Swedish World Junior Team Mysteriously Cuts Three First-Round Draft Picks

Bizarre Cuts Made By Sweden

The Swedish national team are a perennial threat at the World Junior Hockey Championships, but a recent move has left some fans feeling puzzled.

For their World Junior Summer Showcase roster, Sweden have removed three players who were initially supposed to participate — each of whom were first-round picks in the NHL Entry Draft.

According to Chris Peters, Sweden have removed Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Noah Östlund and Liam Öhgren from their showcase roster in favour of Zeb Forsfjäll, Felix Unger Sorum (both of whom were drafted in later rounds at this year's draft), and an undrafted player in Hannes Hellberg.

There's no clear-cut reason for now why Lekkerimäki, Östlund and Öhgren — prospects for the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres and Minnesota Wild respectively – have been removed from the team. Perhaps this is out of a desire on Sweden's part to scout players who are younger and less likely to make the team, since Lekkerimäki, Östlund and Öhgren each look like sure bets to be on their final squad at the actual tournament in December.

Sweden finished fourth in last year's World Juniors in Halifax. All three of Lekkerimäki, Östlund and Öhgren were on last year's roster for Sweden.