Three months after winning the Olympic gold medal at the Turin Games, Sweden can barely manage to get a team together to play at the World Hockey Championship.
Mats Sundin and Peter Forsberg turned down invitations, and so did goalie Henrik Lundqvist.
They were not alone.
Fifteen players with National Hockey League teams declined to accept Sweden coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson's offer to play in Latvia.
"There will be a day when they'll regret their decisions," said Mats Naslund, a former Montreal Canadiens player who is Sweden's general manager.
For a while this week it looked like Sweden would head to Riga for the weekend opener without a single NHL player for the first time since the 1995 worlds in Stockholm, when Finland won its first and only world title by beating the hosts.
But Gustafsson, a former NHL player, finally got some good news: defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who also played on the Olympic gold-medal winning team, and forward Johan Franzen accepted invitations after the Detroit Red Wings were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
"I never hesitated," Kronwall said. "I was injured for four months and my season has hardly started ... I don't want it to end like this. It was such a tough loss against Edmonton."
Henrik Zetterberg, another Olympic champion on the Red Wings, might join his Detroit teammates. He said he would notify Gustafsson later this week after examining his sore back.
Without so many key NHL players and only five returning from its Olympic roster, Sweden is unlikely to challenge for another gold at the worlds.
"I would never turn down a chance to play on the national team," said Russia's Alexander Ovechkin, one of the top rookies in the NHL with the Washington Capitals this season who finished third on the regular-season scoring list.
"All players have the right to make their own decisions, but for me it's an honor to represent my country in the world championship."
Winning the European Hockey Tour final over Sweden in Stockholm earlier this week was a confidence booster for Russia, which has not won the worlds since 1993.
"We'll have a young and promising team in Riga," Ovechkin said. "I can promise that we'll surprise a lot of people. We've got a great team."
Canada, like Russia, will be looking for revenge at the worlds after a disappointing showing at the Olympics.
Canada has a roster that includes forward Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Detroit forward Jason Williams was a late addition to Canada's team.
"Jason is leaving tomorrow and should be in the lineup Friday," Canada GM Ken Holland said.
Holland didn't have far to go to ask Williams, a member of Holland's Red Wings team that was upset by Edmonton.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely