You can also add Zeb Forsfjall !SHL starts today. Here's the Swedish players I think have the potential to go in the first two rounds and how I'd rank them:
1. Leo Carlsson
2. Axel Sandin Pellikka
3. Otto Stenberg
4. Kalle Carlsson
5. Noel Nordh
5. Theo Lindstein
6. Noah Dower Nilsson
7. Tom Willander
8. David Edstrom
Was wrong about Leo Carlsson last season. He's on a different level here. I expect a lot of movement after that. Biggest potential riser: Dower Nilsson. Biggest potential faller: Stenberg.
It makes no sense to have rankings this early in the season, let alone the previous season. But it’s fun to do and it’s what people want to see, so whatever. The point is: There’s going to be a lot of variance in lists. Lists will constantly change and people will randomly add and delete players from their lists. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯Where are Samuel Sisik and Ondrej Molnar on these lists. They were highly ranked last year. Nowhere to be seen right now.
I love the home town bias (im in Halifax), how deep this pool is though I dont see him touching first round. A great prospect none the less, but I see him late 2nd. So much can change through the year though so lets gooooMathieu Cataford will be in the top 25 for sure...the guy is a great all around player and Halifax does a good job at developing these guys.
That´s a good question. For the first i agree with you that our system makes it hard to owerview the players and to compare them. And the only strategic decision i identify is that many of the SHL clubs want to promote a couple of players for the national teams and the draft. And the rest of the players are stucked. Do I see any patterns in terms of playstyle? No not really. Maybe they still look for big defenders like Kostadinski? I can´t see him as player for the national team. He needs to improve his skating. The top level, Leo Carlsson (in his own leauge), Otto Stenberg, Dalibor Dvorsky, Kalle Carlsson, Noah Dower Nilsson (might need to reevaluate my opionon, his been playing well), are competing, good skaters, creative, strong on puck and shots all well. These guys are there no doubts about at this stage. They are top level talent. But the level below is harder to follow and i don´t understand why the clubs promote some guys so hard. But at the same time there are not many of the 2005 born players that have a big impact in the J20 nationell at the moment. And some of my favourites only play J18 and are stucked behind because of what i think is nepotism and what they promised (as you mentioned) the players recruiting them. Look at Örebro, they have to many of them. They don´t know how to handle it. Another favourite of mine was Alexander Dahlgren (Linköping, 2004). He got stucked in Örebro and tries to restart in Linköping. Just one example.Thats the thing that seems really hard to evaluate in Sweden, without significant effort into watching the specific player without knowing and judging depending on the context of their icetime, linemates, league, team etc in a way thats way more challenging that I would imagine north american junior systems where there is not promotion to higher leagues or relegation in the same way.
I won't say which(information partially stems from the fact that a family member plays there), but for example there is a regular SHL team that doesn't even have scouts hired specifically for their youth system. As such, some of the recruitments way ahead of time are riddiculously confusing, as players from outside that teams city get put on a pedestal when they are not noticeably better than majority of the players from within, but get recruited with good future prospectives such as free living and other benefits such as the NIU education. Why, I don't know, mix of contacts, luck and just having a "good CV"(essentially playing selects and stuff)
When my family member was playing groups at TV pucken just the other weekend I talked to one of the scouts for the Swedish u16 camps that I knew from way back about a lot of different topics relating to youth hockey, and he mentioned that one year they focused a lot on bringing in finesse players and got destroyed by hardworking and disciplined finns, so next time they completely changed up instead. All to say, maybe there is a philosphy issue in terms of how, maybe not just the national teams, but also the individual youth systems value their talent, as such other players get shafted in a very obvious way. I don't have nearly the width of experince as you do with some of these players, but do you notice any specific common pattern in terms of playstyle between these players that could make their ice time etc be attributed to hockey philosophy?
