MILAN — Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson was being peppered by questions from a Swedish reporter Monday, on everything from ICE’s presence in Minneapolis to what it’s like to be representing his country between the pipes alongside Wild teammate Jesper Wallstedt during these Winter Olympics.

As an American reporter from Minnesota started to zone out, not understanding much of what was being said in Swedish, it came as a surprise when the words “punchable face” came from the Swedish reporter’s mouth.

Realizing that Gustavsson must have been asked about Wild and Team Sweden teammate Joel Eriksson Ek, the American reporter perked up, and Gustavsson looked at him and burst out laughing: “Punchable face is the same in English and Swedish.”

Gustavsson has been in good spirits all week as he prepares for the dream come true of wearing Sweden’s Three Crowns on the Olympic stage.

Sweden coach Sam Hallam will announce on Wednesday whether Gustavsson, Jacob Markstrom or Wallstedt will start Sweden’s opener against Italy. Still, Gustavsson said he’s just happy to be here and will be ready throughout the tournament if his number is called.

“Any role they need,” Gustavsson said.

Filip Gustavsson is ready to play “any role” needed for Sweden in the Olympics. (Michael Russo / The Athletic)

Hallam said Tuesday that he’s comfortable with any of the three.

“But of course, we have made our decision,” he said. “It’s a big decision. I mean, do you go on form? Do you go on how many games and what you have under your belt? It’s different. But I feel confident in all three. They look good, and hopefully we make the right decision there.”

Wallstedt is one of four Wild players representing Sweden, along with Gustavsson, Eriksson Ek, and Marcus Johansson, who replaced injured Leo Carlsson on the same day it was announced that injured Wild teammate Jonas Brodin would have to bow out. The 23-year-old rookie goaltender said he never envisioned coming into this season that he’d have a shot at making the Olympic team.

However, a strong start to his Wild season, especially during a stellar November, earned him a call from Hallam just after Christmas.

Wallstedt’s earliest Olympic memories were the 2014 Sochi Olympics — maybe Vancouver in 2010.

He’s not entirely sure, but he does recall watching it back home at school in Sweden.

“We’d have like our normal lessons and then Sweden would play, and we’d pause the class to watch the games,” Wallstedt said. “That was the first memory I have. As a goalie nerd, I remember (Henrik) Lundqvist’s pads in Sochi, the first one with his new technology, where it was just one layer or sheet on the outside of the pad where you could put whatever you want on it.”

Eriksson Ek, wearing his Wild skate guards Monday as he talked to the media after being first on the ice for Sweden’s practice, said he’s excited to kick off the men’s tournament and proud that he’ll get to experience this with his Wild Swedish teammates as well as the United States’ Quinn Hughes, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber and Germany’s Nico Sturm.

Wild minor-leaguers David Spacek (Czech Republic) and Samuel Hlavaj (Slovakia) were also selected to represent their countries.

“Just humbling to be one of them,” said Eriksson Ek, who played a tremendous tournament for Sweden at last February’s 4 Nations Face-Off. “It was a fast tournament, best on best. A great tournament, and it was fun, and this one will be something like this.”

Joel Eriksson-Ek was a standout for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off. (Michael Russo / The Athletic)

Germany wasn’t part of the 4 Nations, but Sturm was captivated and said he can’t wait to suit up on a team with Leon Draisaitl when Germany opens Thursday against Denmark.

“The 4 Nations, people thought maybe guys would maybe dog it a bit, and I even said I wasn’t going to watch those games,” Sturm said. “I was in Puerto Vallarta for the break, and I was sitting at the bar every night watching every game. It was insane hockey. Best hockey we’ve seen in a long time.

“That was a little appetizer of what the games are going to be like in Milano. Very exciting for fans. It’ll be 2 ½ very exciting weeks.”

Faber’s parents, two sisters and girlfriend will be crossing the pond for the tournament. It’s the second Olympics for the 23-year-old defenseman, who, along with Boldy, Hughes and other American Olympians, hung out with Snoop Dogg in the Olympic Village on Tuesday. The previous one, in Beijing, was during the pandemic, so there were no fans, and it wasn’t best-on-best because the NHL pulled out due to COVID-19.

Yet, he’s an Olympic vet.

“It’s crazy to think,” said Faber, who will be paired with Jaccob Slavin when the U.S. opens Thursday against Latvia. “Obviously, it was much different. It’ll be new for me as much as it is for those guys. But it’s cool, yeah, to say you’re a two-time Olympian. It’s something I’ll never take for granted.”

Faber is rooming with his college teammate LaCombe in Milan, while Boldy’s with Jake Sanderson and Quinn Hughes is with his brother, Jack. Eriksson Ek is rooming with Johansson, and the goalies get their own rooms.

Boldy, who leads American Olympians with 32 goals in the NHL this season, looked like he’ll start the tournament on a star-studded line with Jake Guentzel and Auston Matthews.

“We came here to win gold,” said Boldy. “That simple. It’s an honor to be part of this group, and now we have to get it done.”

Chances are that with 10 players from the Wild organization in Milan, as well as U.S. general manager Bill Guerin, assistant coach John Hynes, director of player personnel Chris Kelleher, athletic trainers John Worley and Travis Green, and team doctor Joel Boyd, some or many will be returning with shiny medals.

“It really is neat having so many of us here,” Hughes said. “It says a lot about our team and maybe why we’ve been so good.”