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'More self-confidence and cockiness' needed for Sweden to turn bronze into gold

Sam Hallam instructing his team during the 2025 World Championship
Sam Hallam instructing his team during the 2025 World ChampionshipJOEL MARKLUND / Bildbyran Photo Agency / Profimedia
For the second World Hockey Championship in a row, Sweden walked away with bronze medals around their necks and despite the pride in more silverware, their is a hunger amongst the squad to start upgrading those medals to gold with the 2026 Winter Olympics on the horizon.

After just one defeat in the Group Stage and a comfortable Quarter-final victory over the Czech Republic, Sweden were second-best in the last four against the eventual champions the USA.

In front of their home crowd at Stockholm's Avicii Arena, they picked up the bronze consolation prizes with victory over Denmark yesterday.

Failure to reach the Final fuelled speculation that head coach Sam Hallam would not have his contract with the national team renewed, but the Swedish Ice Hockey Association has since confirmed Hallam will take the team to the 2026 Olympics.

Hallam was quick to mention the team's desire to go further and win future tournaments when speaking to the media after the bronze-medal match.

"We have taken a medal in two straight championships. It's a good direction. Now we want to step up from these (third-place) matches to the evening match and take the gold medals."

How exactly his team make that step up, according to Hallam, is more about the team's self-belief than anything else.

"A bit of collective self-confidence, to believe in ourselves. It probably applies to everyone around us as well. More self-confidence and cockiness!"

Elias Lindholm finished as the tournament's top scorer with eight goals, while his six assists helped him to second in the points scoring list. However, the Boston Bruins forward made his feelings quite clear on not winning the championship.

"I would have rather scored zero points and taken gold," he said after the Denmark match.

The next chance for Sweden to take a major gold medal comes early in 2026 at the Winter Olympics in Milan, and taking the team's recent performances into account, Lindholm believes they are capable of taking the crown.

"Looking at Four Nations - where everyone has their best - it was a slow start against Canada, but we played them out after 20 minutes and would have won, we beat the USA. When everyone has their best days, we are a tough team to beat."

"It always feels like we have a team that can win," he concluded.

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