The points are coming in at a steady pace for Leo Carlsson. He has 14 goals and 22 assists in 26 games so far, numbers that are on par with the best seasons that Peter Forsberg and Mats Sundin had in the NHL.
Not only Carlsson but all of Anaheim has risen since 67-year-old star coach Joel Quenneville took over for this season.
Leo Carlsson is enjoying hockey life in California:
I got new energy this year with new coaches – and the team has also gotten a lot better. It's a lot more fun to play for me, I get to do a little more of what I want on the ice. And then I get to play a lot more because I get to play the penalty kill and so on too.
Gained weight
Injuries also mean that young Carlsson, who turns 21 on Boxing Day, can now also be called heavy Carlsson.
"I think I'm between 94 and 96 kilos, when there are so many matches it goes up and down a bit. I'm still young and growing, so I don't need to do that much extra stuff (to gain weight). It helps when you're down in the corners, you can keep away a lot easier than you could last year," he says at a digital press conference with Swedish media.
Former national team captain Johan Garpenlöv, now an expert at Radiosporten, is one who wants to see Leo Carlsson as Sweden's first center when the Olympic hockey in Milan gets underway in February.
What current national team captain Sam Hallam thinks remains to be seen. In the Four Nations tournament in February this year, Carlsson only got to play in one of three games, but that was before his big breakthrough in the NHL.
"We've met once during the season, after the game in Chicago. There was a lot of talk about everything. But he's been very happy so far with my season," says Leo Carlsson.
Enjoying Raymond
When asked who he would prefer to form a chain with in the Olympics, he chooses to half-guard.
I've played a lot with (Lucas) Raymond in the national team format, I think I click well with him. I haven't played as much with (William) Nylander, that would be fun too of course. So those two on the right wing, then maybe (Jesper) Bratt or (Adrian) Kempe on the left wing would have been fun.
When NHL stars make a comeback in an Olympic context, it will have been twelve years since the last time, in the Sochi Olympics. Leo Carlsson was only nine years old then.
I don't remember much to be honest, but I do remember that Sweden came in second and that Crosby scored (for Canada in the final).
Maybe Leo Carlsson can contribute to a more enjoyable Swedish Olympic final in a few months.
Born: December 26, 2004 in Karlstad.
Young years: Received his hockey education in Färjestad, but moved to Örebro at the age of 15 and managed to play two SHL seasons there before moving to North America.
NHL career: Playing his third season in Anaheim. After 29 points the first season and 45 the second, it points to more than points now, if Carlsson continues to produce points at the same rate.
In Tre Kronor: Was in the Four Nations last season, but in a smaller role. Has also played in two World Cup tournaments, most recently in Stockholm in May when he accounted for ten points in as many games.
