Chicago Blackhawks prospect John Dahlström was named to Team Sweden’s 26-player preliminary roster for the World Junior Championships on Dec. 5. Sweden’s head coach Tomas Montén says he’ll go for “hot” players when naming the final roster, and that’s one of the reasons “Mr. Irrelevant” — the last pick in the 2015 NHL Draft — is on Tre Kronor’s preliminary roster.
Could Dahlström be “Mr. Relevant” after the World Juniors tournament?
“I hope so!” Montén told SB Nation’s Habs Eyes On The Prize. “He was with us for two tournaments before he went to Medicine Hat, and I have only seen him on video lately. I am excited to see him in action. He has played very well in Medicine Hat. He has taken some big steps over there, and I am looking forward to see if we can translate that success into the Swedish team, too.”
Dahlström is in his first season playing North American hockey after being drafted in the second round by Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League in the Canadian Hockey League Import Draft. The 6-foot, 196-pound left winger found his game in October, netting a hat trick and an assist in his ninth game which started an 11-game point streak. He has 16 goals and 33 points in 32 games for the Tigers.
Dahlström could be joined by fellow Hawks prospect Lucas Carlsson, who was also named to Sweden’s preliminary roster. The 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman has a goal and four assists in 21 games for Brynäs IF of the Swedish Hockey League. The Hawks drafted him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft.
The tournament runs Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2017 in Montreal and Toronto.
Editor’s Note: For more coverage on the tournament, visit SB Nation’s Habs Eyes On The Prize.