Tellqvist's time to strike
Maple Leafs backup goaltender looking to make the most of his time at the World Cup
By LANCE HORNBY -- Toronto Sun
The posters plastered outside the Globen Arena here in Stockholm are trumpeting the World Cup as The Final Battle.
The hype refers to Swedish hockey heroes Mats Sundin, Peter Forsberg and Nicklas Lindstrom joining forces with other 30-year-olds for perhaps the last time in a major tournament before giving way to the next wave of talent.
ALTERNATIVE
But the Cup's four-team European pool is just the beginning for 24-year-old goaltender Mikael Tellqvist, who hopes to ride success in this event right into the hearts of Maple Leaf management.
If the regular season opens as scheduled in early October, Ed Belfour will be slowly working his way into the lineup as he recovers from minor back surgery and Tellqvist would be the logical short-term alternative.
But Tellqvist knows the timing is lousy, given the looming layoff when Belfour will recover.
"If I get a chance to play with the big club -- and hopefully there will be a season -- I'll try my best to take that spot," Tellqvist said yesterday. "Ed has been such an important player for the franchise. Against Ottawa, he pretty much won the whole playoff series.
"I feel I've developed in St. John's and become better with each year. I've been preparing all summer for the World Cup and I feel another good change. Toronto's just given me a new contract, which shows they believe in me and now I'm in this tournament, with Lidstrom and Mattias Norstrom on my defence."
Tellqvist, who practised yesterday in preparation for tomorrow's game here against Germany, was unaware Belfour went under the knife last week to repair a bulging disc.
"You never know what will happen," he said.
"Toronto could go out and get another goaltender, it depends how long Eddie's out. If it's a long time, the Leafs might pick someone up and get rid of him when Eddie's okay."
Up until Friday, Tellqvist appeared to be in the driver's seat for the No. 1 job with the Swedes. But he was pulled in the third period when the Czechs put their fourth goal behind him, a flip in from centre that he didn't play aggressively.
It banked 90-degrees into the net, reminding Swedish observers of Tommy Salo's breakdown against Belarus during the 2002 Olympics. Salo is battling Tellqvist for the No. 1.
"I'd played pretty solidly up to that play," Tellqvist said.
"Those things happen."
One theory is that Tellqvist and Salo will split Sweden's first two games, which fall on consecutive nights against the Germans and Czechs, and that coach Hardy Nilsson will use the stronger of the two in Saturday's grudge match in Helsinki against the Finns.
The four-team European pool kicks off tonight in Helsinki, where two other Leaf players with something to prove will be on opposite sides.
Defencemen Tomas Kaberle of the Czech Republic and Aki Berg of Finland both saw their National Hockey League ice time cut back when Brian Leetch arrived in Toronto.
Both teams suffered more than Sweden from injuries and refusals to play, but the Czechs will be out to win for late coach Ivan Hlinka.
SWEDE COMBO
The Swedes were working out an awesome first line for the tournament yesterday, with Sundin and Daniel Alfredsson, who has his golden locks shorn for this event, and ex-Leaf turned Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup champion Fredrik Modin.
Forsberg and fellow 2003 Hart Trophy finalist Markus Naslund are united with young Henrik Zetterberg.
BLADE RUNNER
Forsberg caused a stir on the weekend by jetting off to Montreal because of a mysterious equipment problem.
Some thought his groin surgery was acting up and he was going to see a specialist, but it turned out his right skate was annoying him.
He went to his company's factory in Montreal and in a compact 10-hour stay had five new pairs made for him and was back in time for yesterday's practice.
