Swedish national team coach Sam Hallam has named his first roster of the season for the Finland Hockey Games, highlighting the return of veteran Nicklas Bäckström. The Brynäs forward, absent from Tre Kronor since the 2017 World Championship gold, expressed immediate enthusiasm for the call-up. The squad includes several debutants and aims to build momentum ahead of the 2026 Milano Olympics.
Sam Hallam presented the Tre Kronor roster for the Finland Hockey Games, scheduled from November 6 to 9, 2025. This marks the first selection under Hallam's leadership for the season, featuring a mix of SHL players and European professionals, influenced by the upcoming Olympics calendar.
Central to the announcement is Nicklas Bäckström's comeback. The 37-year-old, approaching his 38th birthday, last represented Sweden at the 2017 World Championships in Cologne, where he won gold. He also secured gold as an 18-year-old in 2006 in Riga. Bäckström was named to the 2022 Olympics roster but did not play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His NHL tenure with Washington Capitals ended following a severe hip surgery, after which he played only eight games over two years, none last season. Now with Brynäs in the SHL, he has recorded 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists) in 16 games despite the team's challenging start.
Hallam praised Bäckström's leadership and power-play expertise. "När jag tittar på hur Nicklas spelar tar han ett otroligt ansvar, gör rätt i princip allting han gör. Han besitter spetsegenskaper i framför allt powerplay som kanske ingen annan i Europa," Hallam said. During the call-up conversation, Bäckström responded positively: "Självklart, vill du ha mig så kommer jag." Hallam noted Bäckström's passion, adding, "Framför allt är det så för att ta sig tillbaka som Nicklas har gjort... så krävs det nån form av otrolig passion för spelet."
Bäckström joins centers Rasmus Asplund, Jacob de la Rose, and Linus Johansson, with Hallam highlighting contrasting roles: "Det är klart att Nicklas Bäckström kommer nog att starta ett par gånger fler i anfallszonen och powerplay än vad Linus Johansson kommer att göra."
Debutants include defensemen Axel Andersson (Brynäs) and Jacob Larsson (Rapperswil-Jona), both 25, and forward Isac Hedqvist (Luleå), 20. Hallam commended Andersson's stable start: "Vi kände att vi vill inte vänta längre. Han är frisk, han är fräsch." On Larsson: "Han är en annan typ av back. Större, men fantastiskt rörlig." For Hedqvist: "Isac gjorde en bra grundserie ifjol, men det var framför allt i slutspelet... Han är användbar i allt."
Nisse Ekman serves as assistant coach alongside Hallam and Stefan Klockare. The full roster includes goaltenders Arvid Holm (Rögle) and Jacob Johansson (Timrå); defensemen Erik Brännström (Lausanne), Gabriel Carlsson (Färjestad), Tim Heed (Ambri-Piotta), Robert Hägg (Brynäs), Anton Lindholm (Bern), and Joel Persson (Växjö); and forwards Anton Bengtsson (Rögle), Christoffer Ehn (Linköping), Max Friberg (Frölunda), Jesper Frödén (Zürich), Rickard Hugg (Skellefteå), Felix Nilsson (Rögle), Marcus Sylvegård (Biel-Bienne), Marcus Sörensen (Fribourg-Gottéron), and Andreas Wingerli (Zug).