Panthers’ Gustav Forsling talks ‘surreal’ week, 4 Nations Face-Off
The Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup, knocking off the Edmonton Oilers in game 7 on Monday. Since then, it has been nothing but busy times for the entire organization. Well, that and a lot of celebrating.
For defenseman Gustav Forsling, the past week has been nothing short of surreal.
The 28-year-old was a key piece in the Panther’s championship team, playing heavy minutes and tallying 13 points (four goals, nine assists) and a plus-nine rating in 24 playoff games. On Friday, he learned that he would also be a part of Team Sweden, as he was among the first six players selected to represent their country at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
Här är de sex första spelarna att representera Sverige i #4Nations Face-off 🇸🇪
Here are your first six players selected by Sweden to compete in the #4Nations Face-off! 🇸🇪@NHL @NHLPA @Trekronorse pic.twitter.com/6JIRTMqsla
“You know, when I got the call, it was a very special moment,” Forsling said Friday. “It’s a very big deal and I’m very proud of it.”
The past week or so has been an up-and-down roller coaster for the Panthers. That is especially true for Forsling, along with teammate Matthew Tkachuk and captain Aleksander Barkov, who were selected by Team USA and Finland, respectively.
From blowing a 3-0 series lead in the Final against the Oilers, to holding tight for a 2-1 in in Game 7 and the first Cup in franchise history, to the celebrations in bars, clubs and oceans as they prepare for the championship parade on Sunday and finally to being chosen to play best-on-best international hockey at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
It is a lot to take in.
“It’s very surreal, to be honest,” Forsling said. “Even the last week here, it’s been very emotional… It’s an unbelievable feeling, and it’s nothing I take for granted. It’s something I’ve been working very hard for.”
The road for Forsling has not been an easy or traditional one. In 2019-20, he spent most of the season in the American Hockey League as part of the Carolina Hurricanes’ organization. In January 2021, the Panthers claimed him off waivers and gave him a shot to make the team out of training camp ahead of the 56-game COVID-shortened season.
He made the team, playing 43 games that season. Now, he has 397 regular-season games and 61 playoff games under his belt and can look back and reflect as a top defenseman in the NHL and a Stanley Cup champion sitting on a hefty eight-year contract extension.
“It’s hard to wrap my head around that right now,” Forsling said. “I’ve been very fortunate to play on a very good team that’s had great success in the playoffs and regular season. So I’m very blessed to be in this position.”
Now, the Linkoping, Sweden native has the opportunity to showcase his skills on the international stage.
The NHL announced the debut of the 4 Nations Face-Off during the 2023-24 season, a four-team round-robin tournament that will feature the best players from Finland, Sweden, Canada and the United States.
Each country released its first six roster players on Friday. The full rosters will be released at a later date.
It will be the first true best-on-best international tournament since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. That is something that fans have really missed. But not just fans. NHL players like Forsling have been eagerly waiting for their chance to either play or even just watch these types of games again.
“I think it’s the most fun,” said Forsling, who has only represented Sweden internationally at the junior level. “It’s like the playoffs, the best teams play the best and the best players play the best, and that’s what the fans want to see, that’s what I want to see. I’m a fan too, and I can’t wait to watch these games and play these games.”
The NHL has not been a part of international hockey in eight years. The League opted not to take part in either the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang or the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, largely due to long travel and the COVID pandemic. The last time NHL players represented their countries on that stage was in 2014 when Canada topped the US and Sweden to win the gold medal in Sochi.
Now, the League has confirmed they will be back in the Olympics in both 2026 (Milano Cortina) and 2030 (Vancouver). And Forsling, along with the entire NHL, are hoping to be a part of it.
“That’s the ultimate goal,” Forsling said. “The Olympics would be a very cool experience if I would make the team there too. That’s kind of what we play for, to get to the Olympics too.”