PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Nicklas Lidström and Mats Sundin are two hockey legends.
And they both pay tribute to the sport’s status in Sweden today.
– I think Swedish hockey is still doing well, says Lidström to Sportbibeln.
Two of Swedish hockey’s greatest are Nicklas Lidström and Mats Sundin. They are both also legends in their respective NHL clubs – the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs, respectively. Both “Lidas” and “Sudden” have been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Lidström & Sundin
From a national team perspective, it is Sundin who has the slightly more remarkable career. He made 79 senior international matches over 16 years, and took part in winning Olympic gold, three WC gold, two WC silver and two WC bronze. Lidström played a total of 44 senior national team matches, and “only” won an Olympic gold, a WC gold, a WC silver and a WC bronze.
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It is now 14 years since Sudden ended his hockey career, and he pays tribute to the way Swedish hockey looks today.
– There are probably around a hundred Swedish players in the NHL today. It is still an incredible quality receipt for Swedish hockey, that we do something very well in our educational programs. So it’s great fun, and just that the NHL comes here for something like this like the Global Series also shows that North America, the NHL, and everyone there has a lot of respect for Swedish ice hockey and our training programs, says Sundin to Sportbibeln.
Honors Three Crowns
How do you see Three Kronor today, do you feel any concern for the future?
– I think it looks good. But it is of course, the best Swedish players in the NHL, it is so rare that we get to see them in Tre Kronor. So we now hope that they are in the Olympics, all professionals. Or maybe a new World Cup here in the near future, that would be fun, says Sudden.
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Lidas is now vice president of the Detroit Red Wings, and has previously worked as a scout for the club. He also takes a positive view of the sport’s status in Sweden right now.
– I think Swedish hockey still maintains a good standard. Even though we lose a lot of players to North America, I think both the SHL and the Hockeyallsvenskan are entertaining. It’s fun to go and watch games, and I think there are good moves around the games. The SHL has succeeded very well with its arrangement, and the Hockeyallsvenskan as well.
– So I think Swedish hockey is still doing well, even though we lose a lot of players to the NHL, says Lidström.
READ MORE: Mats Sundin and Nicklas Lidström’s fond memory of Börje Salming: “It’s thanks to him”
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