Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tobias Enstrom has told Sweden hockey officials he does not want to be considered for the 2014 Sochi Olympics in order to focus on his responsibilities for his NHL club, he told reporters in Winnipeg on Thursday.
Enstrom said he has informed Swedish national team coach Par Marts of his decision.
"The roster is not set but I sat down with the national team coach a couple of weeks ago; he came to visit me here," Enstrom said. "First of all it was a hard decision to make but I decided to not play on the national team. I just felt that I want to focus on Winnipeg here and the team and really push for the playoffs. I want to take that time to rest and just be healthy."
Enstrom, in his seventh NHL season, never has played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He played for Sweden at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and had two assists in four games.
He has seven points in 14 games this season. The Jets are sixth in the Central Division with 12 points and have lost two straight games.
"I just didn't feel 100 percent," Enstrom said. "I want to focus on Winnipeg, the playoffs. It was a tough decision but moving on here, get that out of my head and move on with Winnipeg. It's going to be good."
The Jets no doubt are pleased Enstrom wants to focus on helping them reach the playoffs. The team's lone postseason appearance came in 2007, when the franchise was located in Atlanta.
"I think it's commendable he's able to do that," Jets coach Claude Noel said. "It speaks volumes for us and for him.
"I do know he wants to win. I do know he wants to get stuff going in the right direction here, as a lot of players do."
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