Mattias Ekholm has a big message ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament
Photo credit: TSN
The 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament is finally upon us, and Edmonton Oilers defence-man has a big message ahead of tomorrows matchup.
Although Mattias Ekhom relishes the opportunity to play for his country, he takes a moment to honour the legends that came before him.
«You look at some of our biggest guys - (Nicklas) Lidstrom, (Mats) Sundin and these guys - they played pretty much that one Olympics that they won, and that's how they became those big legends,» Ekholm said late last week, before leaving for this week's 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal and Boston.
Mark Spector interviews Mattias Ekholm
While we lament, here in Canada, that Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon have been robbed of best-on-best hockey, we should acknowledge that fans say the same thing in Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Slovakia about their own guys.
One of those is Ekholm, whose prowess in the game is underappreciated - both in North America and back home in Sweden. He'd like to change that, especially in the latter locale.
«I'm getting towards the end of my career, but there is a window here of a couple years,» the 32-year-old Ekholm began, listing the 4 Nations, the upcoming world championship in Stockholm (and Denmark), and next year's Olympic Games in Italy. «Now, I won't be in (the worlds), because we're going to be playing here in Edmonton (in the playoffs). But that's in Sweden, and then we've got the Olympics next year.
«So there are three things right now that are lined up in the next 12 months that we have actually an opportunity to maybe show doubters - the people who don't follow the NHL every day.»
Ekholm, and to a lesser extent Swedish teammate Viktor Arvidsson, are prime examples of players whose standing is well known by those who watch the Oilers regularly, but are very likely underrated by those who don't stay up to watch the late games. Or the overnight telecasts in Sweden.
Arvidsson, meanwhile, was one of 13 Swedish forwards selected along with Filip Forsberg, William Nylander, Mika Zibanejad, Adrian Kempe, William Karlsson, Joel Eriksson Ek, Gustav Nyquist, Elias Pettersson, Lucas Raymond, Leo Carlsson, Elias Lindholm and Jesper Bratt.
«If he was in a market like Toronto or New York, it would be so much different,» said young Edmonton defenceman Ty Emberson. «He was the one who surprised me when I got here. I knew he was good, but I didn't realize how good he actually was. He's been unbelievable.»
Will team Sweden emerge victorious? Time will tell.
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