Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Anton Strålman won gold with Team Sweden at the IIHF World Championship yesterday. Before the game, he sat down with hockeysverige.se to talk about the personal importance of earning his first championship. After the game, he spoke with them again about finally tasting victory.

These articles were translated from Swedish to English by reddit user /u/elgrandeslimbo. If you use this translation in any context, please credit the translator.

Stralman kneels to show the cup to the little Swedish princess.

This is the first of two articles, featuring an interview with Strålman prior to winning the IIHF World Championship. The original Swedish article can be found at hockeysverige.se.

“I've never won anything at all”

Throughout [Strålman’s] career, he has played in two Stanley Cup finals and three World Championship finals, and he has yet to win. At age 30, Anton Strålman hopes to break the dark trend tonight.

“I feel that it is time now,” he said to hockeysverige.se before the World Championship final against Canada.

There is so much Anton Strålman has achieved in life. He is married, has four children, spends much of the year in sunny Florida, and is paid well to play NHL hockey for the Tampa Bay Lightning. In both his personal and professional (sporting) life, he is enviable.

But in the midst of this idyllic life, there is still a huge gap. Although the 30-year-old from Tibro has come close on numerous occasions in his professional career, he has yet to win a championship. He played in the Stanley Cup Finals for the New York Rangers in 2014 and for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2015, but lost both times. In terms of the World Championship, he’s faced Canada in three semi-finals without success.

When hockeysverige.se saw Strålman in the training arena in Cologne and asked about his biggest professional accomplishment, the answer was swift: “I've never won anything at all.”

Nothing?!

“I do not think I've won anything in a long time. No cup, no tournament... When I played for Skövde, we were promoted from Division 1 to Allsvenskan. (Division 1 and Allsvenskan are the third and second highest leagues in Swedish hockey, with SHL being the top tier league) That’s probably my greatest accomplishment. Then we took a bronze with Tre Kronor (Team Sweden) at the World Championships in Bern (2009), but that's not exactly winning.”

That’s not how you want to be remembered...

“I do not care so much about how I will be remembered. It's more about achieving my personal goals. It is clear that we want to win. That’s what makes it fun. That’s why you do this,” answered Strålman. He explained his reasoning, “When you have had a relatively long career and been close to winning many times, but have never tasted the sweetness of victory - that’s what drives you. This is why we want to be here and play for it and fight for it. It is the driving force for reaching the ultimate goal with a lot of guys who want the same thing. It is a special thing and something you definitely will miss.” He pauses, grins and looks sideways at SVT reporter Dusan Umicevic who he had a disagreement with [about this topic] before he opens his mouth again, “To be a LOSER as I have been so far - that’s something you want to change.”

It motivates you even more?

“Certainly, you want to win, to have a gold medal or a cup, it is what drives you. So far I have come up empty, but I'm here to change that.”

Tonight's World Championship Final against Canada provides a new opportunity for Strålman to get that sporting success he’s been dying for. Eventually, it will be his turn.

“I feel that the time is now. We have a hell of a team, playing with heart and sacrificing ourselves for each other. It's really fun to be here and experience it.”

Tonight, we know exactly how much fun it will be for Strålman and his teammates.

This is the second article, featuring an interview with Strålman after winning the IIHF World Championship. The original Swedish article can be found at hockeysverige.se.

“Now I’m no longer a [expletive] loser”

Anton Strålman confessed to hockeysverige.se that he had never won anything at any level of hockey. That was before the World Championship Final. After last night's drama, he can call himself a world champion.

“From being a [expletive] loser to finally being a champ, it feels great,” said Stralman.

Anton Strålman is 30 years old, but despite a long and solid hockey career, he’s had little success. Before the World Championship Final yesterday, he told hockeysverige.se about his desire to finally win something. This after losing two Stanley Cup finals (2014 and 2015) and three World Championship finals.

After the penalty drama against Canada in Cologne, Strålman was one of the players who beamed [with pride] the most with the gold medal around his neck.

“It's amazing... It's awesome. From being a real [expletive] loser to finally being a champ. It feels fantastic. Now I’m no longer a [expletive] loser,” he grinned and then became really emotional. “I feel proud of the guys, how we played, how we came together as a team and the joy we had together. It does not get better than this and that's why we stand here with the gold medal.”

The final against Canada was just that kind of classic nail-biter that will cause a lot of goosebumps when people watch YouTube highlights in the future. The players controlled their emotions under such extreme circumstances. It was an extraordinary challenge, but Tre Kronor [Team Sweden] showed they had their nerves under control.

“The only nervousness you have is that you do not want to disappoint the team. The fear is also a motivation. The fear of failure is the major cause of that success and I think we handled it in a hell of a good way,” says Strålman.

Personally, he was extra happy to celebrate the gold along with some of his closest friends, especially fellow defenseman Victor Hedman. He has played with Hedman for the Tampa Bay Lightning over the last three NHL seasons.

“It is unbelievable... He's so damn good and it's so darn fun to play with him. It's so fun to see what great strides he has taken these last few years. To share this with him is special. Hank [Henrik Lundqvist] and I have lost the Stanley Cup Finals together [with the New York Rangers in 2014] as well. “It is always extra special to get to experience something like this when you have seen both sides of the coin, both defeat and victory. It will be a lot more fun to celebrate with them than moping together.”

Are you invited to Victor's wedding this summer?