MANNHEIM – Swedish defenceman Victor Hedman is keen to disprove once again what Alexandre Daigle said after being chosen first overall by Ottawa in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft: “Nobody remembers number two.”
That, of course, turned out to be incorrect, since the number two pick in 1993 was none other than future Triple Gold Club member Chris Pronger. Daigle, meanwhile, saw his NHL career flame out.
Hedman has been compared frequently to Pronger, although the consensus now is that he's not nearly as nasty as the Philadelphia Flyers veteran, and will optimally turn out more like a cross between Nicklas Lidström and Zdeno Chara.
Standing a towering 198 cm and 100 kg at the tender age of 19, Hedman was drafted second overall by Tampa Bay in 2009, with Canadian sniper John Tavares taking top spot with the New York Islanders. Neither, though, was nominated for the Calder Trophy for 2009-10, as both went through some growing pains while adjusting to the high-tempo, hard-hitting NHL style. Hedman, a product of MODO Örnsköldsvik and '09 Elitserien Rookie of the Year, wound up with four goals and 16 assists in 74 games, along with a -3 plus-minus rating.
Yet national pride and gold medals, not NHL hype and multi-million-dollar contracts, are what's on the line here in Germany. Hedman, a two-time World Junior silver medalist, will get his chance to make an impact as a Worlds rookie, as Tre Kronor seeks its first senior IIHF title since the historic 2006 “double gold” at the Turin Olympics and the World Championship in Riga. IIHF.com's Lucas Aykroyd caught up with the affable Hedman after Sweden's practice at SAP Arena on Saturday.
Where were you and what was your reaction when you got the call telling you that you'd been asked to join Tre Kronor for the World Championship?
I was back home in Tampa. I think it was maybe two, or three days after the season ended. I got the call from the coach, asking me if I wanted to try to make it to the Worlds. I said: “Hell yes!” Obviously I got stuck in Tampa for a week due to that volcano erupting in Iceland. But now I'm here, and I played in a pre-tournament in Sweden before coming here. It feels like I'm in good shape, and am adjusting to the big rink pretty well.
When you look around the dressing room, you're starting this tournament with a lot of guys born in the 1990s, such as yourself, Erik Karlsson, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Jacob Markström. Does it feel like you're back at the World Juniors?
No! Not at all. Obviously there are six guys that used to play together at that tournament, but this is a whole different team. All the guys who have been playing here a long while. We'll just try to learn from them and bring what we can to the table. Hopefully it will be a good mix for us in the tournament.
What kind of role has coach Bengt-Åke Gustafsson said you're going to play on the team?
He hasn't told me anything specific, apart from play the way I can and join the offensive rushes. Play physical. Just try to bring what I do the best. Get a lot of shots on net. But you need to earn your ice time. Obviously, if you play well, you'll play more, and if you don't play as well as you can, it'll be less. It's basically up to me to show him what I can do.
Who are you going to be paired with to start the tournament?
I've been practicing with Magnus Johansson. He played in the Olympics this year, too, and he's been around for a long while. He's very easy to play with. We played the last game against Denmark together. Of course, things can change, but I think we'll start together.
You spent time this season in Tampa Bay with another well-known veteran Swede in Mattias Öhlund. Can you talk about Mattias and how he's helped you adjust to the NHL?
He helped me a lot, both on and off the ice. He's been around for a long while, I think about 12 years now. He's been phenomenal to me, teaching me a lot, showing me how to handle it when you're not playing as well as you can. He told me you have to stay focused and do the easy things. It's hard to put into words how much he meant to me this year. He's been awesome.
Was the NHL what you expected, or was it harder or different in ways that surprised you?
Maybe a little harder. Every team and every player gets better and better as the season goes on, and maybe you're not used to that back home. It's something you need to learn from, and take that with you into the next season. Now you know what it's all about. You can prepare yourself for it. The game is going to be raised to another level. It's hard, but you have to learn from it.
How about life away from the rink? Tampa is just a tad different from Örnsköldsvik, obviously.
I brought my girlfriend over with me, so I try to spend a lot of time with her when I can. In Tampa you can go to the beach or shopping, or try a good restaurant. It's phenomenal there. You start to learn to eat sushi, and when that happens, you maybe eat it two or three times a week. That's a new favourite of mine. I really like SoHo Sushi on Kennedy Boulevard. Otherwise, it's just so warm there, and the people in Tampa and the surrounding communities are very kind and treat me well. I'm looking forward to spending a lot of years there.
What did you do during the Olympic break?
I went to Mexico with my girlfriend for a week. Spent some time on the beach, relaxing and recharging my batteries for the remainder of the season.
Were you disappointed you weren't selected for the Olympic team?
Maybe a little bit. But you know, it's very hard to make that team. There are so many good defencemen coming out of Sweden: Nicklas Lidström, Niklas Kronwall, and so on. Still, you've just got to keep plugging away. There's another Olympics coming up in 2014, and I'm setting my sights on that.
What are your feelings about continued NHL participation in the Olympics after 2010?
I think obviously we should go. It would be awesome to play in the Olympics, and I really think we should go. But it's not up to me, and I'm not really into that discussion yet. This was my first year in the league. Whatever they decide to do, you have to handle it.
As you know, Pär Mårts will be taking over the national team after these Worlds. You've played for Pär at the World Juniors. What makes him special or different as a coach?
One thing about his style is that he lets players make mistakes. He lets everyone play their game. He puts guys together that can play well together. Everyone brings different abilities to their line. He lets you handle situations yourself. Obviously, if you make too many mistakes you're going to sit, but I think he's successful because of his philosophy. He also preaches an offensive game. It's going to be good with him coming into the national team. But at the same time, Bengt-Åke has done a terrific job here too. He's had a hell of a career as the national coach, and it'll be hard to replace him. It'll be the start of a new era, and it'll be nice to be part of it.
You're not the only Tampa Bay player at this tournament. For instance, your teammates Steven Stamkos and Steve Downie will be representing Canada. What's it like to face those guys in practice on a daily basis?
The way Stammer shoots the puck is amazing. He's an all-around player, but definitely on the power play you need to look out for him. He's got a hell of a shot. It feels like he almost scores every time. But he can play defensively too, killing penalties and so on. It'll be a tough game for sure if we play against Canada. You just have to stay focused when he's on the ice. Downie is a bit different from Stammer, but he scored 40-plus points this season. He plays hard and he plays physical. He's the type of player that you want on your team, for sure.
You've had the chance to play against Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, and other top NHLers in your rookie season. Who, in your mind, is the most dangerous offensive player in the NHL?
Ovechkin, for sure. Just the way he plays. He dangles, he can shoot the puck from whatever point he's at. He's very hard to play against. He skates fast and he's a big, strong guy. I think he's one of the most mobile players out there. He's the best. Now, though, if you put two guys together, I think the Sedin twins are the hardest to play against.
Your focus now is the opening game against Norway. What do you expect from them on Sunday?
Norway has a couple of good players. Mats Zuccarello-Aasen is a world-class player, who could play on any team in the world, I think. You need to be focused when he's on the ice. They've got a few other guys we have to watch out for, too. We need to focus 100 percent, and if we play the way we can, we're going to beat them.
LUCAS AYKROYD
