NHL.com’s Tracey Myers surveyed the Swedish locker room regarding Saturday’s battle between Sweden and Finland at the Four Nations Face-Off, and Lucas Raymond weighed in:
Beyond the players each country looks up to, Sweden and Finland kids play each other in hockey constantly. [coach Sam] Hallam said by the time Swedish hockey players turn 20, they’ve probably played the top Finnish players 20-25 times.
“I mean, the Finns are always bringing really good teams. They have really good players and it’s no different this tournament,” Sweden forward Lucas Raymond said. “When you’re that close to another country, (and) you play each other as much as you do growing up in the tournaments, it tends to build up to that rivalry. It’s good. It brings out the best in you and they’re fun games.”