Appreciate your Swedish juniors first-hand insights! Keep us posted on your thoughts!If you want to watch some of the best 2005 born players in Sweden today i recommend svenskhockey.tv tonight. In J20 nationell you can watch Djurgården - AIK. And Dalibor Dvorsky will play for AIK And 2023 draft prospects Filip Sitar (AIK), Melvin Wersäll (Djurgården), TIm Redstedt (Djurgården), Arvid Bergström (Djurgården), Lucas Stockselius (Djurgården).
At the same time (19.00 Swedish time) Leksand - Färjestad meets in U18. And that i will watch afterwords. Perhaps with many players on the ice that are among my favourites. So no SHL game for me tonight.
Thanks! I appreciate that someone appreciates them.Appreciate your Swedish juniors first-hand insights! Keep us posted on your thoughts!
We all do. It's what this forum is all about.Thanks! I appreciate that someone appreciates them.
Yeah, I assume outside of optimizing the SHL teams(which is why I think some prospects get suboptimal icetime in the senior team instead of dominating the juniors) its probably just a different kind of mess from team to team in terms of how they promote their prospects.That´s a good question. For the first i agree with you that our system makes it hard to owerview the players and to compare them. And the only strategic decision i identify is that many of the SHL clubs want to promote a couple of players for the national teams and the draft. And the rest of the players are stucked. Do I see any patterns in terms of playstyle? No not really. Maybe they still look for big defenders like Kostadinski? I can´t see him as player for the national team. He needs to improve his skating. The top level, Leo Carlsson (in his own leauge), Otto Stenberg, Dalibor Dvorsky, Kalle Carlsson, Noah Dower Nilsson (might need to reevaluate my opionon, his been playing well), are competing, good skaters, creative, strong on puck and shots all well. These guys are there no doubts about at this stage. They are top level talent. But the level below is harder to follow and i don´t understand why the clubs promote some guys so hard. But at the same time there are not many of the 2005 born players that have a big impact in the J20 nationell at the moment. And some of my favourites only play J18 and are stucked behind because of what i think is nepotism and what they promised (as you mentioned) the players recruiting them. Look at Örebro, they have to many of them. They don´t know how to handle it. Another favourite of mine was Alexander Dahlgren (Linköping, 2004). He got stucked in Örebro and tries to restart in Linköping. Just one example.
Agree with you about Örebro. Only 35 players for J18 and J20 but still to much flour in the cake ... And from my point of view i can´t understand why Liam Danielsson left Brynäs ..? Kalle Carlsson lacks a bit in skating. He slows the game down to much at the moment. But give him a bit of room for his shot and the bell will ring. Strong in pp. But at the moment he is not looking his best. Melvin Pettersson on the other hand looks really nice, good vision, nice hands. I think he will have a strong season. Very good for Melwin who had a tough last season. Brooke his angle at the start of it. Svante Sjödin has always been one of my favourites. But it´s hard to shine in Örebro. He´s doing it ok. Would love to se his compete level rise a bit. And Örebro are one out of three, four teams competing for the J18 championship. I´m not that worried about the 05ers not playing in J20 if they are in good teams and organisations and plays big minutes. More worried about the 05:ers playing to much J20 and not playing pp, bp and only 10-12 minutes per game. Som of them almost never touches the puck during a game ...Yeah, I assume outside of optimizing the SHL teams(which is why I think some prospects get suboptimal icetime in the senior team instead of dominating the juniors) its probably just a different kind of mess from team to team in terms of how they promote their prospects.
I must have seen the wrong games(probably watched way less than you) of Kalle Carlsson, while his statistics are really strong, I haven't seen those games where he really feels way above the rest. To be fair Dvorsky and Dower dissapointed me here and there as well. But overall I really like this group. Even though Carlsson seems to be very alone in terms of current elite worldwide, and Canada seems to have a really strong group, I think there might be multiple swedes that are picked from the late 1st-4/5th rounds that could hit jackpot. Some of the guys after the ones that has always got mentioned (Sandin Pelikka and Nordh for example) have quietly done really well on a consistent basis.
