3 Team Sweden Options to Replace Linus Ullmark at the 4 Nations Face-Off – The Hockey Writers 4 Nations Face-off Latest News, Analysis & More

Anders Lundberg, Sweden’s general manager, must quickly pivot to a new contingency plan for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Significant question marks surround the goaltending position as the injury has bitten weeks before the start of the inaugural tournament by taking out two of their top options in the crease. Team Sweden’s management group was already preparing for additional decisions regarding the goalie position due to the current injury situation, but recent events may force them to make additions to their roster.

Related: 3 Players Whose Health Makes 4 Nations Face-Off Participation Worrisome

Linus Ullmark has been “week-to-week” since the beginning of January while missing the last 13 games for the Ottawa Senators with a back injury. Ullmark was placed on injured reserve yesterday by Ottawa this morning. While the goalie has returned to skating with the club, his return is still unknown, which likely places his 4 Nations Face-Off participation in doubt, too. On Wednesday night, New Jersey’s Jacob Markstrom suffered a knee sprain after a collision between the goal post and Boston Bruins forward Justin Brazeau. The reported MCL sprain is expected to keep the Devils goalie out of action for over a month, leaving Sweden down another goalie heading into the games in Montreal and Boston.

In early December, The Hockey Writers‘ Jacob Billington ranked the trio of Markstom, Ullmark, and Filip Gustavsson as the third-best group at the 4 Nations Face-Off. While Minnesota’s Gustavsson would be the unquestioned starting goalie, playing time could be available for another goalie selected to join the Swedes next month.

According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, Sam Ersson looks to be the top replacement choice for Sweden. Ersson, 25, has gone 14-8-2 with a 2.80 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .891 save percentage (SV%) for the Philadelphia Flyers this season. Over his 89-game NHL career, the 6-foot-3 netminder is 43-30-9 with a 2.85 GAA and an .892 SV%. 

As @BjurmanPer reported yesterday, #Flyers Sam Ersson is expected to replace #njdevils Jacob Markstrom on Sweden’s 4Nations Face-Off roster.

Amazingly, more than seven weeks after the rosters were named, Markstrom is the first player needing replacement in the tournament.

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 24, 2025

On January 13, Jackie Spiegel, the hockey beat writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer, reported Sweden’s Head Coach Sam Hallam scouted Ersson in person at Wells Fargo Center. He struggled early, allowing two goals over a 1:35 span in the middle of the first period as the Florida Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Ersson finished strong by stopping 16 shots over the last two periods as the Flyers finished the 4-3 comeback win over the reigning Stanley Cup Champions. 

Sweden’s 4 Nations Face-off head coach Sam Hallam is at Wells Fargo Center tonight scouting. With Linus Ullmark still out, could Sam Ersson be added to Sweden’s roster?

— Jackie Spiegel (@jackiespiegel93) January 13, 2025

Anton Forsberg (Ottawa Senators)

Despite Ullmark’s absence from the Senators lineup, Anton Forsberg, 32, has been unable to seize his golden opportunity at the starting position. The NHL veteran has been outplayed by 22-year-old rookie Leevi Meriläinen, resulting in only six starts since the calendar flipped over to 2025. With three losses and an overtime defeat in those starts, the results have been uninspiring recently.

Anton Forsberg, Ottawa Senators (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Forsberg features a 5-9-1 record with a 3.08 GAA and a .904 SV% over 17 appearances for Ottawa this season. There is always an argument for the experience that comes with a 175-plus NHL career. In a decade of hockey at the highest level, Forsberg is 68-78-12 with a 3.08 GAA and a .904 SV%.

Arvid Soderblom (Chicago Blackhawks)

Arvid Soderblom, 25, has a 6-11-2 record, a 2.92 GAA, and a .907 SV% over 20 games for the Chicago Blackhawks this season. Over his last five games, Soderblom is 1-3-1 against some of the best competition in the NHL, such as the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars. In a three-year NHL career with a rebuilding Chicago franchise, the 6-foot-3 netminder owns a 13-45-6 record with a 3.57 GAA and a .890 SV%. Soderblom could represent an underdog option if Team Sweden chooses a goalie showcasing noticeable improvements in his game this season. 

With the 4 Nations Face-Off only three weeks away, Lundburg will need to make at least one addition to the crease sooner than later.