STOCKHOLM (WTVF) — After a nearly 8-hour flight across the Atlantic Ocean, the Predators have arrived in Sweden for this weekend’s NHL Global Series games against the Penguins.
It’s just the third time in franchise history the Preds have been tabbed to play internationally, and the first time they will play in Stockholm, which will host its 17th and 18th NHL games this weekend at Avicii Arena. That’s more games hosted than any other city outside of North America.
“Sweden’s a hockey hotbed,” Predators President and CEO Sean Henry said. “We’ve had so many powerful Swedes play for us, and around the league. It’s neat to be included in the teams that have already played over there.”
24 Swedes have worn the Predators gold sweater over the years, including Hall of Fame inductee Peter Forsberg. There are two Swedes on this year’s team: Filip Forsberg, who is the franchise’s all-time leading goal scorer and postseason goals leader, and young defenseman Adam Wilsby, who grew up in Stockholm.
Forsberg, who grew up a few hours northwest of the capital city of Stockholm, says he can’t wait to play an NHL game in his home country representing Nashville and a Predators organization he’s played with his entire career.
“Obviously, (playing in) Worlds was unbelievable, playing for my country at home, but representing Nashville, you know, is – this is my team, so to speak,” Forsberg said last week. “To be able to go home and play and show guys around will be cool. I’m excited for that part, too.”
The game will also be a homecoming of sorts for the Preds’ three Finnish-born players and for thousands of European fans who have adopted the team as theirs.
“We have a lot of fans there because of Fil,” Henry said. “But at the same time, our entire team, because we have a lot of popular players over there, too. So it’s going to be really cool to see people in the stands wearing gold that didn’t fly over with us.”
The Predators had a big following for games in Bern, Switzerland, and Prague in 2022 and are taking 300 loyal fans from Nashville along for this trip.
“Smashville turns out, don’t they?” Henry said. “I think it’s incredible. I still talk to people who went three years ago, and we still talk about how it was magical, it was storybook. And now we’ll have more memories like that. That’s what sports are about, right? Building memories and connections with people, maybe you don’t know all that well, but once you travel with them, they’re friends for life.”
There will be plenty of time to make friends and experience the food and culture of Sweden over the next few days. After playing 12 games in the last 21 days, the Predators are off until Friday when they meet the Penguins (1 p.m. CT) in the first of two games here in Stockholm.
