Picking rosters for Sweden, Finland ahead of NHL's 2025 international tournament

Sweden 🇸🇪/Finland 🇫🇮 | Canada 🇨🇦 | United States 🇺🇸

With a four-team, NHL-sanctioned international hockey tournament expected to take place in February 2025, theScore is choosing rosters for all nations set to partake.

We begin with Sweden and Finland. While neither nation has as much depth as Canada or the United States, the top ends of their rosters boast elite talent. Both countries have shown historically that the whole can be greater than the sum of their parts, too.

For Canada and the United States, there's plenty of debate as to who should make it, so, for those teams, we've asked five of our editors to submit their own rosters. But, for Sweden and Finland, with more obvious choices to make the teams, we only picked one roster for each country. Let's dive in.

Sweden 🇸🇪

Notable omissions: William Eklund, Jesper Fast, Viktor Arvidsson

The top two lines feature plenty of firepower that can carry the offense for the Swedes. The bottom six includes four players (Eriksson Ek, Lindholm, Karlsson, Backlund) who have received Selke Trophy consideration in their careers. Both of these units can be trusted in shut-down roles.

Landeskog and Carlsson are the wild cards. The former is missing his second straight season with a knee injury, although there's a chance he returns for the 2024 playoffs. Landeskog has earned the benefit of the doubt, though. If he's healthy, he'll be on this team.

Carlsson, meanwhile, will have just turned 20 by the time this tournament rolls around. But everything the 2023 No. 2 pick has shown in his rookie season so far suggests he's the real deal. He could easily work his way up the lineup over the next 14 months.

Notable omissions: Mattias Ekholm, Adam Larsson

The Swedes have always produced elite blue-liners, and this 2025 team should be no different. Dahlin, who's in the prime of his career, will be the No. 1, and there's plenty of veteran help around him.

Having Hedman on the third pair will raise some eyebrows, but he'll be 34 in this tournament, and his underlying numbers on the defensive end are putrid for the second straight season. He'll likely wear the "C" for Tre Kronor, but Lindholm and Brodin - a pair of superb defenders - are both better-suited to play in the top four and handle the tougher assignments.

Notable omissions: Jonas Johansson

Ullmark, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, has come down to earth a bit this season, but not enough to push him out of the starter's net at this point. Gustavsson has heated up lately and could push Ullmark for the No. 1 job by February 2025.

Finland 🇫🇮

Notable omissions: Eetu Luostarinen, Kasperi Kapanen, Mikael Granlund

The Finns also feature a lethal top-six forward group - one that would have built-in chemistry with the NHL duos of Lehkonen-Rantanen and Aho-Teravainen.

Laine will be an X-factor for the Finns. He's had a miserable season in Columbus, but if he can regain his scoring touch in time for this tournament, it would go a long way in helping his country make some noise.

Notable omissions: Olli Maatta, Urho Vaakanainen

The blue line is undoubtedly Suomi's weakness. While Heiskanen is a bona fide star, the group behind him - which includes two of his Stars teammates in Lindell and Hakanpaa - is uninspiring. However, there is lots of size and defensive acumen among this unit that could help protect leads.

Notable omissions: Ville Husso

While goaltending is a key for every team, Finland will be banking heavily on Saros. The Predators' netminder, who's been among the NHL's best goalies over the last few seasons, will need to have his game-stealing ability on display in order for the Finns to win.