Bratt Beaming with National Pride at 4 Nations | FEATURE

Jesper Bratt knows he could be basking in the hot sun, sitting by crashing waves on a beach with white sand somewhere right now as the NHL takes a nearly two-week break.

And yet, there is nowhere he’d rather be right now than pulling over the iconic yellow and blue Three Crowns jersey to represent his country at the 4 Nations tournament.

He understands the value of rest, of course, but everyone around him right now is in the same boat. They're players who have played many important minutes for their NHL clubs, but they are recharged not by the hot sun, but by national pride.

They are beaming. This is important to them.

"It is truly something special to be a part of a national team," he said. "The best NHL players, best-on-best, hasn't been around since nine years ago, or something like that. This is really something special. When you get to put your national team jersey on, you get to play with all the guys who speak the same language as you, and guys that all have the same, similar backgrounds, just to play for your country, against the best players from other countries, is just really, truly special. I'm very, very grateful to be here. I'm proud to be here and excited for what's ahead."

Being a part of Team Sweden is truly important to the 26-year-old Swede. This is the first best-on-best tournament since the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. That tournament took place just weeks after Bratt was drafted in the sixth round by the Devils. The last time Bratt played for his national team was in 2018 at the World Championship, but because of the Stanley Cup playoffs going on at the same time, it's not often considered a best-on-best tournament.

This 4 Nations is.

“This is huge, just honored to be a part of it," Bratt said. “Ever since I was younger, I was dreaming of playing in the Olympics and certain tournaments like that and playing in a best-on-best tournament for your country. Now we’re here and I’m so excited. I’m really, really excited to be here and to be with all the guys is really special.”

Special, too, will be opening the tournament against a team playing on their home soil. Although Sweden will be considered the 'home team', its opposition is playing on home soil. Up first is the test of Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and the Canadians.

No dipping their toes into the water.

"It's awesome, you get right into it," he said on Wednesday morning, hours before puck drop. "Playing Canada... Canada is something ever since you were young, you've always dreamed about (playing against). You watch it on TV and you have the opportunity to experience it yourself. Today is the ultimate test. Playing Canada in Canada. Super exciting."

And he couldn't be prouder to head into the big game with the current group of guys he's with.

“Its such a great group of guys, we have that good leadership and team mentality. I think that’s just the Swedish way. We all really accept our role and do it the best we can possibly do it. We have that great chemistry together that all of us are in this together, no one in the room that believes they’re better than anyone else. We’re all in this together. That’s why we think we have a chance to really creating a good team bonding."

Bratt will start the tournament playing alongside Joel Eriksson Ek (Minnesota) and Lucas Raymond (Detroit), a line with a similar look and feel. Swedish head coach Sam Hallam has designed Bratt's line to channel the best of Bratt, hoping it's similarities to playing with Jack Hughes and Ondrej Palat, will make for instant chemistry. That's how it was explained to Bratt from Hallam and Bratt felt it right from their first practice together.

“It’s such a short tournament, so they’re trying to get you in a position you’re used to from the regular season and from your club team," he said. "They obviously wanted to use the strength, good defensive play, and net-front presence of Joel Eriksson Ek. He’s one of the best guys in the league of being a tough center, two-way player that really does a great job in front of the net, too. Me and (Lucas) Raymond can use our speed, our skill through the neutral zone and create a lot of chances to the O-Zone kind of similar to what me and Jack do. It’s an exciting line.”

Bratt also will be part of the Swedish power play, skating on the second unit with Erik Karlsson (Pittsburgh), Filip Forsberg (Nashville), Elias Pettersson (Vancouver) and Rickard Rakell (Pittsburgh).

The pride runs deep when it comes to playing for a national team like Sweden. The national teams provided the biggest moments on the biggest stages for young kids growing up like Bratt did in Stockholm. Big NHL moments weren't nearly as accessible as the national team when it came to watching and aspiring after the best players in the game.

"The 2006 Olympics, when Sweden went to the final versus Finland, it doesn't get bigger in a rivalry for those two countries, to play together in the final. Iw as eight years old and I was watching it. I had the game played on a DVD or something from my parents and I think I watched it millions of times. I knew every single play that happened throughout the game. Good memories and it will be very special to be a part of that."

That will come on Saturday afternoon at the Bell Centre, when Bratt will participate in a heated rivalry game between his home nation and Finland, the Swedes' greatest rival.

"It’s such a big rivalry from deep down, of so many years of history. From all history, all the way to sports rivalry, in the U.S. when you think of the biggest rivalry in sports, that’s what Sweden has with (Finland) especially since all of the major big tournaments for us has been the national teams. It’s always been against Finland. It’s an exciting rivalry to play.”

Never one to get ahead of himself, he'll think of that game when it arrives. For now, it's all about facing Canada.

No better way to jump into the tournament than in Montreal, on Canadian soil, against the Canadian team.

The energy will fuel everyone, whether you're a Canadian or a Swede.

Everyone here is channeling their national pride.

"It's going to be pretty crazy," he said. "I mean, everyone always speaks about Montreal, coming here with the Devils, it's always a great crowd. Looking forward to a pretty crazy atmosphere out there."