Happy times for Mattias Tedenby, A.K.A. Ted
They are not the "Chicken Swedes" of Don Cherry's yesteryear.
Yes, Mattias Tedenby (5'10, 175 lbs) and Jacob Josefson (6'1" 190) are small, fast and offensively gifted, but they don't shy away from contact. They are trustworthy in their own end, and they are tough. And they might be the most important ingredient in the Devils improbable (impossible?) push to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
When asked, Jacques Lemaire is cool on the Swedes, putting no pressure on them. "The kids will do their share, they have come up with goals on different nights, chip in, but everyone has to."
With playoff hope on the line the last two games, the kids, Tedenby and Josefson, have combined for 6 points (2 goals and 4 assists) on a team that barely manages two goals per game. They are providing vital 3rd line scoring on a team that begs for second line production. And the kids are safe. In a season in which the Devils have been outscored by 26 goals, these two Swedes are both +2. "They are responsible in their own end," says Marty Brodeur, and that says a lot. 3rd line defenders, and clutch scorers. Couldn't come a better time with the Devils in 11th place in the Eastern conference playoff traffic jam.
Tedenby at 21 is the veteran of the two. He's got all of 45 games under his belt entering Thursday's clash with Ottawa, Josefson 15. Tedenby is missing front teeth and has the facial scars of an NHL veteran, Josefson still sports a baby-face, for now. But despite their contrasting looks, they are beginning to think and act as one. With the game tied Tuesday night against the Thrashers in the third period, the two went to work cycling down low. Tedenby jumped on a loose puck.
"My mind was, when I went down to the corner quick, do a quick turn to look. And I saw Jacob, he was open there."
Jacob was between the face-off dot and the top of the circle, about 18' out. Tedenby had more than one option, but Josefson was ready to shoot when the pass arrived. "I saw that he saw me. Tedy made a great pass." Josefson released it instantly and Thrashers goalie Ondrej Pavelec never moved. Add a GWG to Josefson's resume. "It's
fun to score goals, it's a great feeling."
It's no accident that the two Swedes are on the same wavelength, even though they grew up over 4 hours away from each other, Jacobson in Stockholm and Tedenby in Vetlanda . They both played in the prestigious Sweden national program, playing on national Under 18 teams and the World Juniors. They won World Junior silver and bronze together in 2009 and 2010, and according to Joesfson, got to know each other's tendencies. "Sometimes we played on the same line together." Josefson was with Team Sweden's World Junior team in Lake Placid this past July, a team that gained notoriety for it's feisty aggressive play. "They were chippy and obnoxious," said one journalist after watching them play team USA in an exhibition. "Hitting late, taunting. It was kind of a role reversal with the North Americans, who were kind of gentlemanly." This is no accident. The Swedish national program is gearing up their young players for the rigors of North American hockey. They are building new "hybrid" rinks (about 192' wide) that are narrower than Europe but wider than North America. This progressive Swedish program has served these two well in preparation for the NHL. And yes, they're young, but not all that small--Tedenby plays bigger than his 5'10", and Josefson is 6'1".
When Josefson returned from a broken hand that cost him 30 games, he and "Ted" were originally matched with young Russian Vladimir Zharkov. It was only after David Clarkson replaced Zharkov in the March 12 Islander game that their offense exploded. "They're both really good skaters," said Josefson of Clarkson and Tedenby. "Quick feet, we keep the puck."
Clarkson, a new father, is delighted to be playing with a couple of babies. Did he consider missing a shift after getting his face gouged by Al Montoya's butt end last Saturday? "No way!" His primary contribution? "Speed is what I'm bringing to this line."
Getting Josefson back from his knee injury in early March is the equivalent of a major deadline deal for the Devils, except there is no time penalty as the acquired player tries to mesh with new teammates. Josefson complements Tedenby perfectly having learned each others tendencies years ago while their hockey brains were still developing. They are premier NHL talent, both blue chip first round draft choices and products of Sweden's elite national team. Think of them as the Devils answer to the Sedin twins, maybe a notch below their offensive wizardry, but honest two-way players with little defensive risk and a huge upside.
"The young players are quick, fast and grind in the corners," says Brodeur. Swedish smurfs who grind in corners. Welcome to the new NHL. They are honest players who spend large chunks of their shift wearing down the defense with relentless cycling and puck chasing in the offensive zone, coupled with the fact that they have European skills and skating, AND an innate sense of what the other one is thinking. For a third line, what's not to like?
"I like this little line," said Lemaire soberly. "If they take care of their defensive responsibilities, I'll keep them together." For a veteran coach in the playoff chase of his life, those words are euphoric.
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