Filip Forsberg hoping for a big few months with Predators, Team Sweden
This story originally appeared on hockeysverige.se and has been translated from Swedish to English.
Coming off a 48-goal campaign, expectations were high for Filip Forsberg entering the 2024-25 season.
The same could be said about his Nashville Predators, who spent last summer picking up some of the biggest free agents available in Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault and Brady Skjei.
But things haven’t exactly gone according to plan in Music City. Forsberg has had his fair share of dry spells while the Preds have struggled to find their identity. Right now they’re ways away from a playoff spot, sitting near the bottom of the standings.
“Our main issue has been scoring goals,” Forsberg said. “We haven’t found a breakthrough, which has been the biggest problem. Things have improved a bit now. I also think we’re playing better and creating more chances, but we haven’t had the big breakthrough we’re still hoping for. At least it’s getting better.”
Despite the struggles, Forsberg doesn’t feel the team has panicked or been overly stressed.
“Of course, no team wants to be in the situation we’ve been in. It was especially tough during the first half of the season,” he added. “We have a lot of experience throughout the team, so there’s no major panic. That said, we’re not where we want to be, but things have looked better recently, and the results have followed.”
In his 13th season with Nashville, Forsberg has taken on a significant leadership role with the team, including wearing an “A” on his jersey. He’s on pace for 82 points this year, which would be the third time he has reached the total over his career.
“My role has been pretty consistent in recent years, but it has also grown in terms of responsibility. I still want to be a player who produces and drives the team offensively. At the same time, I aim to take on a larger leadership role.”
“The past few weeks have been a bit better. My production has improved. Recently, I’ve been scoring goals, but before that, at least I managed to get a few assists and contribute to plays with Stamkos and Marchessault. Since they put us together, things have worked well. Those two have also scored a lot of goals.”
Despite Nashville’s struggles, Forsberg isn’t giving up on his playoff hopes.
“We’re showing good signs, and it’s about continuing to build on that. Of course, we need to pick up as many points as possible. It’s a tough position we’ve put ourselves in, but with around 40 games left, there’s still plenty of time to work on it.”
Next month, Forsberg will be swapping out one bright yellow jersey for another one. When the 4 Nations Face-Off rolls around, the 30-year-old will represent Sweden for the first time since the 2018 World Championships, where he helped his country win a gold medal.
“It will be amazing to play for Sweden again,” Forsberg said. The last time I wore the national team jersey was almost seven years ago in Copenhagen. It will also be incredible to play in Montréal and Boston—those are hard to beat in terms of atmosphere.”
How far can Sweden go?
“All the way, without a doubt,” he said. “It’s the toughest possible competition, but I’m sure the other teams feel the same. There’s good reason for optimism… These are the four best teams in the world, so the quality will be extremely high. I’d guess the team that gels the quickest will likely be the most successful.”
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