Dallas Stars forward Loui Eriksson selected for Swedish Olympic hockey team

by Mark Stepneski of Andrew's Stars Page

Fellow Star Nicklas Grossman was not selected.

Dallas Stars forward Loui Eriksson will be heading to Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics. The 24-year-old was among 12 forwards named to Sweden's hockey team that will be shooting for a second straight gold medal.

Loui Eriksson

"It's great to make the team," Eriksson said after Sunday's practice in Frisco. "It's going to be fun to go there and play in the Olympics. Vancouver is a great place to play. It's the best players in the world. It's going to be awesome."

And he isn't playing for just any team. He's playing for the defending gold medalists.

"It's going to be a tough challenge (to defend the gold medal)," he said. "There a lot of good teams."

Sweden's current roster consists of 13 players from the 2006 squad that beat Finland 3-2 in the gold medal game in Italy.

"The lineup looks good. Lots of good players," said Eriksson. "We have some experienced players and some younger players, so I think that's a good mix."

Among those veteran players are defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom on defense, Henrik Lundqvist in goal, Daniel Alfredsson and Henrik Zetterberg up front.

And also on the roster is forward Peter Forsberg, a player Eriksson idolized growing up in Sweden and a player who has played a big role in Sweden's Olympic gold medals in 1994 and 2006. In 1994 Forsberg scored the shootout winner against Canada and in 2006 he set up Lidstrom's game-winner against Finland in the gold medal game.

Forsberg, who is currently dealing with a rib injury, is playing in the Swedish Elite League, where he had eight goals and nine assists in nine games with MODO.

"Forsberg was one of the best players in the world and he's been playing well in the Swedish Elite League and producing," said Eriksson. "He's still got it."

Eriksson, Nicklas Backstrom and Patric Hornqvist are among the younger players coming into the mix. Eriksson had a breakthrough season in 2008-09 with the Stars, scoring 36 goals. He's having another solid campaign this season, currently ranking second on the team in points (35) and third in goals (12).

"I think he'll play really well for them," said Stars head coach Marc Crawford. "He's such a strong skater. He's so strong on the puck. He's a complementary player in that he can play with just about anybody. He can play on a top line or a checking line. He can play on power play or kill penalties. It will be great for him and a good experience."