Swedes Could Dominate NHL Draft
Ken McKenna - SportingNews.com
Jun 24, 2009
Each NHL Draft has a storyline. In 2008, it was the "Year of the Defenseman," with four selected in the first five picks. In 2007, it was the first time Americans were the first two picks. With so many players being selected, a theme emerges from each draft class.
The 2009 NHL Draft, which begins Friday in Montreal, will be no different. The trend will involve 1991-born players from Sweden, who are a special group. As many as 15 Swedes could be among the top 100 selections, rivaling the hauls from Canada's major junior leagues, the OHL, QMJHL and WHL.
Key to this trend is how general managers and scouts see the class. There's quality in the top of the pool. After that teams might be driven by "social proof" -- taking Swedes to avoid missing out on an apparent bounty.
Call it "Swedemania." Here's a look:
Defenseman Victor Hedman (Modo, Swedish Elite League). Hedman has been locked in a season-long battle with OHL star John Tavares for the first overall pick. The duel's outcome likely won't come until the New York Islanders announce the draft's first selection.
Left winger Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson (Timra, Swedish Elite League). Paajarvi-Svensson was running a close second to Hedman among his countrymen, but his stock slipped since the Under-18 world juniors. Paajarvi-Svensson is a top 10 pick and would be good for a team looking for offensive skill.
Center Jacob Josefson (Djurgarden, Swedish Elite League). Josefson is potentially the top two-way forward in this draft class. His offensive ability and defensive smarts form a package that could be difficult to resist.
Defenseman Oliver Ekman Larsson (Leksands, Swedish 2). Known as OEL, he has made the biggest move since the season began. He has impressive skills. Scouts at the NHL Combine suggested Ekman Larsson might become better than Hedman. For now, Hedman has NHL size; Ekman Larsson must continue to get bigger and stronger.
Those are Sweden's top prospects. After them the order is less clear --but there are standouts.
Four forwards could be called in the top 50 -- left winger Carl Klingberg (Frolunda Jr.), winger Jakob Silfverberg (Brynas Jr.), winger Anton Rodin (Brynas Jr.) and center Anton Lander (Timra).
Klingberg is a hard-working winger with good size and offensive ability. Silfverberg is more of a pure offensive talent. Rodin put up great numbers in the Swedish junior league but must show he can do it at the next level. Lander is the most advanced of the four, having played in the Swedish Elite League in 2008-09.
David Rundblad (Skelleftea) and Simon Bertilsson (Brynas) are defensemen to watch. Both spent the season in the Swedish Elite League playing against mostly older talent. Rundblad is more of a two-way defenseman with good size and skating skills. Bertilsson could be classified more as an offensive defenseman.
Fittingly, the top-rated European goaltender is Swedish. Robin Lehner (Frolunda Jr.) is 6-3, 220 pounds with the size and ability to become an effective NHL goalie. A team that isn't in a hurry to land its goaltender of the future might be wise to snap up Lehner early in the draft.
And if you're looking for a dark horse Swedish prospect, one name stands out -- defenseman Viktor Svedberg (Rogle Jr.). Svedberg has one characteristic that grabs your attention -- his size, all 6-8, 211 pounds of him. He showed offensive ability this season, with 16 points in 38 games in Sweden's second-level league, but he must show better skating ability and coordination to make it to the NHL.
Prepare yourself, then, for the "Year of the Swede."
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