This is the first time an NHL national team tournament is played in the middle of the season.
Earlier, the World Cup and Canada Cup have been played before the season.
The only exception is the Olympic Games, but there, NHL players have not participated since 2014.
So, the question is: how hard will teammates dare to play against each other when they meet in the Four Nations tournament.
My career has been without such occasions. I have not been in any Olympic Games, so it will be a new dynamic, says Ekholm, the defender known for playing tough and hard.
"No MMA"
Now he will try to stop Canada's biggest star, Connor McDavid, the speed and point machine, when Sweden meets Canada on Thursday night (02.00) in Montreal.
But not too hard. They will, after all, continue their Stanley Cup hunt in just over a week, which they missed against Florida in the seventh and decisive final last season.
He is the best player in the world, no doubt, so it will be a challenge. At the same time, this is not MMA or UFC, you can play hockey with a sense of fair play too, says Ekholm and continues:
Hopefully, we do that. I have no plans to run over anyone.
"Everyone can win"
Connor McDavid has never played for Canada in a tournament like this before. In the World Cup 2016, he represented a North American U23 national team.
Even though Canada enters as favorites, he has respect for the other nations:
There are four great teams, all have a chance to win. We feel confident about our team and it's about being able to rise to the occasion, it's a short tournament, says McDavid.
Mattias Ekholm participated in the World Cup 2016 and has a World Championship gold from 2018.
He thinks this Swedish team is exceptionally talented.
It's incredible that we can produce such an incredible hockey team from little Sweden, it's striking every time you are at a tournament like this. We have world-class players in every position, says Ekholm.
A Canadian journalist highlights Canada and the US as favorites and wonders how it feels to be underdogs.
I don't see our team as underdogs. We have incredible talent, high speed, everything holds an exceptionally high level. I care more about how we will manage to get it all together by Wednesday, says he.
