Minnesota Wild Prepped for Sweden

The Minnesota Wild players and staff are ready to take the 8+ hour flight from Minneapolis to Stockholm tonight as the team prepares for the 2023 NHL Global Series - Sweden. The Wild will face the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, Nov. 18 at 10 a.m. CT and will "host" the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 7:00 a.m. CT in back-to-back games at Avicii Arena. 

The Wild has four native Swedes on its roster who are excited to show their teammates around their home country and for the opportunity to play an NHL game in front of their family and friends. Nevertheless, the team is heading across the pond to play in two NHL games in hopes of earning four points it needs desperately. 

Some of the Wild's Swedish-born players sat down to discuss the upcoming trip, along with F Marcus Foligno who has never left North American soil and Head Coach Dean Evason who emphasized the importance of the hockey to be played on this unique road trip.

F Joel Eriksson Ek - Karlstad, SWE

"Different culture, all the differences, from food to how we live overseas. It's just going to be fun to show all of them where we come from. 

"I'm not 'used to' [the plane rides over there] but I do know a little bit what to expect. Just try to eat and sleep at the right hours, at least that's what I've found works for me. Try to sleep when you're supposed to and eat when you're supposed to and all that other stuff to get your body into the rhythm as quick as possible. 

"It's going to be great. I don't think it's 'showing off.' It's just trying to show the teammates where we come from and how it works over there and just give them a little bit, like I said, different culture and see if they like it or not.

"It's going to be fun to play with this team there."

D Jonas Brodin - Karlstad, SWE

"I haven't really planned anything. Maybe I'll take them to lunch to get the Swedish food, show them around a little bit. The whole city is pretty cool to see too. Maybe take some guys there and have some coffee and a cinnamon bun. There's some cool stuff to do, we'll see what the weather's gonna be like.

"They've been asking me the last couple weeks how it is and what to eat. There's been some questions but I think they'll have a really good time over there. 

"It's gonna be awesome. I think it'll be really good. It's a nice arena too and they have a smaller arena next to it so it's a really good set up."

G Filip Gustavsson - Skelleftea, SWE

"Very, very excited. Go to Stockholm, show some culture, show some food... Just see my family coming down for the week and seeing them in the middle of the season is usually very rare. It's a lot to look forward [to]. 

"My family and friends are there watching and they don't want to see me lose. If I go there and I play my best there, it's going to be two points and that's all there is. Then we can have more fun outside of the rink."

F Marcus Foligno 

"I've never been to Europe before. Never been.

"I think the first thing I'm going to realize is that I don't understand any of the signs there on the road. I think that's going to be the [first] thing. I'm probably just going to be following the Swedes around and kinda just having them show me the ropes. I'm just excited to see what a foreign city looks like, a European city. I've heard lots of great things about Stockholm. It's definitely an exciting trip and I'll try to get a lot of sleep on the plane on the way there. I don't know what to expect but I'll just try to take it all in while we're there. 

"Early in the week you try to get settled, you try to take it all in then as soon as come maybe Thursday you settle down and just get used to the surroundings. Then understand that it's another NHL rink and you're playing in front of people and it's a regular season game on the line and four big points. I think that comes into play and settles you down. As much as it does feel like you're a little bit out of place ... it's just like another game and that's how you have to take it. 

"Enjoy yourself, enjoy the culture that's over there, and embrace [it]. It's a big deal for our European players. I know they're excited and we want them to show interest in their cities and their countries and get to know them a little more."

Head Coach Dean Evason

"We should be a very desperate hockey club. We've obviously lost a few in a row and it's a situation where we need to get back on track. Our work ethic has to be leading us in that direction and to simplify our game and we have to execute and we have to work our butts off."