Predators, Penguins enjoy bonding at Global Series in Sweden

STOCKHOLM -- The Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators will be all business when they face off in the concluding game of the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal at Avicii Arena on Sunday (9 a.m. ET; FDSNSO, SN-PIT, NHLN, SN).

As important as heading home with a win will be, though, a secondary objective since arriving in Stockholm on Tuesday was for each team to learn about and experience some of the Swedish culture. In that way, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson, a native of Landsbro, believes the trip has been a success, despite his team losing 2-1 in overtime to the Predators in the first game on Friday.

"It's been great, I think," Karlsson said Saturday. "Obviously, for me, everything is familiar, and it doesn't feel that weird to be here. But I think just being able to share the experience with your teammates and everyone around you that hear a lot about Sweden, but now finally get to experience it themselves, maybe they'll believe us how awesome it actually is, even though it gets dark at 3 p.m."

The Penguins and Predators had busy schedules with practices, morning skates and the games, but found some time to explore the city, learn some of its history and sample authentic Swedish cuisine. Karlsson left most of the organizing to countryman Rickard Rakell, who is from nearby Sundbyberg and is sidelined with a hand injury, so he had more time on his hands to be the Penguins tour guide.

Forward Filip Forsberg, who is from Leksand, and defenseman Adam Wilsby, a Stockholm native, were the co-hosts for the Predators in organizing team meals and other excursions.

"It's been a great experience overall from start to finish," Forsberg said. "The first dinner, we had a typical Swedish meal, and it was interesting to see some guys get out of their comfort zone a little bit and eat stuff they probably wouldn't think they would've eaten.

"Some guys handled it better than others, let's put it that way, but overall, I think it's been great."

Forsberg credited forward Tyson Jost for being one of the most adventurous Predators eaters for trying some of the different Swedish dishes. Jost admitted he wasn't as eager to try new things when he was in Stockholm with the Colorado Avalanche for the 2017 NHL Global Series against the Ottawa Senators, but he's willing to try pretty much anything now.

"It's nice to just get immersed in the culture and try different things," Jost said. "We had this one crab dish that was really good. It was like a crab, mayonnaise, dill thing. I don't know what it's called, but it was delicious. The berries, the lingonberries, those were great. That was the first time I had that actually.

"I tried pickled herring. I didn't mind it at all. We had smoked salmon. I'm used to eating that, though, from being in Western Canada by the ocean. It was good, though. The meatballs were awesome. It was neat to try new things."

The Penguins have enjoyed the Swedish food as well during some meals together and others in smaller groups. Forward Kevin Hayes said he basically followed around Karlsson during the Penguins off day Wednesday, from enjoying fika – a Swedish tradition of taking time away from the stresses of life to share coffee and pastry – to dinner at Riche – a restaurant known for having among the best meatballs in Stockholm.

"Everything has been great, to be honest with you," Hayes said. "I think it's cool to be part of this and go to a different country and have guys on your team from that country and see how excited they are. Walk around the city with them and they give you little snippets of history and culture stuff."

Rakell organized a team outing to a Japanese spa on Wednesday to help the players -- some of them still jetlagged after arriving from Pittsburgh on Tuesday -- relax.

"Everybody had a great time," Rakell said. "We had a long flight, and it's just nice to settle down and just enjoy a nice couple of hours to relax and recover. So, it was wonderful."

Those interested in history from both teams visited the Vasa Museum, one of the most popular maritime museums in the world where an average of 1.5 million people visit the remarkably preserved warship Vasa each year. After its construction was completed in 1628, it sailed for only about 20 minutes before a design flaw caused it to sink to the bottom of Stockholm Harbor.

Vasa was raised almost intact on April 24, 1961, after being submerged for 333 years. Penguins forwards Bryan Rust and Anthony Mantha took a guided tour of Vasa on Thursday on the recommendation of captain Sidney Crosby, who raved about the museum after visiting it twice previously.

"That's what makes these kind of trips fun," Mantha said. "You get to spend time with the guys, and you get to learn a new way of living. Like [Hayes] is talking about this coffee and pastry thing (fika) all day because [Karlsson] brought him, and then we're here visiting this, which is one of the biggest ships that sunk.

"It's just cool, and makes us smarter a little bit. Learning a little bit, and we'll go back home, and we can show the kids and the wife and talk about it a little bit."

Rust, whose paternal grandmother's family is from Gothenburg, has enjoyed embracing his Swedish roots with his parents, who each traveled here as well.

"They've seen a couple museums," Rust said. "They went on a bus tour of the city. My mom was rattling off stats to me last night at dinner. So, it was fun. I think they're having a really good time with it. I can see how excited my dad is too to see more of his heritage, too."