Patrik Karlkvist has been part of Oskarshamn's successful first team in the SHL.

This season he has scored 45 points in 38 games, but when the Tre Kronor squad for next week's tournament was announced, he was not included.

- He has probably selected a team he thinks can win the tournament, that's all there is to it, says Karlkvist, but also gives a picture of why he thinks he was snubbed:

- I probably didn't play my best matches when I was with the national team last time.

You would sort of rely more on how we would play as a team rather than me trying to play the way I'm good at.

It's sad, but not something I think about.

Karlkvist actually thinks that Sam Hallam's playing system suits him quite well, but that something went wrong during the Karjala Tournament last fall.

- It is difficult to just come in and follow the framework and at the same time do your thing.

Just trying to do the right thing and show that I've heard what he's saying.

Then there was a bit of thinking about how we should play as a team instead of doing the offensive stuff that I'm good at.

It's a new coach and you want to show your best side, he says.

Have you had any contact with Hallam?

- No more than we talked after the last tournament.

He said what he thought and felt and I said what I thought and felt.

Union captain Hallam did not want to go into specific players who were not in the squad.

When SVT asked about Karlkvist and Skellefteå's Oscar Möller, he answered as follows:

- I cannot go into specific players, because there are various reasons why they are not included.

But both are very good players.

They are not in this squad right now.

Another who was not there was Linköping's successful goalkeeper Marcus Högberg.

- You need to look at it long-term as well.

If you have participated in two tournaments, you have missed the chance for recovery and good training.

In this case, I think Marcus feels good about staying in Linköping and getting to train for a week and rest his head properly.

He is one of the players who is not with us now who is relevant for the WC, says Hallam.