Jesper Bratt knows he could be basking in the hot sun, sitting by crashing waves on a beach with white sand somewhere right now as the NHL takes a nearly two-week break.
And yet, there is nowhere he’d rather be right now than pulling over the iconic yellow and blue Three Crowns jersey to represent his country at the 4 Nations tournament.
He understands the value of rest, of course, but everyone around him right now is in the same boat. They’re players who have played many important minutes for their NHL clubs, but they are recharged not by the hot sun, but by national pride.
They are beaming. This is important to them.
“It is truly something special to be a part of a national team,” he said. “The best NHL players, best-on-best, hasn’t been around since nine years ago, or something like that. This is really something special. When you get to put your national team jersey on, you get to play with all the guys who speak the same language as you, and guys that all have the same, similar backgrounds, just to play for your country, against the best players from other countries, is just really, truly special. I’m very, very grateful to be here. I’m proud to be here and excited for what’s ahead.”
Being a part of Team Sweden is truly important to the 26-year-old Swede. This is the first best-on-best tournament since the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. That tournament took place just weeks after Bratt was drafted in the sixth round by the Devils. The last time Bratt played for his national team was in 2018 at the World Championship, but because of the Stanley Cup playoffs going on at the same time, it’s not often considered a best-on-best tournament.
This 4 Nations is.
“This is huge, just honored to be a part of it,” Bratt said. “Ever since I was younger, I was dreaming of playing in the Olympics and certain tournaments like that and playing in a best-on-best tournament for your country. Now we’re here and I’m so excited. I’m really, really excited to be here and to be with all the guys is really special.”
Special, too, will be opening the tournament against a team playing on their home soil. Although Sweden will be considered the ‘home team’, its opposition is playing on home soil. Up first is the test of Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and the Canadians.
No dipping their toes into the water.
“It’s awesome, you get right into it,” he said on Wednesday morning, hours before puck drop. “Playing Canada… Canada is something ever since you were young, you’ve always dreamed about (playing against). You watch it on TV and you have the opportunity to experience it yourself. Today is the ultimate test. Playing Canada in Canada. Super exciting.”
And he couldn’t be prouder to head into the big game with the current group of guys he’s with.
“Its such a great group of guys, we have that good leadership and team mentality. I think that’s just the Swedish way. We all really accept our role and do it the best we can possibly do it. We have that great chemistry together that all of us are in this together, no one in the room that believes they’re better than anyone else. We’re all in this together. That’s why we think we have a chance to really creating a good team bonding.”
