Olympic Hockey: Sweden, High hopes

If you're a Toronto Maple Leaf fan, you know Sweden's team captain, Mats Sundin.(The number he wears for Sweden is the same number he wears for the Maple Leafs --- 13.)

Some other members of the Swedish team, such as Tommy Salo, Ulf Dahlen, and Nicklas Lidstrom, you might recognize from their NHL teams.

Unfortunately, the Swedes come to Salt Lake without their biggest star, and Sweden's favorite son, Peter Forsberg, who not only is sitting out the Olympics, but the NHL season as well.

No matter, the team from the "Land of the Midnight Sun" will be tough to beat.

Here are some members of the Swedish team, who might just give the Czech Republic a run for the Olympic Gold Medal.

Mattias Nordstrom, Los Angeles Kings

He's the captain of the Kings and for most of his career with the Kings, he was known as "Rob Blake's defense partner." Not anymore.

Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators

He's one of the best players in the league, but because he's stuck in Ottawa, he's not a household name.

Markus Ragnarson, San Jose Sharks

He's not a household name in the NHL either, but you'd never know that from all those San Jose Shark fans wearing his jersey at the "Shark Tank."

Mikael Renberg, Toronto Maple Leafs

After playing in Philadelphia on "The Legion of Doom" line with Eric Lindros and John LeClair, what do you do for an encore? You get to play for your country at the Olympics and play on a line with one of your country's best players, Sundin.

Markus Naslund, Vancouver Canucks

He plays for a team that's located in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but even the Canuck fans don't appreciate him.

In the qualifying round over the weekend, Sweden easily defeated the heavily favored Canadian team. It was only the first game of the qualifying round, but could this be a sign of things to come?

Are we awarding the medal to Team Czech Republic just a little too fast?