Ohlund receives the Olympics call for Sweden

Donning the crest of the Three Crowns is old hat for Mattias Ohlund. But the feeling never gets old.

The 33-year-old veteran defenseman was named Sunday to represent Sweden for the Winter Olympic Games to be held in Vancouver in February. The 2010 Games will be the fourth time Ohlund participates in the Olympics and the 10th time he represents Sweden in international play, including World Championships and World Junior Championships, since 1994.

Sweden will open defense of its 2006 gold medal on Feb. 17 in pool play against Germany.

While Ohlund received the call of his country, fellow teammate and NHL rookie Victor Hedman was left off the initial roster of 23 players, although the 19-year-old could still be named should injuries prevent somebody else from participating. Replacements may be made up until Feb. 15.

Having participated in the past three Olympics - in Nagano, Japan, in 1998, Salt Lake City in 2002 and Turin, Italy, in 2006 - Ohlund is excited to once again have the opportunity to take in the experience of the Winter Games, which will take place this year in the city he called home for the previous 11 years.

"I played three times before and it's an amazing experience," Ohlund said. "With this one being in Vancouver, it's going to be extra special, so I'm really looking forward to it."

In his three previous Olympics since the NHL began allowing its players to participate, Ohlund has brought home one medal, helping Sweden take the gold in a victory against Finland in 2006. That medal is in a drawer at his father's home back in Sweden, and while it represents a momentous time in his hockey career, he said that's not what defines the experience of the Olympics.

"It's not just the hockey team, you are really a part, and in my case, of Team Sweden," Ohlund said. "You live together as a group, you eat together with other athletes from different sports, and with most amateur sports it's great because it's so much different from here because everybody walks around in their blue and yellow (Team Sweden) track suits the whole time.

"You are eating at a place that's not the fancy restaurants or fancy hotels that we are used to; it's different and it's very grounding in a way, too. It's amazing to be a part of."

It's something Hedman hopes to be a part of in the future, as well.

When Hedman woke up Sunday morning, he checked the computer to see if his name was on the list. When it wasn't, he felt an obvious level of disappointment.

"I had some hope up until (Sunday) morning, but there was big competition for spots on defense, that's for sure," Hedman said. "Of course, I'm a little disappointed but on the other hand, they know what they are doing, they picked the team that won the last Olympics, so you can't really blame them. I know that I'm young and I have a lot of work ahead of me, I'm not ready to play there yet and they need to pick the best players who can be the key components for Sweden in the Olympics."

In his first NHL season after being the No. 2 pick in the 2009 draft, Hedman has three goals, 11 points and is an even plus/minus while logging 22:16 a night, second among all rookies. As he continues to grow and round out his game, should the NHL continue to participate in the Olympics - it has only committed through 2010 - when the games take place in Russia in 2014, Hedman should be a lock on the Swedish blue line for years to come.

Sweden "probably had some tough decisions," Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said of Hedman's exclusion. "But he's a guy that I can guarantee you if the NHL goes to another Olympics, he will be on that team."