Hockey Sweden’s head coach forgot about a new NHL star – now applying for an exemption for the Olympics

Hockey is one of the most interesting sports at the Beijing Winter Olympics, as NHL players are meant to be involved in staring at the Games.

However, not all of the brightest stars are necessarily included, and especially in Sweden, the head coach Johan Garpenlöville appears to have experienced a considerable error or memory outage.

Garpenlöv has left the Detroit Red Wings Lucas Raymondin off the preliminary list of 55 NHL players from which the final Olympic team will be selected. He tells about it Aftonbladet.

Raymond the name doesn’t say much to the casual follower of hockey, but the 19-year-old has been the brightest new star of the season.

The winger leads the newcomers’ points exchange by far. He has made 9 + 12 in 22 matches, which also relieves him from number one on the Red Wings points exchange.

Of the Swedes, only Calgaryn is ahead Elias Lindholm at powers 9 + 14.

Based on early-season evidence, Raymond would definitely deserve a place in Beijing, and at least on the so-called “big list”.

Team leader of Tre Kronor Olof Östblom Aftonbladet tells Aftonbladet that the team has applied to the International Hockey Federation (IIHF) for an exemption to add players to the list.

“We haven’t got an answer yet,” Östblom says.

The Beijing Olympics will be competed on June 4-20. February. Men’s hockey begins on February 9th. Sweden plays in Group C with Finland, Slovakia and Latvia.