Doktor Kosmos Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Peter Forsberg has turned down playing in the World Championships, for obvious reasons. He says that even if it would be possible for him to recover from his latest injury in time, he will not go through the process of rehabilitation again, having done so before this season. He says enough is enough. Forsberg's buddy Markus Näslund has also declined the offer to play in the World Championships. Näslund scored only one assist in six playoff games, and states that the reason for not playing in the W.C. is that he is not good enough right now. He thinks someone who's got more momentum, someone who's on a hot streak, should be offered his spot on the team. Pesonally, I have no problems with Forsberg not playing. Who can blame him? Näslund however can go screw himself. You see the thing is that over the years many NHL players on one hand often have been offered to play after their teams have been eliminated in the NHL playoffs - on the expense of Elite League players who have played (and played well) the whole season on our national team, in less exciting tournaments like Czecka Cup, Rosno Cup and the Sweden Hockey Games. And the late additions have not always been stars like Forsberg, Sundin and Lidström, it has just as often been (far) less prominent players. On the other hand many NHL players often decline the offer for reasons that, at least to the Swedish fans, feel less than tolerable. All too often there seems to be no will to answer the call when the national team needs you. Now I think it's right that guys like Sundin and Lidström, who haven'y played all season, say no to playing in the W.C. But I am a helluva lot less understanding of Näslund. I believe a big part of the problem is that the national team management are too leniant with the NHL stars - they can do as they feel like and the management are too scared to demand that those stars participate, or else... If they don't want to play in the World Championships, why should they be allowed to play in tournaments like the Olympics or the World Cup? (Unless they have damned good reasons for not playing of course. Like Forsberg this time.) I am perfectly sure that our failure in the World Cup has a lot to do with this. The NHL players are spoiled. For a long period of time, the national team and the World Championships was the like the display window for players wanting to go to the NHL. Countless NHL players owe their NHLPA membership to the national team. But when they are asked to return the favour, they often turn it down. This is a problem that has been debated for years in Sweden. Back to Näslund. IMO every decision he's made this season have been the wrong one. The biggest mistake was that he only joined MoDo after New Years so that he wouldn't have to pay luxury taxes. I dare say that was a bad move on his part. If he had done what Forsberg did and played all season he would probably be in better shape now, as far as maintaining his "playing skill level" (or what ever the heck you should call it) goes. He have also given an impression of being unmotivated, from time to time it has felt like he has not been too eager to play. Maybe he should have done what Lidström and Sundin have; to rest the whole season. Perhaps you might say he was destined to not play right from the start. Like I said, this is a problem (not just with Näslund) that has been debated in Sweden for years. What's the situation like in the US and Canada? What demands can the national team have on individual players? Should stars get special treatment? What about those loyal players who "do the dirty work" in mediocre tournament but are constantly cheated out of being there when the real fun begins? I am of the opinion that just because a Swedish player plays for an NHL team does not necessarily mean that he is a better player than the top players in our domestic league. There have been times when I have thought we should boycott NHL players, and certainly NHL players who only come to play when it suits them. Thouhts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 I think the Näslund situation a complicated in many ways. 1. Näslund was the big name during the juniors. Forsberg was always second. But during the begining of their senior careers Forsberg established himself as the best swedish hockeyplayer. He won the Olympic for Sweden in 1994 when scoring one of the most spectacular goals ever. In a final versus Canada with high stakes. He was the best player when MoDo fell versus Malmö in the finals during his last season in Elitserien. And after the big deal that sent Eric Lindros to Philadelphia and ended Forsberg in Quebec everybody had the eyes on him and in his first shift he stood up against Lindros and later won the Calder Trophy. Markus Näslund who everybody expected to be the big star was selected as number 16 by the Pens but didn't make it in the NHL. In his first season he had 4 goals in 71 games. He split the season between Penguins and Cleveland Lumberjacks in the IHL. In his second season he was out in the cold and played only 14 games and scored two goals. First in 1996 Näslund started to play like he can. 52 points in 66 games and then traded to Vancouver. And then he improved his play every season and now he is capitain and Vancouver's best player. But in the national team he is still that failure he was in Pittsburgh. I don't know why but Näslund has never played well in Tre Kronor and of course he knows it. I don't think he finds it fun to participate and therefore I can understand him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thornton_fan Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 has anyone heard if thornton will play for canada? mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puck7x Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Originally posted by thornton_fanhas anyone heard if thornton will play for canada? mike Havent heard anything about him yet. Today I heard that Regehr and Luongo were both invited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombTHEice Posted March 23, 2005 Share Posted March 23, 2005 Originally posted by thornton_fanhas anyone heard if thornton will play for canada? mike I'm sure you'll see Thornton at the WC in Austria ... he's been playing the whole season in Suisse, got used to the different style of hockey, is in good shape - so why not playing for Team Canda? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch_nl Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Canada has a lot of players adapted to the larger ice. I think that's a benefit. They also have the same time to build a team as all the other countries so expect a better Canada then we have seen in years at the world championship. And even if Swedens Tre Kronor won't come with their best I think this championships are the most interesting ever. Im very courios about Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Have they became better by having played with a lot more skilled players than they're used to? Im sure the gap to the others has decreased. But how by how much? Hey HABS Fan Nr.1, you have a really nasty avatar. What/whom is it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombTHEice Posted March 24, 2005 Share Posted March 24, 2005 Originally posted by ch_nlCanada has a lot of players adapted to the larger ice. I think that's a benefit. They also have the same time to build a team as all the other countries so expect a better Canada then we have seen in years at the world championship. And even if Swedens Tre Kronor won't come with their best I think this championships are the most interesting ever. Im very courios about Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Have they became better by having played with a lot more skilled players than they're used to? Im sure the gap to the others has decreased. But how by how much? Hey HABS Fan Nr.1, you have a really nasty avatar. What/whom is it? Holy cow, a better Canada then in the last years? They've already won the last 2 WC. Seriously, we'll see a better prepared Canada ... they always had problems with the first couple of games (for e.g. Austria - Canada 3-3, last year in Prag *fg*), but they got better from game to game. I think it will be the best WC ever and that's bad for all the small countries like Austria. They'll have the same problems as Germany had at the World Cup. It's a player from the Austrian KAC, though don't know his name. He got a puck into the face, must hurt ... *fg* [Edited on 24-3-05 by HABS Fan Nr.1] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doktor Kosmos Posted March 30, 2005 Author Share Posted March 30, 2005 The following players have said they will not play for Sweden in the World Championships: Peter Forsberg Mats Sundin Nicklas Lidström Markus Näslund Fredrik Modin Kim Johnsson Marcus Ragnarsson Dick Tärnström Daniel Tjärnqvist Mattias Öhlund Pierre Hedin Mattias Timander Andreas Johansson Michael Nylander Nilkas Andersson Jonas Jonsson Ronnie Sundin Johan Davidsson Andreas Salomonsson Tomas Holmström Niclas Hävelid The following players have been suspended indefinitely from the national team (because of the sex abuse scandal): Kristian Huselius Andreas Lilja Henrik Tallinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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