Patrik Berglund handles surprise call-up to Team Sweden

WASHINGTON, DC – Patrik Berglund wasn’t sure if he was on the list. Or if there actually was a list.

What he does know: That his phone rang on Monday, and the voice on the other end said the forward was needed by Team Sweden as an injury replacement for Rickard Rakell — who had been an injury replacement for Alex Steen, Berglund’s St. Louis Blues teammate — for the upcoming World Cup of Hockey tournament in Toronto.

“I was following the papers, seeing that guys went down. You figure that at some point maybe you get the call. You have it in the back of your head,” he said. “I said yes, packed my bags and jumped on a plane, and here I am.”

“Here” was Kettler Capitals IcePlex just outside of Washington, DC, where Sweden practiced ahead of their exhibition game on Wednesday against Team Europe. Coach Rikard Grönborg and his teammates welcomed him to the fold, with Berglund skating alongside Carl Soderberg and Gabriel Landeskog on the fourth line.

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“Ultimately it’s my decision,” said Grönborg. “I just felt that he’s fitting in in a position where we needed a player. On the defensive side of the puck, coming in for defensive faceoffs and the penalty kill. And we know he can put the puck in the net. He’s going to fit in pretty well.”

Berglund agreed, not only because of his skills-set but because the Swedish national team is one big happy family. Many players have been teammates before in the NHL or in international play – Berglund said there are four or five players he hasn’t played with since junior hockey.

Also, because the Swedes are just … nice people.

“Everyone knows each other. Swedes are really good people. Really nice people to hang out with,” said Berglund. “You should try it sometime.”

Team Sweden is seeded in Group B of the World Cup of Hockey, by far the more challenging of the two groups. They’ll play Finland, Russia and the U-23 Team North America.

Berglund said it’ll be great preparation for the upcoming NHL regular season. “You get real games against he best players in the world,” he said.

“I’ve been working out all freakin’ summer. I’m sick of that. Let’s start the season.”

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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