik Nemeth (AIK Stockholm), and forwards Johan Larsson (Brynäs Gävle), Max Friberg (Timrå), Rickard Rackell (Plymouth, OHL) and Johan Sundström (Frölunda Gothenburg).
The other three players from the CHL are: Goaltender Johan Mattsson (Sudbury, OHL), Victor Rask (Calgary, WHL) and Ludvig Rensfelt (Sarnia, OHL).
The roster includes two highly touted 17-year-olds: Filip Forsberg (Leksand) and Sebastian Collberg (Frölunda), both eligible for the IIHF World U18 Championship and also for the upcoming NHL draft.
The team includes four players who were selected in the first round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft: forwards Mika Zibanejad, Djurgården (the sixth overall pick who played nine games with the NHL Ottawa Senators this season), Rickard Rakell and Färjestad’s defensive pairing Jonas Brodin / Oscar Klefbom.
Brodin was selected 10th by Minnesota while Klefbom was picked 19th by Edmonton. Rackell was the last first-round selection, by Anaheim.
The roster includes 16 players who are playing in the Sweden’s top pro league, Elitserien.
Goaltenders: Anton Forsberg, Modo Johan Mattsson, Sudbury Johan Gustafsson, Luleå
Defencemen: Mattias Bäckman, Linköping Jonas Brodin, Färjestad Fredrik Claesson, Djurgården Oscar Klefbom, Färjestad Petter Granberg, Skellefteå John Klingberg, Jokerit Patrik Nemeth, AIK
Forwards: Sebastian Collberg, Frölunda Johan Larsson, Brynäs Johan Sundström, Frölunda Max Friberg, Timrå Filip Forsberg, Leksand William Karlsson, Västerås Victor Rask, Calgary Joakim Nordström, AIK Mika Zibanejad, Djurgården Ludvig Rensfelt, Sarnia Rickard Rakell, Plymouth Pontus Åberg, Djurgården Erik Thorell, Färjestad
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