Forsberg ready for another comeback bid in Sweden

Veteran Peter Forsberg is making another NHL comeback bid, and it starts on Thursday in his hometown as he suits up for Modo in its Swedish Elite League season opener.

The 36-year-old has practised with the team since August and played two exhibition games, in another attempt to overcome a nagging foot injury.

"I really played awfully and I was ready to quit," he said on the team's website. "But I've felt good recently and I'm ready to go. If I have made six or seven comebacks before, I suppose I can make another one."

Modo gave the former NHL MVP a one-week tryout contract, meaning he'll play at least three games.

"If you love hockey, you love Peter Forsberg," Modo coach Miroslav Horava said.

NHL mandate says Forsberg can play for the Swedish squad until the trade deadline in March without jeopardizing a possible comeback.

In Forsberg's heyday, nobody could stop him, but a slew of injury problems stalled his NHL growth.

In his last comeback attempt, he made a late-season return to the Colorado Avalanche in 2008, but injuries kept him out of nine of the final 18 regular-season games and three of four games in the second round of the playoffs.

He tried playing for Modo last season, but only made it through two games before calling the comeback off.

He won two Stanley Cup honours with Colorado and was named the NHL's most valuable player in 2003.

He has played sporadically over the last two seasons because of an ailing right foot after surgery, but was picked to Sweden's preliminary Olympic roster for Vancouver 2010.

"This is great," said Sweden's coach, Bengt-Ake Gustafsson. "Let's hope that it works."