PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Several Swedish NHL players had to receive great criticism in connection with the hockey World Cup.
Many turned down the championship and the honor of representing Sweden.
Now NHL legend Henrik Zetterberg hits back after harsh words.
It started very well for the Swedish side in this year’s hockey WC with six straight victories in the group stage. Then came the worst possible end for the Tre Kronor world championship.
Swedish disappointment
First, they lost in extra time of the group final against the USA and therefore had to face Latvia in the World Cup quarter-finals. There was a most unexpected return after a real bang by the Latvians, who then went on to a historic World Cup bronze in the tournament.
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Before and during the hockey World Cup, enormous criticism has been directed at the Swedish NHL players who chose to turn down Tre Kronor due to various reasons. And thus the honorable mission to represent Sweden in a major championship came to an end.
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Zäta strikes back
It has been about injuries and blemishes, family reasons and insurance issues for our blue and yellow star players in the NHL. While anger and frustration have grown among the Swedish people who have directed great criticism at the hockey stars who did not make it to the WC.
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Now the former NHL superstar strikes Henrik Zetterbergwho is an icon in both Timrå and Detroit Red Wings, back after all the harsh words and actually defends the Swedish NHL players.
– I’m not completely sure about every single player, but I think a large part of our NHL guys appreciate Tre Kronor. But nowadays it is much more complicated to get to the WC after the NHL season than it was during my playing career. For example, insurance costs are much higher than before, says “Zäta” in an interview with the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti.
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“Best memory”
The 42-year-old represented Tre Kronor several times during his successful career and won both Olympic and World Cup gold with the Swedish national team. Over the weekend, Zetterberg was inducted into the International Hockey Federation’s Hall of Fame during a ceremony in Finland.
Then Zäta was also reminded of what happened during the 2006 Hockey World Cup against Finland, when Sweden turned a 1-5 deficit into a 6-5 victory.
– It is perhaps my single best memory from the national team. Nothing like that happened during my entire career, says Zetterberg to the Finnish newspaper.
– I have heard that it is a national trauma in Finland.
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