Pittsburgh Review

Rickard Rakell has been experiencing a notable season, contributing significantly to Sweden's performance at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Reflecting on his success, Rakell emphasizes the importance of maintaining a focused mindset. Following his first career four-point night in Montreal, he shared insights into how he stays grounded and prepared for each game.

"A four-point night, something like that could make you take a step back and feel too good about yourself. Like, it has to be how it is after a loss. You just try to forget about it. Don’t let it affect you too much. Just take it one day at a time," Rakell stated.

He added, "It sounds cliché, but I’ve been trying to do the same preparation before every game, kind of have the same feeling before starting every game. So yeah, I’m not going to change anything and do the same thing."

Rakell also described his daily routine: "My daughter Daisy [she’s 2] wakes me up. I make her breakfast... Then we just hang out for a little bit before I head to the rink." His morning continues with listening to podcasts and having breakfast with teammates.

At the rink, if not on ice, Rakell participates in soccer tennis games with fellow players such as Erik Karlsson and previously Marcus Pettersson until Pettersson was traded to Vancouver.

His pre-game ritual includes lunch at home: "I’ll have gluten-free pasta with chicken, alfredo sauce and pesto..." followed by an afternoon nap. Before leaving for the rink again, Rakell involves his daughter in choosing his attire: "Sometimes I’ll have Daisy pick out something for me."

Once at the rink for game time preparations, Rakell sticks to familiar routines involving stick taping and receiving massages while listening to music from his personal playlist.

On road trips where schedules shift slightly later than usual days at home base: "Wake up get breakfast... it's day-to-day whatever looks good at that particular hotel." Despite variations between home versus away setups—key elements remain constant ensuring consistent performances regardless of location challenges faced during travel periods throughout this demanding hockey season journey undertaken by Rickard Rakel alongside national representation duties fulfilled simultaneously during these competitive tournaments abroad!