Örebro are really having issues with having to many of the top prospects, as stupid as it sounds. I have heard really good things about them in later years, and clearly they are doing something right to attract so much elite talent, even from regions that already have strong competing youth programs. So many good 05ers, that at least some are going to get less reps in j20 than they should. Add into it that they have 6 06ers that made the nationall u17 team now, and one that didn't make it was the best 06 from Brynäs that Örebro "stole" last year(Liam Danielsson). Add into it that they have some strong 07s(at least Philip Larsson is guaranteed to play most games this year, and probably have a high impact atleast offensively) and they haven't even go all the 07s from other places for next years j18. So I'm getting worried longterm for some really talented prospects to get squished. What do you think about Svante Sjödin and Melvin Pettersson in terms of level and strength/improvements needed. I feel like they might be those kids this year, even though they are going to really strong in this years j18.
This is based on the preseason games and the first rounds of the original season. Note my try to (+, =, -) to give a view of how i look at the players status now compared to last season. And yes i have changed my mind a bit about Noah Dower Nilsson. But i can also change it again in future.
Top ten overall draft prospects 2023 ranking, players playing in Sweden
Leo Carlsson, Örebro (+)
Noah Dower Nilsson, Frölunda (++)
Dalibor Dvorsky, AIK (SVK) (=)
Axel Sandin-Pelikka, Skellefteå (+)
Alex Ciernak, Södertälje (SVK) (+)
Otto Stenberg, Frölunda (-)
Theo Lindstein, Brynäs (-)
Albert Wikman, Färjestad (=)
Noel Nordh, Brynäs (=)
Felix Nilsson, Rögle (+)
Top five Swedish players born 2005 on each position
LW
Noah Dower Nilsson, Frölunda (++)
Noel Nordh, Brynäs (=)
Elis Rix, Växjö (+)
Hugo Pettersson, HV71 (=)
Oskar Vuollet (+)
Knocking on the door: Melwin Pettersson, Örebro (++), Zeb Forsfjäll, Skellefteå (- -), Johannes Frisk, Örebro (+)
CF
Otto Stenberg; Frölunda (=)
Felix Nilsson, Rögle (+)
Anton Wahlberg, Malmö (+)
Simon Zether, Rögle (++)
David Edström, Frölunda (+)
Knocking on the door: Kalle Carlsson, Örebro (-) , Rögle, Isac Hedqvist (=), Joel Svensson, Växjö (+)
RW
Melvin Wersäll, Djurgården (+)
Elliot Ståhlberg, Färjestad (=)
Felix Unger Sörum, Leksand (+)
Lucas Sagranden, Örebro (-)
Leo Isaksson, Växjö (+)
Knocking on the door: Herman Träff HV71 (+), Växjö, Gustav Ling, Färjestad (+) , Hugo Lejon, Västerås (=)
LD
Theo Lindstein, Brynäs (-)
Albert Wikman, Färjestad (=)
Victor Westh, Färjestad (++)
Tom Willander, Rögle (+)
Arvid Bergström, Djurgården (=)
Knocking on the door: Sebastian Tamm (=), Leksand, Hugo Hell (+), Färjestad
RD
Axel Sandin Pelikka, Skellefteå (++)
Edvin Nilsson, HV71 (=)
Noel Fransén, Färjestad (+)
Axel Landén, HV71 (=)
Kevin Israelsson, Växjö (+)
Knocking on the door: Tim Redstedt, Djurgården (-), Eric Burger(-), Örebro
G (top three)
Noah Erliden, HV71 (+)
Teodor Munther, Djurgården (+)
Eric Olsson, Örebro (=)
Knocking on the door: Melvin Asp Cassåsen (+), Färjestad, Melvin Lind, Växjö (-)
And some other notable not swedish prospects born 2005 playing in Sweden:
Jakub Stancl, Växjö (CZE) (+)
Oscar Fisker Mölgaard, HV71 (DEN) (+)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Mora (NOR) (++)
Lukas Klecka, Södertälje (SVK) (+)
Albert Schioldan, HV71 (DEN) (=)
Felix Granath, Frölunda (NOR) (-)
Borna Kopac, Oskarshamn, (SLO) (=)
Filip Sitar AIK, (SVK) (-)
Ian Scerzer Rögle, (AUT) (-)
I have not seen him that much. Did never se him in Lidingö. But what i saw in the game against Rögle. He lacks a bit competing. The size is not a problem. He played quite hard. But what i mean by competing is to play every play to win the game. Make your team mates better. Some problem with positioning. At the moment i think not, but it´s a long season. And he is in a good spot to develop well.What do you think about Lukas Klecka? Do you think he has a chance to be drafted? From my point of view, he looks like a skilled two-way winger, and although he's shorter, he's not afraid to play tough. But he needs to improve his defensive game.
