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

[SabresFanNorthPortFL]

Have yet to find his big hit from today's game.

Slacker…

 

[Chainshot]

Slacker…

Feel free to try yourself.

 

[Dingo44]

I just know what I saw. The Finnish guy was sideways.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

Love the physical outliers. It seems that he needs structure, with simplistic assignments which could be good. He's a meat and potatoes type of prospect. I would assume if all things met up, he's likely going to be a third liner; either center or wing.

 

[Royal Thunder]

Love the physical outliers. It seems that he needs structure, with simplistic assignments which could be good. He's a meat and potatoes type of prospect. I would assume if all things met up, he's likely going to be a third liner; either center or wing.

I feel like if ALL things lined up he’s Swedish Mikko Rantanen but that is maybe a 1% chance. I don’t think all the stars have to align for him to become a 3rd liner, seems like a fairly decent bet he can get to at least that level and with the potential for more

 

[Zman5778]

Officially loaned to Malmo for the season.

 

[Old Navy Goat]

That's good, give him a year to get stronger while playing against men, and a chance to shine at the WJC

 

[Dingo44]

Corey Pronman's NHL Pipeline Rankings: No. 3 Sabres have built a formidable system

Ranking the top prospects and under-23 players in the organization. Plus, what to expect of every player.

theathletic.com

10. Anton Wahlberg, C

7/4/2005 | 6-foot-3 | 192 pounds | Shoots left

Drafted: No. 39 in 2023
Tier: Middle of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Analysis: Wahlberg’s raw toolkit instantly stands out when you watch him. He’s a 6-foot-3 forward who can move very well for his size and has legitimate offensive skills. The way he can pull pucks by opposing defensemen while moving at a fast pace looks like an NHL forward. He plays a direct style, and with his frame plus speed, he can get to the net very well. I don’t think he’s overly physical, but he has some bite in him, gets to the net, and coaches tend to lean on him. Wahlberg’s biggest issue is a lack of vision and so-so decision making with the puck. Wahlberg played center in the J20 level but played wing with Sweden’s U18 team and in the SHL. If he can score just somewhat as a pro, with his size and speed he will have an NHL career as a middle-six forward, whether down the middle or the wing, and I think he’s trending that way.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

Drafted for the..... good vibrations

 

[Dingo44]

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[HaNotsri]

I've seen him live now twice. Really, really good passer on the SHL level and smart when skating with the puck. He's more of a pull the defense apart-kind of guy with mobility and quirky passes than a crash the net guy.

He uses his wing span in a way that is very Sabres-like. Looks more ready than Östlund to me and could jump the Rochester guys that doesn't make the NHL this season. Yeah, I've only watched to games in person but if this is his current standard he's pretty, pretty good.

 

[Dex]

In a recent visit to the Straight Up Sabres Podcast that came during the 2023 WJC Kris Baker had some nice things to say about Anton Wahlberg.

He started off by saying that he's playing so well that it's been hard to keep Wahlberg down the lineup on his SweHL team. He's only 18 and still figuring it out - but he's an excellent, versatile player who projects a a player who will be hard to play against because he back checks so well and that will only improve once he develops physically and really starts hitting people. Baker said that he expects Wahlberg to play in Rochester next season, most likely starting off on wing and perhaps eventually moving to center. With size being a notable asset, he stated that the thought of having a 6'3" 200+ pound (eventually) center on the team is enticing, but thought due to his age and experience, wing might be better to start. He pointed out that like Ostlund, Wahlberg already has the mindset of playing a 200 foot game and is defensively responsible saying of Wahlberg that "He gets it. He gets how to play in all three zones on the ice". Baker mentioned that he's very disruptive with his reach and length and that's an asset that plays well at center for sure, but also on the wing.

edit:spelling

 

[HaNotsri]

In a recent visit to the Straight Up Sabres Podcast that came during the 2023 WJC Kris Baker had some nice things to say about Anton Wahlberg.

He started off by saying that he's playing so well that it's been hard to keep Wahlberg down the lineup on his SweHL team. He's only 18 and still figuring it out - but he's an excellent, versatile player who projects a a player who will be hard to play against because he back checks so well and that will only improve once he develops physically and really starts hitting people. Baker said that he expects Wahlberg to play in Rochester next season, most likely starting off on wing and perhaps eventually moving to center. With size being a notable asset, he stated that the thought of having a 6'3" 200+ pound (eventually) center on the team is enticing, but thought due to his age and experience, wing might be better to start. He pointed out that like Ostlund, Wahlberg already has the mindset of playing a 200 foot game and is defensively responsible saying of Wahlberg that "He gets it. He gets how to play in all three zones on the ice". Baker mentioned that he's very disruptive with his reach and length and that's an asset that plays well at center for sure, but also on the wing.

edit:spelling

Wahlberg can't play in Rochester unless Malmö allows it until he's 24.

