Since Johan Garpenlöv and his Tre Kronor were last on the move in February at home, almost everything has been about the corona pandemic and canceled matches and championships.
The Karjala Tournament in Helsinki on November 5-8 will be the start of Garpenlöv's second season as head of the national team.
On Monday, he presents the squad for the tournament.
- It feels great fun, this is what you took the job for.
Take out teams, play these tournaments and make the trip to the World Cup.
Split emotions
But the question marks surrounding the World Cup are big.
And then the corona pandemic is no longer central.
Without the political situation in Belarus, where incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko is rocking and protests - as well as violence against them - continue after the August presidential election, which many considered rigged.
Latvia, which is a co-organizer, has demanded that Belarus be replaced by another main organizer, and the International Ice Hockey Federation has set up a crisis team to investigate the matter.
Johan Garpenlöv has been asked earlier in the autumn whether the suitability to hold a World Cup in Belarus and his answer to TT is the same as to others:
- If you ask me the question privately, I do not think we should play there, then I am employed by the association and go where I am expected to be.
That's how I can answer.
"Focuses on games"
How do you feel about the uncertainty that exists?
- The procedure whether it is to be played in Belarus or not, I am not involved in and I have no control over it.
So I focus on the World Cup being played, no one has said anything else.
Then we will see if it is played in Belarus or elsewhere.
You are not afraid of the World Cup being canceled again?
- Not because of that, but we have a coronavirus that can cause it again.
But when you look at how the playoffs were resolved in the NHL and how the JVM will be played, I guess there will be some kind of bubble during the World Cup if a vaccine is not conjured up.
With the tests you do, that the law is isolated in hotels, it feels feasible.
SVT Sport explains: Why is corona infection spread most in ice hockey?
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Photo: SVT / C More