Gustav Forsling is coming off a dream season – but he wants even more
This story is courtesy of hockeysverige.se and has been translated from Swedish to English.
Newlywed, a first-time father, a massive new contract, a winner of Guldpucken (as Sweden’s hockey player of the year), and, of course, a Stanley Cup winner with the Florida Panthers.
Gustav Forsling’s year has been busy, to say the least. At his summer home, in the outskirts of his hometown Linköping, he’s enjoying the last of another short summer.
“It has been an eventful year. Many fun and positive highlights,” Forsling said, sitting on the terrace outside the house he shares with his wife, Daniela, and son, Bo.
Have you had time to process everything that’s happened in such a short time?
“Recently, I feel like things have started to calm down a bit, and I’ve also been living in Sweden for a month now. It’s very nice to be home and breathe some fresh Swedish air. It’s a good way to wind down and recharge for the new season. That’s how it feels right now.”
Forsling is coming off not one but two remarkable NHL seasons, during which he has grown into one of the elite defenders in the league. Last season, he had the best plus/minus statistics in the NHL, with a whopping +56, while also demonstrating strong underlying numbers. He shrugs that off, pointing to the success of his team.
“Most of all, you have to play in an extremely good team to get such numbers. Play with good players. Also, I played a lot. We won a lot and scored quite a few goals, and I was on the ice for many of them.”
The 28-year-old’s climb to success has been a quiet one. After getting drafted by the Vancouver Canucks and traded to the Chicago Blackhawks, he got stuck in the AHL for a bit when the Carolina Hurricanes picked him up. The Panthers claimed him off waivers in 2021, but for a while, he had thoughts of going back home to Sweden.
“When you’re on the edge of the NHL, you have to decide whether to grit your teeth and work harder, or to do something else”, Forsling says. ”I thought and believed that I could break through, play in the NHL, and get the role I have now. Then, it’s a rare opportunity to play in the first defensive pair. Maybe a couple of years ago, it would have been hard to believe, but I’ve always believed in it, even if it seemed far off. I’ve kept working hard, even when I wasn’t in the NHL.”
Being in Florida has allowed Forsling to develop in a way that has allowed him to blossom in the top hockey league in the world.
“I think I’ve become a more complete player, trying to be consistent in my game and maintain a high baseline, which is what it’s all about over there,” Forsling said. “That has come with greater confidence, and I’ve dared to believe in myself more, and I’ve gotten a bigger role.”
Since late June, Forsling has been able to call himself a Stanley Cup champion. His Panthers faced the Edmonton Oilers in what’s been deemed a classic final series. The Panthers blew a 3-0 lead before winning the Cup by a slim margin after a dramatic final game.
“It was a rollercoaster of emotions,” he recounts. “When we went up 3-0, that was the first time you started to think we could win. Then we let them come back to 3-3, and for a while, it almost felt like we had lost. Then to win Game 7…”
He shakes his head in disbelief.
”It really felt like we were just going to win that game. To have a Game 7 at home and all of that. Looking back, we felt very confident about winning, even though we had just lost three straight games. Suddenly, Edmonton had the chance to win the Stanley Cup. Everything before that had been a bonus for them. Of course, they believed in it too, but the situation of only needing to win one more game to win the Stanley Cup was something we had already experienced over three games. I think that helped us.”
Did you feel more relief or joy when it became clear that you had won?
“I actually think it was mostly joy. But there was also a lot of relief. A combination of both. There were many emotions when it finally happened because you’ve been living under such extreme pressure for such a long time. It was an indescribable feeling when the final buzzer sounded, and it’s hard to put into words, but I think I’ll always remember that feeling.”
How soon after the final buzzer did you get to hug Daniela and Bo?
“Pretty soon after, actually. They were on the ice about ten or fifteen minutes later. Even my mom, dad, and two brothers were there, so it was incredibly fun. It was great that we got to win on home ice, so I could share everything with my family.”
Forsling played a total of 103 regular season and playoff games during the season, but he still feels physically good.
“The year before, we also had a 100-game season. I wouldn’t say I’m getting used to it, but the summers are shorter, and it was an intense season,” he says. ”I have to be smart in the summers with how I plan my program. The last two years, I’ve had to adjust a bit because the summers have been shorter. Instead, I’ve focused on training more intensively, trying to build as much strength as possible and rebuild my body.”
In your situation, is recovery just as important as training?
“I love training a lot and find it hard to take time off. Right now, taking a break from hockey is the most important thing for me, to forget about it a little. I think it’s mostly my mind that needs rest. Physically, I feel pretty confident, and I’m not afraid to push myself, but of course, the body needs rest too. However, it’s mainly the mind that needs to rest.”
Becoming Bo’s father last season has helped him with that. He now finds it easier to take his mind off of hockey.
“Yes, that’s actually the case” Forsling says with a big smile. ”I felt it right away. I could lose three games in a row in the Stanley Cup final, but still come home and see him, and he always put a smile on my face. I truly believe this helped me, especially during the playoffs, which is basically an emotional rollercoaster. It’s amazing to have him.”
A new season is around the corner, and despite being a reigning Cup champion, Forsling doesn’t lack any motivation.
“I’ll be honest, I’m very excited,” he states. ” I thought I would be less eager to play hockey, but I’m excited again. We know how fun a season can be, so I think everyone will be able to recharge to have as much fun as we did this season. It was the best hockey season of my life.”
The new season will also up a rare opportunity for Forsling to suit up in yellow and blue and represent his home country. In June, he got the call that he was one of the early picks for the Swedish 4 Nations Face-Off squad. This will mark the first time he will don the Tre Kronor jersey in eight years.
“I have very high expectations for this tournament. Especially since we’ll be facing the best, with all the NHL players participating. I think that’s incredibly cool. It’s about time that all the best players compete against each other again, so I’m really looking forward to this.”
The competition will be tight, but Forsling feels confident in Sweden’s chances.
“I think we have a very good chance. It will be special since we won’t have much time to practice together beforehand. Essentially, we’ll have one practice and then jump straight into the games. Of course, that’s the same for all teams. I believe we’ll do well with our NHL stars and so on, so I think we have a really great chance to win.”