Future Sens to Lead Sweden at WJC 2023

OTTAWA, ON

With the 2023 World Junior Championship about to start in Halifax and Mocton, a pair of Ottawa Senators prospects are on their way to represent their nation. Yesterday, team Sweden announced their final roster for the 2023 World Junior Championship in Halifax and Moncton. Among them were two promising Senators prospects, Victor Stjernborg and Carl Lindbom. Both returnees from the make-up championships this summer, the pair look to factor as key contributors to the team's quest for their first gold medal since 2012 - a team led by Filip Forsberg and Mika Zibanejad. Lindbom is slated to be this year's starter, while Stjernborg will captain the team.

Carl Lindbom, the final pick in the 2021 entry draft, has been the best goalie in HockeyAllsvenskan this season at only 19 years old. In 21 games played for Djurgardens IF this season, Lindbom has posted 15 wins, 4 shutouts, a goals against average of 1.78 and a .936 save percentage. He was the third string goalie at the 2022 World Juniors this August and travelled with the team, but did not see any game action. He will be given the first shot at being the team's starter for the tournament, and Sens fans are excited for this opportunity to see their potential goalie of the future in action close to home.

Victor Stjernborg was a 4th round pick in the 2021 entry draft. Touted by EliteProspects as having "one of the biggest and best motors in the [2021] draft", Stjernborg is a defensive specialist who will be tasked with shutting down his opponents' best players every night. He played all 7 of Sweden's games in last years tournament, and already has 71 professional SHL games under his belt for Vaxjo at only 19 years old. No matter how strong his defensive game, however, his NHL outlook may be slim due to his low offensive output. In 26 SHL games so far this season, Stjernborg has 4 points - all assists. If he wants to crack a NHL roster one day, he will have to improve his offensive game. This experience earned him the honor of captaining this year's Swedish cohort.

Though it may be years until either of these players crack the NHL roster, in a year with few things for Ottawa fans to cheer about on the ice, it is nice to have a distraction during the festive time of year. Veteran Patric Hornqvist commented on the excitement that surrounds the World Juniors each year, recalling his experience in the 2007 tournament some 15 years ago:

"It's a special time of year. I got to play at home and it was one of the highlights of my junior career. We've got a diverse team here in Ottawa so you get some guys teasing each other depending who's playing who. Obviously I think team Sweden will win this year... It's long past time haha."

Like Hornqvist, many Ottawa fans will be rooting for Lindbom, Stjernborg, and team Sweden this Christmas - except when they play Canada of course. Both teams are in group A this year, with Sweden opening against Austria followed by Canada taking on Czechia in Halifax.