Is Sweden or Minnesota development winning?

With Sweden and Minnesota having almost identical number of youth male hockey players (U20 and below) it gives us an opportunity to compare elite level hockey player development. Based on the numbers it looks like Sweden has a huge advantage. Why?

What are they doing differently?

• Sweden uses blue pucks through Squirts/U10 levels. Meaning black pucks are first used for Peewee/U12 ages.
• Sweden uses small area games for game days. (see image below)
• Sweden uses 60 second shifts during these games.
• Sweden does not have tryouts until Bantam/U13,U14 age levels. Keeping more kids involved in hockey for a longer period of time. Better retention rates.
• Sweden has more on ice trainers and paid staff to ensure player development is age-appropriate.
• Sweden knows they are smaller and takes pride in developing all of their players.
• Sweden has months off from skating in the summer months to play other sports and focus on hockey related dryland skills.
• Sweden has less burnout and overuse injuries.
• Sweden is skill focused and not system focused.
• Sweden now begins playing full ice games at U13/14. Squirt/U10 play on 1/4th ice, 60 second shifts, grouped by skill, using blue pucks.
• Sweden conducts studies to figure out what is best for the player. (see Game Formats for Youth Hockey below)
• Game Formats for Youth Hockey – Research by Finnish and Swedish Ice Hockey Association 2019 – 2020
• Sweden has built their youth hockey system putting the player at the center of all their decisions. They do what is best for the player at their current age.
  

Current NHL Lineup Team Sweden vs Team Minnesota

*(91) *Number inside parentheses is NHL 25 video game overall player rating. Easiest way to be non biased in comparison of what team is better.

Sweden                                                                                                                Minnesota

F1 William Nylander(91)/Elias Pettersson(91)/Filip Forsberg(90)  F1 Brock Boeser(87)/Casey Mittelstadt(86)/Brock Nelson(85)

F2 Jesper Bratt(89)Mika Zibanejad(89)/Lucas Raymond(88)                      F2 Tommy Novak(84)/Anders Lee(83)Bobby Brink(81)

F3 Adrian Kempe(87)/Joel Eriksson Ek(86)/Gustav Nyquist(86)                 F3 Noah Cates(80)/Ryan Poehling(79)/Cole Smith(79)

F4 Elias Lindholm(85)Viktor Arvidsson(84)/Leo Carlsson(82)            F4 Joey Anderson(78)/Johnny Brodzinski(78)/Riley Tufte(73)

D1 Victor Hedman(92)/Rasmus Dahlin(91)                            D1 Brock Faber(87)/Brady Skjei(87)

D2 Jonas Brodin(89)/Erik Karlsson(88)                              D2 K'Andre Miller(86)/Justin Faulk(85)

D3 Rasmus Andersson(88)/Hampus Lindholm(87)       D3 Ryan McDonough(85)/Nick Leddy(83)

G1 Linus Ullmark(89)                                                                      G1 Jake Oettinger(90)

G2 Jacob Markstrom(87)/Filip Gustavsson(84)  G2 Charlie Lindgren(83)/Alex Lyon(83)

Minnesota NHL Players (33 active) as of 10/17/24

Sweden NHL Players (64 active) as of 10/17/24

Sort by birth years to see how Sweden is getting more young players into NHL lineups. Minnesota has 4 players born in 2000 or after that have played in the NHL. Sweden has 21.