It was in Friday's meeting with Italy (3–0) in Fribourg, Switzerland, that Frondell got stuck in a door to a stall that opened onto the opposing team's bench.
Bad luck. Someone was changing and didn't have time to close it properly. I wasn't aware of it at all and my hand got stuck and was crushed, he said after Monday's training.
Frondell left the ice in great pain.
"My first feeling was that I was going to faint. It hurt so much. But of course you get pissed off. The most fun thing is playing a match, and not being able to do that sucks," he said.
“Tough loss”
X-rays were reassuring, but the next day the hand was sore and swollen. Together with the national team doctor and national team captain Sam Hallam, the decision was made that the 19-year-old would not play on Saturday against Norway. The match ended with a shocking 2–3 loss for the Blues and Yellows.
Of course it was sad not to play the last game, and even worse to see a tough loss. But yes, things like that happen. I'm glad it was only two days and not more, he said.
His gold medallists from this winter's Junior World Championships - Ivar Stenberg, Viggo Björck and Jack Berglund - have had a place in the World Cup squad throughout the championship. Frondell was first called up for the fourth match against Slovenia and provided two assists in his World Cup debut.
Otherwise, Frondell has had the most impressive season of the quartet. After Djurgården's playoff exit in the round of 16 against Malmö, the forward moved to NHL club Chicago, which selected the Swede third overall in the first round of the draft. He scored three goals and six assists in 12 regular-season games in the world's best ice hockey league.
“Felt unreal”
It felt unreal. Before every game I had the same thought: "Is this for real?" he said, continuing:
It was great to be there for a few weeks and make the trip. I just tried to make the most of my time there and enjoy it. I tried to learn new things every day.
Now it remains to be seen how far Frondell and Tre Kronor will go in the World Cup in Switzerland. A victory in regular time against Slovakia in the group stage on Tuesday is needed to eliminate the Slovaks from quarter-final contention.
It's a game that could take us to the playoffs. And if you look at it that way, it's a really cool game to play, he said.
