Pro Hockey Resume

(AFP) STOCKHOLM — Peter Forsberg, the 36-year-old centre who has twice helped Sweden capture Olympic gold, was named Sunday to the 23-man provisional roster for Sweden’s reigning Winter Olympic ice hockey champions.

Forsberg, whose 12 National Hockey League seasons included two Stanley Cup titles with the Colorado Avalanche, has struggled with ankle and foot injuries in recent years. He now plays for Modo in his homeland’s elite league.

The 2003 NHL Most Valuable Player, set up the winning goal in Sweden’s 3-2 victory over Finland in the 2006 Turin Olympic final and scored the deciding goal in a shootout win over Canada for 1994 Olympic gold.

Sweden coach Bengt-Aake Gustafsson’s lineup was largely comprised of NHL stars. Final squads are not set until February 15, the eve of the Olympic openers.

Gustafsson included Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson despite the influential centre being ruled out for four to six weeks on Saturday with a separated left shoulder.

Nicklas Lidstrom, a six-time winner of the NHL’s Norris Trophy as top defenseman, was among four Detroit Red Wings named to Sweden’s team, joined by defenseman Niklas Kronwall, Tomas Holmstrom and Detroit scoring leader Henrik Zetterberg.

Goalkeepers: Jonas Gustavsson (Toronto Maple Leafs/NHL), Stefan Liv (HV 71), Henrik Lundqvist (New York Rangers/NHL)

Defenders: Tobias Enstrom (Atlanta Thrashers/NHL), Magnus Johansson (Linkopings HC), Niklas Kronwall (Detroit Red Wings/NHL), Nicklas Lidstrom (Detroit Red Wings/NHL), Douglas Murray (San Jose Sharks/NHL), Johnny Oduya (New Jersey Devils/NHL), Henrik Tallinder (Buffalo Sabres/NHL), Mattias Ohlund (Tampa Bay Lightning/NHL)

Forwards: Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa Senators/NHL), Nicklas Backstrom (Washington Capitals/NHL), Loui Eriksson (Dallas Stars/NHL), Peter Forsberg (Modo), Tomas Holmstrom (Detroit Red Wings/NHL), Patric Hornqvist (Nashville Predators/NHL), Fredrik Modin (Columbus Blue Jackets/NHL), Samuel Paahlsson (Columbus Blue Jackets/NHL), Daniel Sedin (Vancouver Canucks/NHL), Henrik Sedin (Vancouver Canucks/NHL), Mattias Weinhandl (Dynamo Moscow/RUS), Henrik Zetterberg (Detroit Red Wings/NHL)

Sweden coach Bengt-Ake Gustaffson has announced the names of players, who will be participating for Team Sweden in the “First Channel Cup” Moscow on December 17-20, and amongst them will be Peter Forsberg.

First Channel Cup for Forsberg will be the last chance to win a ticket to the Olympics and also perhaps to showcase himself to numerous teams in the KHL.

Forsberg will not be able to return to the NHL this year as he has already played in Europe since the beginning of the regular season and in the KHL there is no such rule. The transfer deadline for the KHL is up until January 15, 2010.

ÖRNSKÖLDSVIK / STOCKHOLM.
After returning to “Modo” Peter Forsberg, Markus Naslund and Niklas Sundstrom are hungry for success.

The star trio took to the ice in Swedbank Arena, 20 minutes before the rest of the team on Monday. “It’s a dream come true and honor to be able to go onto the ice with Forsberg and Naslund, “said assistant coach Thomas Steen to HockeyExpressen.se.

Curiosity at “Modo”is huge….especially noticeable at the team’s practices. When the team had it last practice at the Swedbank Arena it was filled with hockey-hungry fans as well as television and newspaper reporters trying to get a glimpse of the trio.

Last Saturday games the JVM trio from 1993 with Peter Forsberg, Niklas Sundstrom and Markus Naslund were reunited in “Modo’s” lineup against “Rögle”. Before a packed house of 7, 600 fans “Modo” won 4-1 against “Rögle”

“This is awesome to train and play with these kinds of world-class players” says “Modo” forward Marco Tuokko. “I’ve been training with the Koivu brothers in Turku and you learn a lot from these superstars “, said Tuokko.

Foppa and Naslund have definitely raised the level of play for this team”, said assistant coach Thomas Steen.

Associated Press

ORNSKOLDSVIK, Sweden — Markus Naslund came out of retirement to play with childhood friend Peter Forsberg for hometown team Modo on Saturday, getting an assist in a 4-1 win over Rogle in the Swedish league.

Naslund set up Forsberg to make it 1-0 in the first period as the two former NHL All-Stars needed little time to get reacquainted on the ice.

“I felt quite all right,” Naslund said. “I haven’t really practiced since were eliminated from the playoffs [with the New York Rangers] last season, so it’s not that strange that I feel a bit tired.”

Forsberg added an assist, and has seven goals and seven assists in seven games for Modo this season. The two plan to continue playing for the club for the rest of the season.

Forsberg and Naslund played together for Modo as juniors, and led the club to the quarterfinals of the Swedish league playoffs in 1992-93.

Naslund finished second to Forsberg in scoring during the 2002-03 NHL season with a career-high 104 points — including 48 goals. He retired from the NHL in May after 15 seasons, and has not played since.

“It’s great that Markus is with us again,” Forsberg said. “He looked really good considering he’s only been on ice for 10 days.”

Normally, a goal by a virtual unknown in the country’s second highest league wouldn’t draw much attention…even if it’s a rather nifty score.

But it’s not the goal that has everybody talking.

Rather, it’s Andersen’s jumping for joy after notching his first goal in the league that has catapulted this budding hockey talent from obscurity to overnight sensation.

Andersen celebrated the score, the first in a 4-0 drubbing of opposing Björklöven on Tuesday night, by not merely jumping, but more or less taking a flying leap right through the plexiglass behind the goal.

If only Andersen could have matched the grace he displayed in slipping the puck past the goalie when he tumbled into the crowd. On the bright side, he’s most likely will draw the attention of the NHL scouts now!