Up to five players eligible for the 2013 NHL Draft will help Sweden defend gold at the World Junior Championship.
Elias Lindholm, Jacob de la Rose, Linus Arnesson, Nick Sorensen and Alexander Wennberg highlight the four first-time eligibles named to Sweden’s 25-man roster for the World Juniors set to get underway on December 26th. Sweden will have to trim that roster to 20 skaters and three goalies before the tournament gets underway Boxing Day.
Lindholm, the highest ranked Swede for the 2013 NHL Draft, has five goals and 17 points in 29 games this season playing with Brynas in the Swedish Elite League. The Boden product has represented Sweden at the World Junior A Challenge, the World Under-18 Championship and a host of other international events.
De la Rose, who captained Sweden’s entry at the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial, has garnered first round consideration all season long. Playing for Leksand this season, the six-foot-two, 183-pound forward has three goals and five points in 24 games this season.
Wennberg, who currently leads Djurgarden in scoring, is an active international competitor for Sweden.. He’s played in the 2012 World Under-18 Championship, the World Junior A Challenge as well as a host of exhibition Under-20 tournaments.
Arnesson, Wennberg’s teammate, is no stranger to international action, either. He’s previously represented Sweden at the 2011 World Junior A Challenge, the 2012 World Under-18 Championship and a mix of other international events. He has yet to record a point in limited action with Djurgarden this season
Born in Farevejle, Sorensen has yet to play an international event sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation and is still eligible to represent Denmark internationally. Given that Denmark is playing at the World Junior Championship Division I Group A event in France starting December 9th and has yet to be named to the team, it is likely he anticipates representing Sweden in Ufa. The Quebec Remparts forward has nine goals and 24 points in 23 games this season.
Andre Burakovsky, 13th in Future Considerations November ranking, was not named to the team.