Sam Ersson, Philadelphia Flyers (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Sweden Picks Flyers’ Sam Ersson to Replace Jacob Markstrom at 4 Nations Face-Off

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Christopher Babos | Last updated Jan 29, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Team Sweden enters the 4 Nations Face-Off with a goaltending crisis as the start of the tournament draws closer. With New Jersey Devils goalie Jacob Markstrom’s injury taking him out of the round-robin tournament, Sweden national team coach Sam Hallam announced that Philadelphia Flyer Sam Ersson will take his place on Sweden’s roster. Hallam scouted Ersson in person in January during a Flyers win at the Wells Fargo Center.

Ersson Earned His Addition to Sweden’s Roster

Ersson, 25, is added to a roster featuring Minnesota Wild’s Filip Gustavsson and Ottawa Senators’ Linus Ullmark. This season in the NHL, Ersson owns a 15-8-2 record with a 2.77 goals-against-average (GAA) and an .893 save percentage (SV%). The 6-foot-3 goalie has stepped up his game over the last month with a 6-2 record, a 2.24 GAA, and a .910 SV% as Philly battles to stay competitive in a tight Metropolitan Division.

Over his three-season NHL career, Ersson is 44-30-9 with a 2.84 GAA and an .892 SV% over 90 games played in Philadelphia. The fifth-round draft pick has also recorded seven shutouts, including two this season for the Flyers.

It will be the fifth time Ersson has received the opportunity to wear the iconic blue and yellow colors for Sweden. Ersson played four games for Sweden at the 2024 World Championships with a 3-1 record in a bronze medal performance. Ersson holds a 75% win percentage in his international career at 6-2 over a limited eight-game sample size.

Injuries Concerns Not Over Yet for Sweden

Due to injury concerns, Sweden may have other decisions to make for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson, Minnesota defenseman Jonas Brodin, and Ottawa goalie Linus Ullmark are players to monitor with injury concerns heading toward the tournament.

Karlsson is considered “week-to-week” with a hamstring injury disrupting a strong season for the center. Before the injury, the pivot for the Golden Knights had 15 goals and 32 points in 38 games. However, he did not register a point in his final seven games before being removed from the lineup.

Minnesota placed Brodin on long-term injured reserve on Wednesday. The 6-foot-2 defenseman has four goals, 12 assists, and a plus-10 rating in 31 games for the Wild this season. He has missed the last nine games for Minnesota after blocking a shot in a game against the St. Louis Blues a few weeks ago. The 31-year-old blueliner is expected to miss the upcoming East Coast road trip for the Wild.

Green says there's a chance Ullmark will play in this homestand #Sens
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) January 29, 2025

Ottawa goalie Linus Ullmark has been missing in action for the Senators since the beginning of the New Year due to a back injury. While he is expected to return later this week during Ottawa’s homestand, it will still be worth monitoring Ullmark’s health leading into the inaugural edition of the NHL’s international bracket.