Prospect Info: Anton Wahlberg, C/LW, Malmo (J20) - Selection 39OA, 2023 (Signed to 3 year ELC), Assigned to Roch 3/24/24

[SnuggaRUDE]

Why no want play center though

No can

 

[Matt Ress]

That camera angle makes him look 8 feet tall

Sitting back, this feels like a luxury pick in the best way possible. I think he's a legit first-round talent. He's one of the top size/speed combos in the draft and as a July birthday that's crazy. What a fun follow he's going to be, huge potential but knowing we don't even really need him to hit.

Crazy when you don't need your 6'3" speedy Swede to hit. Future bottom 6 beast

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

I wanted Dragicevic and Strbak as defense in this slot, or Molgaard/Heidt as forwards.

BUT, I do appreciate that KA seems to have found an inefficiency in the way teams evaluate very young eligible players with good second halves.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Forton on Wahlberg, Anton Forsberg did a great job identifying him early in the year, agrees probably more suited as a winger

17:20

 

[Eye of Ra]

With whom can he be compared to the current NHL in terms of style of play? As I understand it, he will be a winger.

burakovsky, but more physical

 

[valet]

I don't know how you guys do it, but last year Kulich was one of my favorites. This year Wahlberg is one of my favorites.

Wahlberg has every tool you want to be an NHL goal scoring power forward. Big, good top speed, hands, shot, it's all there.

Lots to like in your pool.

we have an actual smart gm.... probably 90% of NHL gms are old boys club nepotism hires. the pegulas took a risk with an unknown quantity in KA and it is paying big dividends

 

[ValJamesDuex]

we have an actual smart gm.... probably 90% of NHL gms are old boys club nepotism hires. the pegulas took a risk with an unknown quantity in KA and it is paying big dividends

do not discount having Karmanos around as well. It's not likely to last much longer before he gets gm gig.

 

[95snipes]

we have an actual smart gm.... probably 90% of NHL gms are old boys club nepotism hires. the pegulas took a risk with an unknown quantity in KA and it is paying big dividends

From an outsider's point of view, you guys are as well positioned of a franchise as any I can remember. It's going to be interesting to see how it all comes together over the next few years. Should be contenders sooner than later.

 

[RefsIdeas]

I’d love to know how high they had them on their list if they started calling at pick 21. Top 15? Top 10?

 

[HaNotsri]

Also thinks more of a wing than a center as well but was unwilling to close that off completely. I hope to hear Forton's comments with a better audio feed than the mono-channel I got through Twitter just now.

Mono-channel with a hard pan left... some pro stuff going on there.
If I have some spare time when I'm done in the studio tomorrow I'll see if I can salvage something.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

I’d love to know how high they had them on their list if they started calling at pick 21. Top 15? Top 10?

I'm still thinking Musty was the target until 26, then they moved on to Wahlberg after. If you listen closely to Forton's post draft presser comments he mentions they had "targets" they tried to move up for.

 

[RefsIdeas]

I'm still thinking Musty was the target until 26, then they moved on to Wahlberg after. If you listen closely to Forton's post draft presser comments he mentions they had "targets" they tried to move up for.

Adams said Wahlberg was a similar situation to Kulich though, I dunno.

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Adams said Wahlberg was a similar situation to Kulich though, I dunno.

listen at 17:30 below, Forton says "players", who knows, could just be semantics.

link fixed, sorry folks, movie night here too

 

[Butt Ox]

There is only one genius like Brian Wilson...

Of the two Pet Sounds, Pet Sounds is superior to the second inferior Pet Sounds that is Sgt. Pepper's.

 

[Dingo44]

Of the two Pet Sounds, Pet Sounds is superior to the second inferior Pet Sounds that is Sgt. Pepper's.

Agreed. My wife and I had our first dance to "God Only Knows".

 

[valet]

From an outsider's point of view, you guys are as well positioned of a franchise as any I can remember. It's going to be interesting to see how it all comes together over the next few years. Should be contenders sooner than later.

we are very lucky things worked out the way they did. the organization had to take a lot of risks blowing up the old core, but in doing so they ended up exceeding pretty much everyone's wildest expectations. it is finally good to be a sabres fan. we've waited a very long time for this

do not discount having Karmanos around as well. It's not likely to last much longer before he gets gm gig.

i think the whole front office is great tbh, it's an incredibly smart group of people

 

[ValJamesDuex]

Buffalo Sabres: Who was the biggest draft-day steal in 2023?

The Buffalo Sabres once again had more than a fair share of draft picks in 2023. Who factors in as the biggest steal? Keep reading for more.

sabrenoise.com

 

[Fjordy]

If he becomes a more physical version of Burakovsky, that would be pretty damn cool.

 

[truthbluth]

I'm still thinking Musty was the target until 26, then they moved on to Wahlberg after. If you listen closely to Forton's post draft presser comments he mentions they had "targets" they tried to move up for.

I would bet money that they had Musty ranked very high. I think of Benson and the three top D were gone, he'd have been the pick at 13.

 

[BG82]

Tage part deaux

Does this guy have Tage hands?

 

[Asymmetric Solution]

Does this guy have Tage hands?

Doubt it, but it was one of the things Forton said he had exceptional hands in close for a big guy.

 

[Matt Ress]

The more I research about this dude, the more I like him

 

[ValJamesDuex]

 

[HOOats]

I think this kid is my favorite Sabres prospect. I have him #5 on my rough draft mental list. Swedish hybrid of Engvall/Cozens/Wilson.

This Wild podcast was good on him - the title alone is enough for me, "...the Lunatic GMs covet." And this is March 2 before his development went really steep.


Stuff like this hints at the player some of us have been clamoring for, "...the hockey IQ can come and go, but he's a little bit of a hot head, like he kills guys too." Has the ability to "bully people and take over games." "Every time I picked my head up it's him running somebody on the forecheck, winning the puck back getting a shot on net." "Bullying 30yo men." "Nutjob."

Then he also has the dangle and power drive reels we've seen on Twitter. This in-zone solo goal is nice too.

 

[jc17]

So will we be able to watch him on ESPN+? They doing SHL games right?