Inside Rangers’ Swedish contingent, which helps Lias Andersson adjust

In a few days, it will be Lias Andersson’s first trip to St. Louis. Talking about food in the city, the Rangers’ 20-year-old forward was enticed, but he knew who eventually would choose the restaurant.

“Mika will know where to go,” Andersson said, referring to his elder Swedish brethren, Mika Zibanejad. “He always knows where to go.”

This is part of the five-man Swedish contingent inside the Blueshirts locker room that also features goalie Henrik Lundqvist and Jesper Fast, as well as newly added Freddy Claesson. The five went out to a traditional Swedish Christmas dinner about a week before the league’s official three-day break, which ends with Thursday night’s Garden match against the Blue Jackets. The schedule continues with the annual New Year’s trip, this season going from Nashville (Saturday night) to St. Louis (Monday night).

They ate at the renowned Aquavit, on 55th Street between Park and Madison avenues, where Zibanejad has become friendly with two-Michelin-starred-chef Emma Bengtsson. She prepared a meal that included meatballs, sausages and a fish dish called Inlagd Sill.

“It’s herring with like mustard. It sounds disgusting. I didn’t like it until last year. I didn’t try it. I just looked at it and said, ‘No way I’m eating that,’ ” Zibanejad said. “It’s just all-around great food. It’s not just turkey. So I’m happy about that.”

see also

The one certainty about Rangers Lias Andersson plan

The Rangers believe Lias Andersson, in terms of his development,…

The fact is the NHL might be dominated by Canadians and Americans, but it is still a diverse league. Those from different countries manage to stick together, and that is why Zibanejad has gone out of his way to try to make Andersson feel at home following his call-up from AHL Hartford on Nov. 5.

After a brief time together last season following Andersson’s selection with the No. 7-overall pick, the two both went to play for their country in the World Championships in Denmark, winning a gold medal. That was when the 25-year-old Zibanejad took Andersson under his wing.

“I thought it was a good opportunity for me to just be a support guy for him,” said Zibanejad, whose father is Iranian and mother is Finnish but who grew up in Sweden. “I know I’ve been helped, and a lot of guys have been helped in the league. But I think there’s not a whole lot of Swedes compared to Americans or Canadians. So I think it’s more valuable when you have a Swede that can take care of you.”

When Zibanejad came into the league with the Senators, he was groomed by fellow Swedes Daniel Alfredsson and Erik Karlsson — among others. It was a similar path to the one Andersson is on, so he was trying to pay it forward with his guidance.

“I had a lot of guys that helped me, but when it’s Swedish, it can be a little bit more open,” Zibanejad said. “We come from the same school, the way we think, the way we do things, the similarities. We’ve gone through roughly the same way to get here, and I think it’s maybe a little bit more valuable that way.”

see also

David Quinn doing what he can to keep Henrik Lundqvist sharp

TORONTO — The looming three-day holiday recess in which NHL…

This is not quite like the Rangers of 2005-06, when Jaromir Jagr was leading a gang of Czechs inside the locker room. This team is diverse, with players from Russia, the Czech Republic, Norway and Bulgaria — to go along with those from Canada and the US. And although they may not be winning quite as much as they would want in a year that has been classified as rebuilding, they seem to be getting along quite well.

“I just think it’s human nature that when you’re from the same country and you’re living in a different country, you maybe create a little bit of a different bond,” first-year head coach David Quinn said. “But I think there’s a good camaraderie between the Swedes, the Canadians, the Americans, the Czechs — and whoever else we have. It’s a good group that way.

“People ask me a lot, ‘How’s it been?’ And one thing I always say is that it has been a great group to coach. There is a good feel within the walls of the locker room.”

A good feel with a hint of Swede, and maybe the underlying smell of Inlagd Sill.