2011 NHL Entry Draft
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Landeskog, Larsson to lead Sweden at WJC camp

Tuesday, 07.12.2011 / 11:18 AM / 2011 NHL Entry Draft

By Adam Kimelman - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor

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Landeskog, Larsson to lead Sweden at WJC camp
Eight players from Sweden's entry at the 2011 World Junior Championship are part of the 23-man group that will take the first steps in making the team for the 2012 tournament during a junior evaluation camp in Lake Placid, N.Y.

The camp, which runs Aug. 6-13, will feature exhibition games against prospects competing for WJC spots from the United States and Finland.

Among the returning players for Sweden from last year's fourth-place team is a pair of top-five picks in last month's Entry Draft -- left wing Gabriel Landeskog and defenseman Adam Larsson.

Landeskog, taken second by the Colorado Avalanche, was limited to just one game at last year's tournament, but had a goal and an assist. An assistant captain on last year's team, he'll have the chance to captain this year's team if he isn't in the NHL with the Avalanche.

Larsson, a defenseman taken by the New Jersey Devils, has a chance to play in his third WJC if he doesn't make the NHL. He had a goal, 3 assists and a plus-4 rating in six games last year in Buffalo.

Other players from last year's team that will be at the camp are defensemen John Klingberg and Patrik Nemeth, and forwards Johan Larsson, Johan Sundstrom, Max Friberg and Rickard Rakell.

Twenty of the 23 players attending the camp have been drafted by an NHL team, including six taken in the first round of last month's draft -- defensemen Larsson, Jonas Brodin (No. 10, Wild), and Oscar Klefbom (No. 19, Oilers), and forwards Landeskog, Mika Zibanejad (No. 6, Senators) and Rakell (No. 30, Ducks).

Twelve NHL teams will have at least one prospect there, led by three each from the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks. Representing the Wild will be Brodin, goaltender Johan Gustafsson and forward Johan Larsson. Blackhawks prospects in attendance will be goaltender Johan Mattsson, and forwards Joakim Nordstrom and Ludvig Rensfeldt.

The Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks and Colorado Avalanche will have two prospects each at the camp.

Eligible for the 2012 Entry Draft after going unselected last month are defenseman Joakim Ryan and forwards Erik Thorell and Ponthus Westerholm.

Contact Adam Kimelman at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @NHLAdamK