Ohlund named to Swedish Olympic team, Victor Hedman excluded

Posted Dec 27, 2009 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Dec 27, 2009 at 04:43 PM

Hard to believe that Mattias Ohlund has been around long enough to participate in four Olympics for Sweden, but that’s what the 33-yea-old will do when the 2010 Winter Games get underway in Vancouver in February. Ohlund also played for Sweden in 1998 at Nagano, Japan; in Salt Lake City in 2002 and helped Sweden win gold in Turino, Italy, in 2006.

Assuming the NHL heads back to the Olympics in 2014 when the Games are held in Russia, Victor Hedman might then get to know the feel Ohlund has experienced three times prior. Hedman was left off the team, although with an injury to Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall, there is still a chance Hedman could be named to the team as the final rosters are not due to the IIHF - International Ice Hockey Federation - until Feb. 15.

Both players had some nice reaction to Sunday’s news. Here’s a sampling.

Ohlund on the true meaning of participating in the Olympics: “I think that’s what makes the experience so special, it’s not just the hockey team. You are really a part, and in my case, of Team Sweden. You live together as a group, you eat together with other athletes from different sports, and with most amateur sports it’s great because it’s so much different from here because everybody walks around in their blue and yellow (Team Sweden) track suits the whole time. You are eating at a place that’s not the fancy restaurants or fancy hotels that we are used to, it’s different and it’s very grounding in a way, too. It’s amazing to be a part of.’‘

Ohlund on playing back in Vancouver, where he played for the Canucks for more than a decade: “I don’t think it’s going to be strange, but it’s going be great. Regardless of where the Olympics take place, it’s a fantastic experience and even more so with it being in Vancouver where I have so many friends and I’ll be able to get my family over there to enjoy it.’‘

Ohlund on the exclusion of Hedman: “I’m surprised, but I also realize that there are so many good players. We have a lot of young Dmen who have played well this year, so I know they had a hard time and a tough job. And I definitely would not have been surprised if he was on the team. He was obviously a little disappointed, but he’s got a lot of good years ahead of him and he’s doing really well with us at the moment and he’s going to continue to get better. But I know he’s a little bit disappointed right now and it’s part of process, you try to move on and hopefully in four years he’ll be there.’‘

Hedman on not being named to the team: “I’m disappointed and I had some hope up until this morning, but there was big competition for spots on defense, that’s for sure. Of course, I’m a little disappointed but on the other hand, they know what they are doing, they picked the team that won the last Olympics, so you can’t really blame them. I know that I’m young and I have a lot of work ahead of me, I’m not ready to play there yet and they need to pick the best players who can be the key components for Sweden in the Olympics. I obviously was hoping to go there, but it’s tough, I’m 19 and hopefully I have a lot of Olympic games ahead of me.’‘

Hedman on possibly being an injury replacement: “I obviously don’t want anybody to get hurt, but you have to be prepared for everything. It’s two months until it happens and you never know what is going to happen. Hopefully everyone stays healthy and Sweden wins it again.’’