Sweden's Kruger carries critical role

Team Sweden isn't short on offensive firepower.

Sporting a World Cup roster that features that likes of Nicklas Backstrom, Filip Forsberg, and Daniel and Henrik Sedin, the Swedes should have no trouble finding the back of the net.

The team also boasts a blue line overflowing with defensive stalwarts like Erik Karlsson, Victor Hedman, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Not to mention "King" Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes.

But an oft-overlooked part of Team Sweden is center Marcus Kruger, a key defensive specialist with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Kruger, 26, has become a valuable go-to for Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville, given his strengths as a checking center, where his ability to read plays and kill penalties has been a big piece to the team's success.

The hope is that Kruger, who has two Stanley Cup victories to his name, can translate his NHL success to the international stage.

"Everybody wants to contribute to the team success, and this is a pretty cool way too," Kruger told ESPN. "It's rewarding to get to play the last shifts of a game because often it means that if we can keep the puck out of our net, we'll win."

Team Sweden came up short in Sochi, falling to Canada in the gold-medal game.

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