Noel Nordh and Victor Westh? How about Simon Southh and Elmer Easth?This is based on the preseason games and the first rounds of the original season. Note my try to (+, =, -) to give a view of how i look at the players status now compared to last season. And yes i have changed my mind a bit about Noah Dower Nilsson. But i can also change it again in future.
Top ten overall draft prospects 2023 ranking, players playing in Sweden
Leo Carlsson, Örebro (+)
Noah Dower Nilsson, Frölunda (++)
Dalibor Dvorsky, AIK (SVK) (=)
Axel Sandin-Pelikka, Skellefteå (+)
Alex Ciernak, Södertälje (SVK) (+)
Otto Stenberg, Frölunda (-)
Theo Lindstein, Brynäs (-)
Albert Wikman, Färjestad (=)
Noel Nordh, Brynäs (=)
Felix Nilsson, Rögle (+)
Top five Swedish players born 2005 on each position
LW
Noah Dower Nilsson, Frölunda (++)
Noel Nordh, Brynäs (=)
Elis Rix, Växjö (+)
Hugo Pettersson, HV71 (=)
Oskar Vuollet, Skellefteå (+)
Knocking on the door: Melwin Pettersson, Örebro (++), Zeb Forsfjäll, Skellefteå (- -), Johannes Frisk, Örebro (+)
CF
Otto Stenberg; Frölunda (=)
Felix Nilsson, Rögle (+)
Anton Wahlberg, Malmö (+)
Simon Zether, Rögle (++)
David Edström, Frölunda (+)
Knocking on the door: Kalle Carlsson, Örebro (-), Isac Hedqvist, Luleå (=), Joel Svensson, Växjö (+)
RW
Melvin Wersäll, Djurgården (+)
Elliot Ståhlberg, Färjestad (=)
Felix Unger Sörum, Leksand (+)
Lucas Sagranden, Örebro (-)
Leo Isaksson, Växjö (+)
Knocking on the door: Herman Träff, HV71 (+), Gustav Ling, Färjestad (+), Hugo Lejon, Västerås (=)
LD
Theo Lindstein, Brynäs (-)
Albert Wikman, Färjestad (=)
Victor Westh, Färjestad (++)
Tom Willander, Rögle (+)
Arvid Bergström, Djurgården (=)
Knocking on the door: Sebastian Tamm , Leksand (=), Hugo Hell, Färjestad (+)
RD
Axel Sandin Pelikka, Skellefteå (++)
Edvin Nilsson, HV71 (=)
Noel Fransén, Färjestad (+)
Axel Landén, HV71 (=)
Kevin Israelsson, Växjö (+)
Knocking on the door: Tim Redstedt, Djurgården (-), Eric Burger, Örebro (-)
G (top three)
Noah Erliden, HV71 (+)
Teodor Munther, Djurgården (+)
Eric Olsson, Örebro (=)
Knocking on the door: Melvin Asp Cassåsen, Färjestad (+), Melvin Lind, Växjö (-)
And some other notable not Swedish prospects born 2005 playing in Sweden:
Jakub Stancl, Växjö (CZE) (+)
Oscar Fisker Mölgaard, HV71 (DEN) (+)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Mora (NOR) (++)
Lukas Klecka, Södertälje (SVK) (+)
Albert Schioldan, HV71 (DEN) (=)
Felix Granath, Frölunda (NOR) (-)
Borna Kopac, Oskarshamn (SLO) (=)
Filip Sitar, AIK (SVK) (-)
Ian Scerzer,Rögle (AUT) (-)
They might be there in the end of the season!Noel Nordh and Victor Westh? How about Simon Southh and Elmer Easth?
