At 16, Ebba Hedqvist is the youngest player in the tournament.
photo: Matt Zambonin / IIHF
Ebba Hedqvist is the youngest player in Brampton this year. The 16-year-old won’t turn 17 until the end of September, but despite her youth she is not inexperienced in the international game. Hedqvist played U18 for Sweden both in 2022 and this past January, the latter notable because the Swedes stunned the U.S., 2-1, in the semi-finals to earn a place in the gold-medal game.
And Hedqvist assisted on the tying goal in the second period by Mira Jungaker. At 16, she was instantly part of a Sweden team that made history as the first to finish as high as second at the WW18.
On Thursday afternoon Hedqvist made her senior team debut, playing more than eleven minutes in a 6-2 loss to Germany. “I thought we played pretty well, but we need to score more goals,” she said after. “They scored on their chances, and we had trouble around their net.”
She noticed right away the faster play, but she didn’t look out of place. “It’s a higher tempo here, for sure, but it’s nice that I got a chance to play,” she said.
She got an invite the Sweden camp from coach Andreas Carlsson because, in her humble words, “I think I can play both defence and offence, and I have good puck control.” To expand, she can skate well and has good puck skills, but, of course, at 16 she’s working on developing all facets of her game.
To that end, there is a dual purpose to Hedqvist’s presence here. Of course, she hopes to help the team, but she also hopes to learn, for she is only just beginning what she hopes is a long and fruitful hockey journey. “I didn’t know I was the youngest player here, but I know I’m young! It’s great to be here. I’d like to learn more about playing at this level and how to prepare the right way. I’m learning every day from what I see and what I’m doing.”
Hedqvist goes to school in Ornskoldsvik and plays hockey in the SDHL with MoDo, and she hopes to be around for quite a while. “I finish school in June, but they were very good with us about taking the time off. But I also brought some things with me so I can do some homework. In general, I want to play hockey for a long time. Right now, I want to finish school in Sweden, and then after that, who knows? Maybe I’ll go to college in NCAA.”
For now, Hedqvist is focused on her team’s next game, Saturday against Hungary. “I think as a team our focus is on defence. That’s where we start, and that’s what we need to be good at, and then we go forward from there. But for me, I’m here learning, and I don’t feel the need to score a lot of goals or feel great pressure. That can wait.”
And Hedqvist assisted on the tying goal in the second period by Mira Jungaker. At 16, she was instantly part of a Sweden team that made history as the first to finish as high as second at the WW18.
On Thursday afternoon Hedqvist made her senior team debut, playing more than eleven minutes in a 6-2 loss to Germany. “I thought we played pretty well, but we need to score more goals,” she said after. “They scored on their chances, and we had trouble around their net.”
She noticed right away the faster play, but she didn’t look out of place. “It’s a higher tempo here, for sure, but it’s nice that I got a chance to play,” she said.
She got an invite the Sweden camp from coach Andreas Carlsson because, in her humble words, “I think I can play both defence and offence, and I have good puck control.” To expand, she can skate well and has good puck skills, but, of course, at 16 she’s working on developing all facets of her game.
To that end, there is a dual purpose to Hedqvist’s presence here. Of course, she hopes to help the team, but she also hopes to learn, for she is only just beginning what she hopes is a long and fruitful hockey journey. “I didn’t know I was the youngest player here, but I know I’m young! It’s great to be here. I’d like to learn more about playing at this level and how to prepare the right way. I’m learning every day from what I see and what I’m doing.”
Hedqvist goes to school in Ornskoldsvik and plays hockey in the SDHL with MoDo, and she hopes to be around for quite a while. “I finish school in June, but they were very good with us about taking the time off. But I also brought some things with me so I can do some homework. In general, I want to play hockey for a long time. Right now, I want to finish school in Sweden, and then after that, who knows? Maybe I’ll go to college in NCAA.”
For now, Hedqvist is focused on her team’s next game, Saturday against Hungary. “I think as a team our focus is on defence. That’s where we start, and that’s what we need to be good at, and then we go forward from there. But for me, I’m here learning, and I don’t feel the need to score a lot of goals or feel great pressure. That can wait.”