Hockey significance for Swedish people

Hi. I'm a French-Canadian (from Montréal) who's a hardcore hockey fan. I communicate in English with you today because I guess it's a language accessible to most.

I was wondering : How are seen hockey stars in your country? Are they well-known? As a millenial hockey fan, I've witnessed the prowesses of elite players like Peter Forsberg and Niklas Lidstrom. Do you guys know that your countryman Victor Hedman is the best defenseman in the NHL (who just won a championship)? You also have a promising young player in Rasmus Dahlin. Does it give you guys pride? Do you Swedish fellows value your talented hockey players, or is soccer/football the main focus in sports news? I'm genuinely curious.

Thanks in advance for the answers!