Team Sweden makes last minute change with Mattias Ekholm and Viktor Arvidsson

   

Moments ago, Team Sweden took the ice for warmups against Team USA with Mattias Ekholm and Viktor Arvidsson unexpectedly on the ice.

Both Edmonton Oilers on Team Sweden were announced to be healthy scratches earlier today, but now are last minute additions.

Team Sweden adds Ekholm and Arvidsson to lineup at the last minute before Team USA

According to Elliotte Friedman, both Ekholm and Arvidsson have been added back to the lineup due to an illness sweeping through the Team Sweden locker room.

Arvidsson and Ekholm, who were extras this morningare now taking warmups

It's certainly not a good sign for Team Sweden's chances tonight against Team USA, but it's positive news for both of the Oilers players to get back into the lineup.

It was quite a shocking sight for Oilers fans to see Sweden scratch Mattias Ekholm, who's considered their best all around defenceman.

A Swedish source revealed that their head coach explained the Ekholm scratch as performance related. It's a concerning sign for the 34 year old veteran defenceman who has visibly declined slightly from last season.

Viktor Arvidsson on the other hand has very much struggled with the Oilers and Team Sweden this season. The Swedish Oilers forward has been mired in one of the worst seasons in his career, and has been raised as one of the candidates to be traded as a cap dump.

Hopefully this game will give the Oilers players an extra boost of motivation after returning from the 4 Nations tournament, as Edmonton gears up for the biggest playoff run in franchise history yet.