[ad_1]
Hockey legend Daniel Alfredsson agreed to lead the Junior crowns at the JVM, but was rejected by the IIHF. – We made an attempt and failed. So we have to adapt to the situation, says Olof Östblom, competition director of the Swedish Ice Hockey Association. Instead, assistant national team captain Joel Rönnmark leads the team.
Joel Rönnmark, in the middle, becomes the Junior Crowns national captain in JVM. Stock Photography.
After this week’s crown chaos at the Swedish JVM team, the Swedish coaching staff on site in Canada will be half of what was originally intended.
Three leaders, led by Rönnmark, lead the team. It was clear on Friday, two days before the team travels to Edmonton.
However, leaders who have been detained for positive test results, including national team captain Tomas Montén, will work remotely.
The Swedish Ice Hockey Association tried to recruit former star Daniel Alfredsson along with his brother Henric Alfredsson and former NHL player and Leksand Andreas Karlsson on the management staff.
But the IIHF, the International Ice Hockey Federation, said no.
TT: Do you feel bitter?
– We worked on several tracks and we knew there was a risk, that we were a bit outside the regulations, says Östblom.
TT: What happened?
– You can’t get into the bubble in Edmonton after December 13 or 14. We could have achieved the same quarantine period and tests earlier if they had been allowed in later.
Daniel Alfredsson has not worked as a coach before, but was an advisor on the 2016 Tre Kronor World Cup team. His brother has previously been a coach and Andreas Karlsson is an assistant coach on the Canadian junior Kitchener team.
Rönnmark will have Anders Eriksén, the captain of the Småkronorna national team who was hired earlier in the week, and Canadian video coach Jasion Pietrzykowski of the Edmonton Oilers on his team at the venue.
Behind the star Philip Broberg, Skellefteå, that the opportunity to have the legend Alfredsson on the booth is gone:
– He’s a very good hockey player and a legend, but we have a cruel leadership team here and cruel players, and we will do our best to bring home a gold in Sweden.
Olof Östblom says that despite the chaos in the crown, it has never been relevant to stay home since JVM.
– The goal has always been to play. We have a team of players who really want it, so it is important for us as leaders to support them and make the best of the situation.
A total of eight people on the JVM roster, four players and four leaders, tested positive and were excluded from the championship to be played in Edmonton from December 25 to January 5.
The JVM leadership staff
On site in Edmonton: Joel Rönnmark, national team captain, Anders Eriksén, assistant national team captain, Jason Pietrzykowski, video coach.
Leaders at home: Tomas Montén (coach), Anders Lundberg (coach), Adam Almqvist Andersson (video), Nizze Landén (goalkeeping coach), Todd Woodcraft (scout).
