Red Wings Icon Feels For Russian Players

Detroit Red Wings icon Henrik Zetterberg is feeling a cauldron of mixed emotions boiling inside of him as the 4 Nations Face-Off fast approaches.

On the one hand, the the former Red Wings captain and 2006 Olympic gold medal winner is sensing an aura of confidence emanating from his Swedish compatriots.

“I think Sweden will play well,” Zetterberg told Swedish website Expressen. “There will be small margins between those who win and those who come fourth. Any team can beat any.

“But I have a slight feeling that Sweden will do well.”

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The Swedish roster includes Lucas Raymond. The Red Wings forward is leading Detroit in scoring this season. Zetterberg has taken time to work as a mentor with Raymond over the years and it appears to be paying off. Detroit coach Todd McLellan expresses how he sees elements of Zetterberg’s competitive style of play in Raymond’s game.

Red Wings Zetterberg Feels For Russian NHLers

While this best on best tournament is going to be featuring Canada, the USA and Finland along with the Swedes, there’s two countries that hockey is leaving out in the cold. The NHL wasn’t extending an invitation to participate to the reigning world champions from the Czech Republic. And international politics are keeping nine-time Olympic champion Russia out of the competition.

The IIHF took the step of banning Russian hockey teams from international competition since Russia was invading Ukraine. The Russians are banned from the 2026 IIHF World Championship. That will be the country’s fifth consecutive absence from the tournament.

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While Zetterberg understands the overriding issue at work here, he can’t help but feel badly for top Russian NHL stars like Alex Ovechkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Artemi Panarin and Nikita Kucherov, who have no idea when they might be able to again represent their country on the ice.

“I feel sorry for the players and athletes who are not allowed to participate,” Zetterberg said. “But it is a decision that is made over our heads.

“It is incredibly sad what is happening around the world and that is unfortunately part of it. But I feel sorry for the Russian players who have the right intentions.”