WASHINGTON -- It's the opening week of the NFL season, but Jakob Silfverberg will jokingly admit he doesn't know too much about American football.
He's not concerned that the New England Patriots will be without star quarterback Tom Brady for the first four games because of a suspension. Silfverberg knows the difference between Eli and Peyton Manning, but it doesn't matter. There's only one thing the 25-year-old forward for Team Sweden is concerned about right now and that's the World Cup of Hockey.
He already owns an impressive international resume for Sweden, most recently earning a silver medal with the team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. As surreal as that moment was for Silfverberg, he's in awe every time he's in the locker room or on the ice with some of his hockey idols, including teammate Erik Karlsson, who's only seven months older. Silfverberg also appreciates the fact that when he glances into the stands during a practice, there's Swedish hockey legend Daniel Alfredsson.
Silfverberg is humble. He's modest and sometimes can't believe he has reached the highest levels in hockey. A combination of work ethic and talent has earned him that right.
"Always as a kid I wasn't really anything special," he said. "I was usually a two-way forward and just kept working hard and that's kind of stuck with me. I've never been a superstar. I've just been a hard-working guy who's been able to work his way up. Internationally, I was in the Olympics and that was a lot of fun. I didn't play much but I learned a lot from it and just being around these guys is a great honor. It's nice being around these superstars."
Sweden coach Rikard Gronborg has witnessed the young player's work ethic first-hand.
"That's why he's here," Gronborg said. "That's why he's playing in the National Hockey League. He's a tremendous competitor. He's diligent with everything he does when it comes to [nutrition] and everything he puts into his body, and he's top-notch when it comes to that."
Said a Western conference coach, via text: "I love Silfverberg. I think he has become a very dangerous all-around player. Can produce and play in any situation. I think he keeps elevating his game."
Most of the best players in the world play a solid two-way style. It was in his late teens when he figured out that was the type of player he needed to be in order to have success.
"It's always been there," Silfverberg said. "I started off playing center until I was 17 or 18, and that's when I switched to wing and always took defensive responsibilities. Even as a kid, my mom and dad always had to tell me I wasn't supposed to be a defenseman. I was supposed to score goals because I was a forward, but it's been sticking with me for a long time. That's how I am off the ice too. I like to take responsibility and I like to know what's going on. It's been there my whole life."
Selected by the Ottawa Senators in the second round (39th overall) in the 2009 draft, Silfverberg made his NHL debut during the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. He was 22 at the time and had just won the Swedish championship when the Senators summoned him. He played only two games in those playoffs but it was an invaluable experience.
"My strongest memory of that is when we won the championship back home in Sweden and then a week after that I flew [to Ottawa] and was playing in the playoffs with Erik Karlsson, Alfredsson and [Jason] Spezza, and we were playing against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden," said Silfverberg, who was traded to the Anaheim Ducks, along with Stefan Noesen and Ottawa's first-round pick in the 2014 draft for Bobby Ryan on July 5, 2013.
"That was one of my strongest memories. Even though I didn't play my best hockey, there was a lot of stuff going on, it wasn't my best hockey but it was a really good moment.
"It made me realize that it's a bigger step than I thought it was. I thought the adjustment was going to be easier. It was alarming and Alfie said, 'This isn't going to be easy. These guys can really play.' I thought the step was going to be easier but that was a good way to realize that this is the best league in the world."
Before his NHL arrival, Silfverberg broke Alfredsson's Swedish Elite League single-season playoff scoring record with 13 goals.
"At that point and time I wasn't too concerned with any record," he said. "I was just so happy that we managed to win the championship. It wasn't until I actually arrived in Ottawa a week and a half later, and Erik told me I beat Alfie's record and he was upset with me. Obviously, it was in a fun tone. [Alfredsson] was laughing a little bit about it and obviously it's extra special taking it from Alfie."
Alfredsson, who retired after 17 seasons in 2013-14, has been impressed with Silfverberg since seeing him during those playoffs in 2012.
"I thought he was very mature for a young guy," said Alfredsson, an adviser for Team Sweden. "I knew he was a scorer but he was all-around really responsible, and being thrown into that situation is not easy, but he did a great job for us. You can tell right away his shot is exceptional. He, too, felt the pace is different but with his smartness you knew he could go out and play and contribute and obviously keep it simple."