Forsberg, Lindholm off Sweden WJC camp roster

As host nation for the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship, Sweden hopes to assemble the best team possible. However, two of its top forwards might not be available for the elite under-20 tournament.

Filip Forsberg and Elias Lindholm have been removed from the roster Sweden will bring to Lake Placid, N.Y., for USA Hockey's National Junior Evaluation Camp.

The camp, to be held Aug. 3-10, will have Sweden practicing and playing exhibition games against teams from the United States, Canada and Finland. It's the first step in the roster makeup for teams taking part in the 2014 World Juniors, which runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2014, and will be held in Malmo, Sweden.

SWEDEN NJEC ROSTER

GOALIES:

Oscar Dansk, Erie, OHL (Columbus)
Marcus Hogberg, Linkoping, SHL (Ottawa)
Jonas Johansson, Brynas Jr., SWE-JR (2014 eligible)

DEFENSEMEN:

Linus Arnesson, Djurgarden, SWE-2 (Boston)
Carl Dahlstrom, Linkoping, SWE-JR. (Chicago)
Christian Djoos, Brynas, SHL (Washington)
Robert Hagg, Modo, SHL (Philadelphia)
Anton Lindholm, Skelleftea Jr., SWE-JR. (2014)
Arvid Lundberg, Skelleftea Jr., SWE-JR. (2014)
Robin Norell, Djurgarden Jr., SWE-JR. (Chicago)
Jesper Pettersson, Linkoping, SHL (2014)

FORWARDS:

Andre Burakovsky, Malmo, SWE-2 (Washington)
Sebastian Collberg, Frolunda, SHL (Montreal)
Jacob de la Rose, Leksand, SHL (Montreal)
David Gunnarsson, Modo, SHL (2014)
Erik Karlsson, Frolunda, SHL (Carolina)
Ludvig Nilsson, Timra, SWE-2 (2014)
Gustav Possler, Modo, SHL (Buffalo)
Filip Sandberg, HV 71, SHL (2014)
Malte Stromwall, Vaxjo, SHL (2014)
Oskar Sundqvist, Skelleftea, SHL (Pittsburgh)
Tobias Tornkvist, Rogle, SWE-2 (2014)
Lucas Wallmark, Lulea, SHL (2014)
Alexander Wennberg, Frolunda, SHL (Columbus)
Daniel Zaar, Rogle, SWE-2 (Columbus)

Forsberg and Lindholm were two of 10 players from the team that won the silver medal at the 2013 WJC who were on the initial camp roster. However, both are expected to be in the NHL when the tournament begins. Forsberg made his NHL debut late last season with the Nashville Predators. After totaling 33 points in 38 games with Leksand in Sweden's Allsvenskan, he had one assist in five NHL games. Lindholm was taken by the Carolina Hurricanes with the fifth pick of the 2013 NHL Draft, and not long after signing his rookie contract, Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said he would be shocked if Lindholm didn't make the team out of training camp.

Forsberg captained last year's Sweden WJC team and had three goals and two assists in six games. Lindholm had two goals and two assists in six games. They remain eligible to play in the tournament if allowed to by their NHL teams.

The leading returning player at the camp could be goaltender Oscar Dansk, a Columbus Blue Jackets 2012 second-round draft pick. He was the third goaltender at last year's tournament and dressed as the backup in one game.

Dansk is one of three goalies invited to the camp. Also on the roster are Ottawa Senators draft pick Marcus Hogberg, and Jonas Johansson, who is eligible for the 2014 NHL Draft.

Among the five forwards at the camp from last year's team will be Filip Sandberg, who scored Sweden's goal in its 3-1 loss to the United States in last year's gold-medal game; Andre Burakovsky, the Washington Capitals' first pick at the 2013 NHL Draft; Alexander Wennberg, a 2013 first-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets; and a pair of Montreal Canadiens prospects, Sebastian Collberg and Jacob de la Rose.

Also returning will be three defensemen: Christian Djoos, a Capitals prospect; Linus Arnesson, a Boston Bruins draft pick; and Robert Hagg, a Philadelphia Flyers selection.

Of the 25 players traveling to Lake Placid, 10 are eligible for the 2014 draft. Among them is Johansson, the only goaltender listed by NHL Central Scouting on its Futures list for the Swedish junior leagues. In 29 games with Brynas' team in Sweden's top junior league last season, the 6-foot-3.75, 187-pound player had a 2.91 goals-against average and .899 save percentage. He also had a 2.23 GAA in four games for Sweden at the 2013 IIHF World Under-18 championship.

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