Seen it coming. Hermans been looking good this season.This is based on the preseason games and the first rounds of the original season. Note my try to (+, =, -) to give a view of how i look at the players status now compared to last season. And yes i have changed my mind a bit about Noah Dower Nilsson. But i can also change it again in future.
Top ten overall draft prospects 2023 ranking, players playing in Sweden
Leo Carlsson, Örebro (+)
Noah Dower Nilsson, Frölunda (++)
Dalibor Dvorsky, AIK (SVK) (=)
Axel Sandin-Pelikka, Skellefteå (+)
Alex Ciernak, Södertälje (SVK) (+)
Otto Stenberg, Frölunda (-)
Theo Lindstein, Brynäs (-)
Albert Wikman, Färjestad (=)
Noel Nordh, Brynäs (=)
Felix Nilsson, Rögle (+)
Top five Swedish players born 2005 on each position
LW
Noah Dower Nilsson, Frölunda (++)
Noel Nordh, Brynäs (=)
Elis Rix, Växjö (+)
Hugo Pettersson, HV71 (=)
Oskar Vuollet, Skellefteå (+)
Knocking on the door: Melwin Pettersson, Örebro (++), Zeb Forsfjäll, Skellefteå (- -), Johannes Frisk, Örebro (+)
CF
Otto Stenberg; Frölunda (=)
Felix Nilsson, Rögle (+)
Anton Wahlberg, Malmö (+)
Simon Zether, Rögle (++)
David Edström, Frölunda (+)
Knocking on the door: Kalle Carlsson, Örebro (-), Isac Hedqvist, Luleå (=), Joel Svensson, Växjö (+)
RW
Melvin Wersäll, Djurgården (+)
Elliot Ståhlberg, Färjestad (=)
Felix Unger Sörum, Leksand (+)
Lucas Sagranden, Örebro (-)
Leo Isaksson, Växjö (+)
Knocking on the door: Herman Träff, HV71 (+), Gustav Ling, Färjestad (+), Hugo Lejon, Västerås (=)
LD
Theo Lindstein, Brynäs (-)
Albert Wikman, Färjestad (=)
Victor Westh, Färjestad (++)
Tom Willander, Rögle (+)
Arvid Bergström, Djurgården (=)
Knocking on the door: Sebastian Tamm , Leksand (=), Hugo Hell, Färjestad (+)
RD
Axel Sandin Pelikka, Skellefteå (++)
Edvin Nilsson, HV71 (=)
Noel Fransén, Färjestad (+)
Axel Landén, HV71 (=)
Kevin Israelsson, Växjö (+)
Knocking on the door: Tim Redstedt, Djurgården (-), Eric Burger, Örebro (-)
G (top three)
Noah Erliden, HV71 (+)
Teodor Munther, Djurgården (+)
Eric Olsson, Örebro (=)
Knocking on the door: Melvin Asp Cassåsen, Färjestad (+), Melvin Lind, Växjö (-)
And some other notable not Swedish prospects born 2005 playing in Sweden:
Jakub Stancl, Växjö (CZE) (+)
Oscar Fisker Mölgaard, HV71 (DEN) (+)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Mora (NOR) (++)
Lukas Klecka, Södertälje (SVK) (+)
Albert Schioldan, HV71 (DEN) (=)
Felix Granath, Frölunda (NOR) (-)
Borna Kopac, Oskarshamn (SLO) (=)
Filip Sitar, AIK (SVK) (-)
Ian Scerzer,Rögle (AUT) (-)
Yes i rate him high. Very good skater, strong body and competes all the time. But he has a tough defensive role in a weak team (Färjestad J20). And he plays no power play. That is bad for him, and bad for the team. Wikman has more in him. Nice hands, good shot and good vision. I hope he will get the opportunity to show that more in the future.@The Swede What is your report on Wikman? You have him quite high even though his stats never really pop. I assume he is a very good defensive type defender? Appears to have good size...how is his skating?