 

[Ehran]

Wahlberg can't play in Rochester unless Malmö allows it until he's 24.

Is that a typo or does he really have a 5 or 6 year contract with Malmo?

 

[HaNotsri]

Is that a typo or does he really have a 5 or 6 year contract with Malmo?

It's the new NHL/SHL deal. It's up to the SHL club. SHL GMs are cucks* though so if Wahlberg wants to go to AHL he will.

*Sorry for using this silly word but it's true. I guess pushovers could work as well...

Edit: First round=AHL anytime, 2nd and onward at the discretion of the swedish team.

 

[Dex]

It's the new NHL/SHL deal. It's up to the SHL club. SHL GMs are cucks* though so if Wahlberg wants to go to AHL he will.

*Sorry for using this silly word but it's true. I guess pushovers could work as well...

Edit: First round=AHL anytime, 2nd and onward at the discretion of the swedish team.

I'm confused.

How does the fact that Wahlberg signed an ELC with Buffalo and that the Sabres announced that they loaned him to Malmo for the season factor into the above?

 

[HaNotsri]

I'm confused.

How does the fact that Wahlberg signed an ELC with Buffalo and that the Sabres announced that they loaned him to Malmo for the season factor into the above?

The agreement is that players below the age of 24, drafted outside of the first round can't be loaned to the AHL without consent from the SHL club they are drafted from. Sabres will have to loan him to Malmö.

It basically gives prospects more time in Sweden before moving over but I'm 100% sure that close to NHL ready players will still get to make the move.

Since it's really wouldn't work with swedish law if actually enforced it's mostly a deal between the leagues anyway.

I think it would be better to have a deal based on age of signing with the NHL. 18=2.5 million, 19=1.5 million 20=1 million 21=0.5 million but then NHLPA would protest.

Salary cost for a top liner is between 0.5 and 0.8 million in the SHL (employment fees included). Since junior players are often way, way cheaper it sucks to lose a young top 6 player.
Player development often operates at a loss so right now there isn't much incentive beyond idealism to develop players for the NHL unless the players stick around longer in the SHL.

 

[Dingo44]

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[TageGod]

Big player woohoo. Probably 25-26 before he sees the big club.

 

[Dingo44]

2024 NHL prospect pool rankings: No. 1 Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres have a new wave of prospects coming and their top six or seven are as strong as any group in the league.

theathletic.com

9. Anton Wahlberg, C, 18 (Malmo Redhawks)
Wahlberg’s a big kid with really good hands and above-average skating for a player his size (though he can lack coordination when he’s in a hurry). He can dance defenders and make plays in and out of traffic with uncharacteristic comfort for a bigger player. He also possesses a quick release, protects the puck well and utilizes his size effectively. I like him at the net front on the power play and he’ll block shots and commit to defense at the other end. For a 6-foot-3 forward, he shows comfort carrying pucks into and through coverage and making soft-area plays to his linemates. The sum of those things makes him interesting by default. Add in that he has a summer birthday and can play center or the wing, and there’s reason for optimism that he has NHL prospects. I viewed him as more of a late second/early third rather than an early second in last year’s draft, but he’s a legit prospect who likely becomes a good AHL player at minimum and may have a decent NHL career if developed properly.

He has performed well for Sweden internationally (including as an 18-year-old at this year’s world juniors who is eligible to return for next year’s tournament in Ottawa) and has been a solid contributor in the SHL this year who has earned more and more minutes as the season has gone on (he’s now regularly playing in the top six in the 18-to-19-minute range as a teenager in a good pro league).

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Big player woohoo. Probably 25-26 before he sees the big club.

He's averaging almost 17 minutes of ice time with Malmo in Sweden. Would seem to bring size not in abundance in the Sabres forward group. Will it really take him one full AHL season before he cracks the lineup?

 

[MeenOlViks]

2024 NHL prospect pool rankings: No. 1 Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres have a new wave of prospects coming and their top six or seven are as strong as any group in the league.

theathletic.com

“though he can lack coordination when he’s in a hurry” man strength should fix this. Everything else in wheeler’s article screams top tier prospect. Wheeler still seems suspect for some reason

 

[Faceboner]

“though he can lack coordination when he’s in a hurry” man strength should fix this. Everything else in wheeler’s article screams top tier prospect. Wheeler still seems suspect for some reason

Doesn't have the the name pedigree as other prospects he thought of him as a late 2nd when it turns out he was drafted where should have been