Hockey

Sweden's Rickard Rakell's World Cup availability in doubt due to illness

Rickard Rakell remains in a hospital in Sweden with an unspecified illness, putting his availability for the World Cup of Hockey in doubt.

Player did not travel with team for upcoming exhibition match

Rickard Rakell, seen playing with the Anaheim Ducks in this file photo from March, did not travel with Sweden for its upcoming Hockey World Cup exhibition match in Washington D.C. due to illness. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Rickard Rakell remains in a hospital in Sweden with an unspecified illness, putting his availability for the World Cup of Hockey in doubt.

Swedish coach Rickard Gronborg said Sunday night that Rakell did not travel with the team to Washington for its next exhibition game and instead had more tests done at a hospital in Gothenburg.

The Anaheim Ducks forward did not play in Sweden's exhibition game Sunday. It's unclear whether he'll be available for Wednesday's game against Team Europe or Sweden's first tournament game Sunday against Russia.

Sweden can replace Rakell before the World Cup begins Saturday. But Gronborg said the focus is on figuring out what's wrong with Rakell.

Forward Marcus Kruger (upper-body injury) skated with the team Sunday and said he felt better.