The Swedish WC squad ready - The women's crowns aim for a medal in Denmark

On October 28-31, the Lidl hockey games will be played in Södertälje. It will be one last opportunity for the Swedish national team to fine-tune the details before the WC starts in Denmark on November 6.

During Tuesday, the squad that will play the tournament in Södertälje was released, which is the same that will travel to Denmark during Erika Holst's first World Cup as the national team captain for the Women's Crowns.

The selected squad is similar to the ones Holst has played with during the Euro hockey tour in the fall, but the decisions have not been completely easy.

- We had a slightly different squad in the tournament in Switzerland compared to the one in Finland. The players who have participated have really shown that you want to participate and play, so it has been a pleasant problem, says Erika Holst and continues:

- There have been discussions in the management team back and forth, but now I feel very secure in the squad we have landed in and look forward to working with these 24 players.

The goal is clear: to leave Denmark with a medal around his neck. After what she has seen during the autumn tournaments, the goal is realistic, says Holst.

- We have been very skilled in the offensive game and the game with the puck in general. We create a lot of chances and we have the mentality where we just keep going.

According to the confederation captain, width is the greatest security in the squad, which has so far won four out of six games in the Euro hockey tour.

- I think we are safe in all three parts of the team. A lot of routine, while there are a lot of younger players, who have built up a lot of routine despite being young for their age.

The first match in the World Cup is played against Canada in Herning on November 6. According to Holst, it is a grateful start that can set the tone for the rest of the tournament. At the same time, the fact that the WC is played in November can be seen as an advantage.

The North American professional league PWHL only starts the month after the WC. This means that the Canadian players will not have played as many matches as the Swedish before the premiere.

- We have chosen to see it as an advantage. Now we have had three tournaments so our PWHL players will have nine games before the WC. The USA and Canada will have played fewer games.

Josefin Bouveng, who will debut in the PWHL next season, is one of the Swedish players who has only played international games this far into the season.

She believes, however, that she has had enough matches to get warm in her clothes and that the tournament next week will prepare the team even more.

Bouveng testifies to a good feeling in the team before the WC.

- We have a very close-knit group. There are many who know each other from before and have been together now for a while, so it's a very positive feeling.

She hopes, like Holst, that Sweden can take the step and win a medal during this year's edition.

- The Olympics gave us a confidence boost in that we finally won that quarter-final and were really close to a medal. Then we stumbled at the end, but I think we showed ourselves that we can be up there and fight for the medals, and we will take that with us to the WC.