Brynäs just doesn't have the respect that it's old reputation implies, even in their own district(Parents/coaches and people involved with youth hockey that are not directly involved with Brynäs organisation, and even parents to kids in their current team a lot of the time, thinks they are all full of shit). Not only do they treat their players badly, they no longer have the results in terms of development on their side. So Danielsson leaving is most likely just a lack of confidence in the organisation(especially since his father played a decaded on the senior team) and in their ability to support him in the best way possible. Probably similar reasons as Svante Sjödin choosing Örebro over Brynäs despite Brynäs being the dream for young kids born in Hälsingland, and his teammate for the last 10 years(Noel Nordh) going to Brynäs.Agree with you about Örebro. Only 35 players for J18 and J20 but still to much flour in the cake ... And from my point of view i can´t understand why Liam Danielsson left Brynäs ..? Kalle Carlsson lacks a bit in skating. He slows the game down to much at the moment. But give him a bit of room for his shot and the bell will ring. Strong in pp. But at the moment he is not looking his best. Melvin Pettersson on the other hand looks really nice, good vision, nice hands. I think he will have a strong season. Very good for Melwin who had a tough last season. Brooke his angle at the start of it. Svante Sjödin has always been one of my favourites. But it´s hard to shine in Örebro. He´s doing it ok. Would love to se his compete level rise a bit. And Örebro are one out of three, four teams competing for the J18 championship. I´m not that worried about the 05ers not playing in J20 if they are in good teams and organisations and plays big minutes. More worried about the 05:ers playing to much J20 and not playing pp, bp and only 10-12 minutes per game. Som of them almost never touches the puck during a game ...
Why is it like that? I hear the same about other organisations. But in the end where are the good places to develop in for a young player? I watched Brynäs - Örebro in U18 and both Nord and Sagranden played. I know it´s a bit different to play U18, but neither of them looked really good. Nord looked heavy and clumsy and Sagranden just travelled around. It was two good teams but no player stood really out. Maybe Herman Liv was the the only one standing out. On the other hand Oscar Westman, goalie in Brynäs saved them during the second period.Brynäs just doesn't have the respect that it's old reputation implies, even in their own district(Parents/coaches and people involved with youth hockey that are not directly involved with Brynäs organisation, and even parents to kids in their current team a lot of the time, thinks they are all full of shit). Not only do they treat their players badly, they no longer have the results in terms of development on their side. So Danielsson leaving is most likely just a lack of confidence in the organisation(especially since his father played a decaded on the senior team) and in their ability to support him in the best way possible. Probably similar reasons as Svante Sjödin choosing Örebro over Brynäs despite Brynäs being the dream for young kids born in Hälsingland, and his teammate for the last 10 years(Noel Nordh) going to Brynäs.
It is a bit offtopic, but that's why I just think Brynäs are lucky to have two top talents in this years draft. Noel Nordh is not their product, he was insane way before joining and playing now his second season with the team. I actually thought he was going to be even better than he his. And they way they have been bongodrumming Lindstein between age groups and the senior team surely can't be helping. Luckily they are both good enough to make it through I imagine. Don't see the elite level in the next two age groups there(even though 07s has potential)
I do like your point about j20 vs j18. Maybe it's just that in most team I feel like the elite 05ers are good enough to get good icetime(although to be fair they sometimes don't) in most teams, but Örebro is just so stacked. Sjödin is generally a really solid player in my opinion, I'm almost just more worried about his body than his actual potential. As far as I know, he has been longterm injured for at least 2/3 of the seasons previous to this, and this summer he was battling his back again, which meant he missed out on the u18 camp pre-hlinka. The kind of kid that worked out until his body broke.