PHOTO: Bildbyrån
On a daily basis, he is a teammate with one of the greatest hockey talents.
Now Swedish defender Tom Willander and Canadian prodigy Macklin Celebrini meet in JVM’s hottest match to date.
– He is a complete player, says Willander.
Having said that, the 18-year-old Swedish back talent from Stockholm is convinced that Macklin Celebrini can be stopped in Friday evening’s big meeting.
Less than 24 hours after Sweden’s second straight victory, 5-0 against Germany on Thursday evening.
– I think that many players are very good if you give them time. So it’s something you have to make sure not to give too much surface. He has a very good shot, so don’t give him time to shoot. And play physically, says Tom Willander about his Boston University teammate.
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Tom Willander is planning some psyching, “trash talk”, also in the big meeting between gold-chasing Sweden and the last two years’ champions, Canada, who also started with two straight victories.
“Saving for match”
He is asked if he has sent psychics via messages or social media to the 17-year-old prodigy yet.
– No, I’ll save that for the match. Trashtalk always works if it’s good enough, he says with a laugh.
Macklin Celebrini is predicted by a unanimous body of experts to be selected first in the NHL draft this summer.
Despite being just 17 years old and Canada’s youngest player in the tournament, he leads the league in scoring with six points (2+4), five of which came in Wednesday’s 10-0 win over Latvia.
– I am not the least bit surprised. It was only a matter of time really. He is very talented. He’s good all over the ice, a complete player,” Willander said of his Boston University teammate.
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There, Celebrini has scored 25 points in 15 games. Willander, full back as he is, doesn’t have such good numbers either – three goals and eight points in 15 games.
“Fun at school”
Willander was drafted in the first round by Vancouver this summer and chose to leave Sweden and Rögle’s juniors this summer for a college life. Previously, he also played junior hockey in AIK.
– It has worked well, I think it’s fun to go to school while playing hockey. It’s nothing new after hockey high school and such. The game is a little different, but it’s going well, says Willander, who is waiting for his first JVM point.
He does not see studying in another language as an obstacle.
– For some it can be a bit difficult, but personally I feel that I am quite comfortable with English. For me, it is not a big problem, he says.
READ MORE: Henrik Lundqvist’s decisive words about the big talking points in the JVM – the goalkeeper icon now says what everyone needs to hear: “Emotional”
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