It's surprising the NBC show "Welcome to Sweden" hasn't had a hockey storyline given the dozens of Swedes on NHL rosters.
Maybe it's because the show execs have yet to meet the Blackhawks' Swedes at a casting call.
Count Blackhawks players and Stockholm natives Marcus Kruger and Johnny Oduya as fans of the show, about a character who moves to Sweden to be with his girlfriend but finds the transition challenging thanks to the cultural clashes and language barrier.
EXTRA: What phrase got lost in translation and what reminds the players of Sweden?
Sitting on the Hawks' bench at the United Center after a recent practice, they gave Niklas Hjalmarsson the rundown on one episode about fathers on paternity leave being mistaken for nannies by Americans visiting Sweden.
"You'd see guys pushing around strollers with their kids and getting a couple months off work and hang out and drink coffee. You go to the coffee shop," Oduya said.
"You don't get that here?" Hjalmarsson said, interrupting.
"No, not a chance," Oduya continued. "There's like 10 guys with strollers and their kids having coffee and they're like, 'What the? What's going on here?' That's unheard of in the U.S."
EXTRA: What Swedish imports do the players prefer?
When that episode aired in August, Hjalmarsson was enjoying father-son bonding time in Sweden and watching soccer with Theo, now nearly 6 months old.
"He can speak two languages already," the proud father said.
Impressive. So, what exactly were the baby's first words?
"Obviously, 'Daddy, I love you,'" he said, laughing.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Getting knocked out of the playoffs after coming thisclose-one win away-from the Stanley Cup Final stung the Hawks. This year's team-including the Swedish contingent of Hjalmarsson, Oduya, Kruger and David Rundblad, who played five games with the Hawks last season-are ready to exact revenge when the regular season begins Thursday. But the road to a reunion with Lord Stanley this year won't be easy.
"Of course, you want to win the Stanley Cup, but first of all make the playoffs," Kruger said. "To do that, we need a good start."
Even with Sports Illustrated predicting they're the team to beat in the Western Conference, the Hawks' potential path to a title will be anything but a cakewalk.
"I don't know where to start. Our whole division is pretty tough," Oduya said, who proceeded to rattle off St. Louis, Colorado, L.A., Anaheim and San Jose as stiff competition.
But the Swedes are tough, too. Look no further than how Hjalmarsson took a puck to the throat in May without missing a shift on the ice. It earned him not only the championship wrestling belt handed out by his teammates in the locker room after the playoff win but also the "Swedish Viking" moniker thanks to Oduya.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
That nickname didn't quite stick, much to the relief of Hjalmarsson. Oduya, who is often paired with him on the ice, playfully needled him during the recent exclusive interview with RedEye.
"It's not like they go around and call me the 'Swedish Viking.'"
"Maybe we should start."
"I'd rather not do that."
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The three players have formed a brotherly bond, often teasing the younger, quieter Kruger. For example, they described Kruger as being clumsy and forgetful even when it comes to tying his shoelaces.
"All the ladies recognize Kruger in Stockholm, all the 14-year-old girls," Hjalmarsson said when asked if they get noticed in Sweden like they do in Chicago.
Here in Chicago, some Hawks fans approach the players, say hello and shake their hands.
"It's not like there's tons of people coming up while walking downtown. Just a few ... thousand," Hjalmarsson joked.
They agreed that's more of an issue for Patrick Kane, who along with captain Jonathan Toews signed an eight-year contract extension this summer.
Although Oduya and Hjalmarsson said Swedes are more shy than Americans, fan Scott Martin is quite bold about cheering for the Hawks' Swedish players. Martin, owner of Simon's Tavern in Andersonville, said he yells "Swede with a puck!" whenever Hjalmarsson, Oduya or Kruger gets possession. "I'm proud of them," said Martin, who is of Swedish descent.
EXTRA: Hawks players celebrate one Swedish tradition together
The trio speaks English in the locker room so their teammates can understand them. But when hanging out in the players' lounge or when they don't want opponents to understand them, they speak their native language.
Of course, there's another time speaking Swedish is ideal on the ice.
"You look somewhere [else]. [Then] you look at the Jumbotron and you scream at the ref so he doesn't understand you're screaming at him," Hjalmarsson said.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
While the Swedes can be overshadowed by their Blackhawks teammates at times, they play roles critical to the team's success.
"Maybe they're not the loudest guys in the locker room. Neither of us three is," Kruger said. "[But] we come here every day and try to do everything we can and do our best."
Want more? Discuss this article and others on RedEye's Facebook page.