Timothy Liljegren is in Tampere and on Thursday morning, before the game against Hungary, he was out feeling the ice. Despite some jet lag, he feels ready for his first World Cup match.
"Great to be here, first team debut for me. It feels huge.
Liljegren's Toronto was recently eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, and soon received a call from head coach Sam Hallam.
"When the disappointment had subsided, it felt natural to go here. We have a good team and a good group, so we will try to go all the way. If you represent Sweden, gold should always be the goal, everything else should be disappointing.
In addition to Liljeberg, there is another Toronto player that many hope to see in a blue and yellow jersey soon. But the defender cannot answer if or when William Nylander will join the World Cup squad.
"I don't know. We'll see if he comes, but it would be fun. He would mean a lot, he's had a very good season in Toronto. World-class player, says Liljegren.