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Sweden managed to make their opening win feel like a loss in their Winter Olympics opener. More accurately, they piled up shots on goal against Italy, but failed to pull away until late a 5-2 victory. The Swedes started the tournament with a win but it didn’t feel like one.
Related: 3 Takeaways: Slovakia Triumphs over Finland in Olympics Opener
Finland, their neighbor to the east, lost and was shocked in the process. They also ended up in a battle but allowed Slovakia to pull away late and never look back. Their loss is the most notable impression of the first day of the men’s hockey at the Olympics, and speaks to the absence of one star player who they won’t replace anytime soon.
Carlsson is That Extra Threat for Sweden
The offense looked fine for the most part against Italy. Sweden generated 60 shots on the net but Damian Clara stood on his head until a late-game injury removed him from the game. The offense wasn’t the biggest concern for a Swedish group eyeing a Gold, the goaltending, especially early on, was.
The issue offensively is that Sweden lacked a closer or a player who could finish scoring chances. Leo Carlsson would have been that guy. The 21-year-old center is a point-per-game player with the Anaheim Ducks and would have been the top-line option for Sweden. Instead, they had to adapt without him.
In the long run, this will hurt Sweden. This tournament requires stars and game-changing talent. While Carlsson is young, he’s proven he has the ability to take over a game and add that extra spark on offense. Sweden survived their first game but the competition is only tougher from here on out, and they’ll miss Carlsson and his ability. It was noticeable after one game and will become more prevalent as things progress.
Finland Isn’t The Same Without Barkov
Aleksander Barkov isn’t the type of player a fan will notice on a given shift. Yet, over the course of a game, his impact or absence this season is felt. He’s the two-way presence, the Selke caliber center on the top line.
Finland didn’t have him for the game against Slovakia, and it showed. Juraj Slafkovsky scored the first goal of the game by skating through the Finnish defense and finding the back of the net. There’s a good chance a healthy Barkov is matched up against Slafkovsky’s line and is there to break up that scoring chance.
Throughout the game, the Slovaks controlled the middle of the ice both in the offensive and defensive zones. With Barkov, Finland is in control and possibly dominates this game.
It raises the question about Finland’s sustainability in the Olympics. Sure, some injuries are rough but most players can be replaced. Barkov isn’t one of those players. With him out, the question is how good Finland can be. The first game sounds the alarms, and every game after that will raise the question since he’s not around to make the impact Finand is used to.
This Season Shows How Good Barkov is
The Florida Panthers looked like a machine that couldn’t be rattled. They could overcome any injury because they have enough star power elsewhere to make up for it. It turns out, Barkov is an irreplaceable player.
Without Barkov, the Panthers aren’t a Cup contender. They aren’t a playoff team either. He’s the player who makes everything work and is the ideal center to make the other skaters around him better.
Barkov, in some ways, gets overlooked because he’s a Selke winner and not a Hart Trophy winner. He doesn’t stand out on the offensive end. However, his value can determine whether a team makes a run or not. The Panthers learn the hard way this season, and Finland is experiencing it firsthand. It’s the theme of day one in the Olympics, that some players are tough to lose and others are impossible to lose, and still ice a competitive team. Barkov is an example of the latter.
