The 2025 Women’s World Championships kicks off with a Germany—Sweden rematch on April 9th. The Ice Garden chatted with Damkronorna veteran forward Sara Hjalmarsson to hear her thoughts on their upcoming competition and tournament overall.
TIG: What are your thoughts on the different teams in your pool this tournament, and are there any matchups you’re particularly anticipating? Perhaps a little Nordic rivalry in the final game?
SH: All of the games in our group will be tough. We’re gonna have to work hard to win all the games, which is our goal, but we’re very focused on being here and now so we’re not jumping ahead of things, instead taking it game by game. I think we’re all looking forward to the first game against Germany, considering how last year went, so I think that’ll be a good one. And of course it’s fun with a little rivalry to finish the group stage against Norway, who we also just recently played in the Olympic qualifiers.
TIG: Thinking about your opening match against Germany, what areas of your team’s game do you feel have evolved since last year’s tournament, and what aspects will be most important for creating scoring opportunities against strong goaltending?
SH: I think we’ve improved in many areas since last year, especially playing faster and our transitions. Our group is a year older and has gotten more experience and I think our decision making has also gotten better. We’re continuously working on getting better at scoring, and I think it’ll be important to use our D’s in the offensive zone as well as taking shots and being strong on rebounds, making sure we’re taking the goalies eyes away.
TIG: With Sweden having players spread across leagues like the PWHL, SDHL, and NCAA, how do you feel this contributes to your team’s preparation, specifically for international competition like Worlds?
SH: Obviously we’re all coming from pretty different preparations but I know all of us have done what we can to be ready for the tournament. Pre-camp and the games we have there will be important for us to get back on the same page and work on details for the tournament. Some of us have been playing games until recently while others have been off for a while, so it’ll be good to get into the rhythm of things before the tournament starts. Of course, [it’s not] ideal for some to not have played games in about a month, but we’ve done everything we can to be prepared.
TIG: From your perspective as a more physical player: as body checking becomes more standardized across different hockey leagues, with Sweden implementing it in 2022 and Norway set to follow in 2025, how important do you believe this physical aspect of the game is for teams competing at the highest level of international competition?
SH: I think the physical play is important. I think the game is more fun, and playing in the SDHL now for two years with this rule, I think it’s easier for me as a player to know what I can and cannot do without being penalized. Most importantly, I think the game has gotten a lot better since it was implemented in Sweden. Players needs to have their heads up, which means they need more skill, hence the play is faster because quicker decisions needs to be made. Although we can’t take all of the physical play into international play, we bring the quickness and physical play in the aspect of being stronger on the puck.
TIG: Given that we’re in an Olympic year, what unique dynamics do you notice in this tournament during an Olympic year, both within your team and in the overall competitive atmosphere?
SH: I would say it’s not too noticeable. You always want to win games and play your absolute best. I think it’s more with the media around that maybe asks questions about it, but it’s still pretty far away and a lot can happen. Of course, all the players know this tournament can help them towards getting a spot in the Olympics, so everyone’s eager to show what they got as well as everyone knows it’s not just riding on this tournament alone.
