The Swedish World Junior Championship team named Anders Eriksen and Joel Ronnmark the team’s interim head coaches today, stepping into the coaching shoes of coronavirus-positive Tomas Monten and Adam Almqvist Andersson.
According to HockeyNews.se’s Henrik Sjoberg, one of the team’s on-ice coronavirus losses may give Theodor Niederbach the opportunity to center a line of Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz (and what follows is roughly translated from Swedish):
Karl Henriksson has been the center between Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz since the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton 2018, when Junior Crowns went to the final against Canada. Henriksson tested positive for covid-19 just before training camp in Sundsvall, and during the camp in Sundsvall, Theodor Niederbach has received the chance to replace him on the top line.
The 18-year-old from Bjästa has played in eleven SHL games in Frölunda during the autumn, and at the same time scored 35 points (13 goals + 22 assists ) in 19 games in the J20 league.
“Theodor has gone there now. We will see what we land in now when we start working towards finished lines. We know that we have the last [coronavirus] test on Saturday and after that we know one hundred percent which players we have available. But they are skilled together,” says Eriksen.
On Sunday, the Junior Crowns travel over to Canada and on December 26th, they play in the World Junior Championship premiere against the Czech Republic.
Sweden plays two exhibition games on site in Edmonton, against Canada (20th) and Switzerland (21st).
The games in Edmonton better be in a tight bubble. Alberta is one of the worst areas in Canada and the Covid efforts seem to be stuck within the politicians infighting and not looking very good in the near future.
If all goes well it should be an entertaining tournament as usual!
As a side note, I think the Rangers have their heads were the sun don’t shine holding the Top pick out of the tournament (stupid decision), sorry Alexis Lafrenière. With Alexis playing it will increase the excitement when he is involved. This WJC does give players some development help in a competitive, tense environment. NYR will be the the NYR, Blah. The NYI are a much better team from top to bottom, IN MY OPINION. This tournament will try to show case the some of the best prospects in theworld. At least a BIG BOO for NYR!!!!