Today, hockey remains one of the most popular sports in Sweden. Since people love the sport, getting support for improvements is not difficult and the local leagues are also gaining more traction. We recently saw Betsson extended its partnership with the Swedish Hockey League, becoming the exclusive betting partner of the prestigious league. This is only one of many milestones the league has laid down and in the coming years, we will see more to come.
Here, we are going to consider some of the best Swedish hockey players at the moment. Our mentions are players that are active and making waves in their respective teams in the present season so read on and enjoy!
Elias Pettersson
Although hockey has several young prospects, it is quite rare to see them at a very high level in their youth. Elias Pettersson defies the odds, gaining a lot of popularity at only 23 years old. The youngster raked in 154 goals in 165 games and judging from his age, it is easy to predict that he will break goal records as his career progresses.
Although he is nowhere near the Swedish greats of the sport, he is an exciting prospect. Pettersson is versatile, and talented and is always in a good position to assist and score.
Victor Hedman
In most sports, people rate attackers because of their goal-scoring and match-winning moments. However, we want to take a moment to appreciate Victor Hedman, the 6’6 defender who is synonymous with a brick wall. He is one to reckon with and very good at his craft of pressuring attackers, forcing them to make mistakes and lose their cool. And due to his huge physique, anyone that wants to toggle with him has to think twice.
What makes Victor Hedman a special one is his skills in moving forward too. He is a great asset in both defence and offence as he has well over 400 assists and 100 goals plus in his career. And most importantly, even with his offensive skill set, it is almost like he mastered the art of never being caught out of position.
Erik Karlsson
Seeing Karlsson on this list will be no surprise for fans because he has been exceptional. Even within the confines of nationality, he is easily one of the best in the game. If you don’t believe us, check his resume. He broke the records for:
- Most points in a single season for a Swedish player at 82
- Most assists and points for a defenseman in the postseason
- Most consecutive games with a point with 14 for the Sharks
Although Karlsson is 32 years old, he is showing no signs of stopping. The veteran has over 600 points in his career and constantly reminds us that he is a well-rounded player.
Gabriel Landeskog
Landeskog’s position of captaincy for the Colorado Avalanche is enough to give anyone a hint of his abilities. The 29-year-old has been leading the team since 2012 and still holds the record of being the youngest captain in NHL history—a record that youngsters will do anything to have.
He leads by example and is always ready to put on a show for both fans and spectators. And although he may have a few downtimes, Landeskog reminds us why he is the team leader and bounces back stronger.