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Before arriving at Rutgers, Sam Vretman dreamed of playing in the NHL

(Courtesy of Sam Vretman)

Like most kids growing up in Sweden, Sam Vretman aspired to be a professional hockey player.

These days, the Rutgers offensive lineman aspires to be a professional football player.

A distant cousin of former NHL player Kenneth Kennholt, Vretman was a member of Sweden's under-14 club that won a World Junior Ice Hockey Championship cup in 2012.

"I was pretty good (at hockey),'' Vretman said. "I was on a very good youth team. But I kind of lost interest in it after a while, and football gave me a new start to sports in general.