Prospect Info: Karl Henriksson, C, 2nd round, 58th overall, 2019

[Ghost of jas]

I'm just going to tell myself that we just drafted the next Brayden Point.

 

[broadwayblue]

Frölunda is arguably the best place in Europe for prospects to develop. Give us a couple of years and you'll get an NHL ready players.

Thanks. Take good care of him for us!

 

[Mikos87]

I like this pick a lot, and my hope were throughout the year that the Rangers would walk away with a Pelletier or Hoglander. With the game played the way it is now, having a crafty smaller forward that can cause turnovers and pass the puck is an impact asset. A couple of thoughts below:

• Lead the SuperElite in scoring for draft eligible U18 in Sweden. The players who have done the same are: William Nylander, William Karlsson, Elias Lindholm, & Lias Anderson
• Was a cataylst in Sweden's Gold medal win at the U18s. Played lights out. Only time I saw him play but I liked what I saw
• Small, speedy & smart. He created a lot of chances for Lucas Raymond at the U18s, and when you are the top line center for the Gold Medal winning team, you're doing something right

Given that he lead the draft eligibles in scoring in his league, and his gold medal winning team, the Rangers got an excellent value pick out of him. I don't know if he will turn into an NHLer, but he's tracking to play in some very meaningful games the next two years.

 

[Machinehead]

I'm just going to tell myself that we just drafted the next Brayden Point.

Exactly who I thought of.

 

[nyr2k2]

Where is this guy playing next season?

 

[AB13]

Would Mikael Granlund be a good comparable here?

A pretty decent one to be honest, I do see some similarities in style.

 

[Pizza]

Very interesting takes all around...on players I know AB Solutely nothing about.

That's why I come here at draft time and lean on you guys so heavily.

Here is an observation.

Last year we picked Kravstov at #1 and there were many folks here who's comments I read in the immediate aftermath that said it was a pick about as stretchy as Taffy on a warm day in Coney....but generally the consensus in a matter of 24 hours or so was that we probably nabbed a pretty good player.

Today that pick is regarded by some as one of the better non-NHL prospects in Hockey.

Bottom Line: If you guys are at least OK with him and the Brain Trust selected him, then I'm sure it's gonna be all good.

 

[Ola]

I'm just going to tell myself that we just drafted the next Brayden Point.

I am a cynic in the sense that I don’t really believe that anything is guaranteed outside like the top 2. So don’t take this as some kind of statement that we should ‘expect’ the kid to become the next one, but do I think that there are reasons to believe that if he really really develops well from here that he could become someone not that far away from Point, and Seb Aho can also be mentioned? Nope, I think that he is — a little — behind in pure talent, but he is a skilled hockey player. Like he was definitely one of the better centers at the U18s, a lot better than guys like Suzuki and the likes. Not a little, a lot better. And the kid is darn clutch, a monster at FOs etc.

So we will see. He can’t fail to take any steps that a kid like that has to take fairly fast and regularly, from the U18 to U20 level and so forth. If he does that he won’t come close. No matter what, I love that we could add someone his type to the system. It’s players like that — that if they get there — really could boost the wingers we have, Kakko, Kravy, Buch and co.

 

[Leetch3]

Where is this guy playing next season?

he played 2 games for Frolunda in the SHL last year after playing for their junior team. so hoping that he plays for them next year...

 

[Leetch3]

henriksson will be at sweden's summer world junior camp

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

@Ola has sold me I’m pretty exited to watch this kid develop

 

[Miamipuck]

Never seen this kid play but I f***ing love this pick.

I love it because PB hates it and thinks the Rangers Swedish scouts should be fired because of it. I hope the Rangers double down and hire more Swedish scouts just like them.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Never seen this kid play but I ****ing love this pick.

I love it because PB hates it and thinks the Rangers Swedish scouts should be fired because of it. I hope the Rangers double down and hire more Swedish scouts just like them.

Pretty much take the opposite opinion of PB and you'll be right 90% of the time.

 

[Aahlstroem]

Where is this guy playing next season?

he played 2 games for Frolunda in the SHL last year after playing for their junior team. so hoping that he plays for them next year...

Frölunda have a stacked team going into the next season. Reigning champions and the forward core has gotten better with some players coming home after being abroad. He's not going to be playing in the SHL right from the start but looking at our depth chart he'd be the second guy to be recalled in case of injuries after Lucas Raymond. When not playing with the men's team Henriksson and Raymond are gonna destroy the J20 SuperElit together.

He's probably gonna get some exhibition games and Champions Hockey League games at the start of the season and he's gonna get to practice with the men's team.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Never seen this kid play but I ****ing love this pick.

I love it because PB hates it and thinks the Rangers Swedish scouts should be fired because of it. I hope the Rangers double down and hire more Swedish scouts just like them.

Enough for me to get on board, love this pick.

 

[Ola]

 

[Ghost of jas]

Pretty much take the opposite opinion of PB and you'll be right 90% of the time.

@Ola >>>PB

 

[Chaels Arms]

Love it, another Swede to make Kaako feel comfortable.

 

[Bluenote13]

One of my faves coming into this draft, love the pick.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Frölunda have a stacked team going into the next season. Reigning champions and the forward core has gotten better with some players coming home after being abroad. He's not going to be playing in the SHL right from the start but looking at our depth chart he'd be the second guy to be recalled in case of injuries after Lucas Raymond. When not playing with the men's team Henriksson and Raymond are gonna destroy the J20 SuperElit together.

He's probably gonna get some exhibition games and Champions Hockey League games at the start of the season and he's gonna get to practice with the men's team.

And Frolunda plays in Graz in September

 

[Ori]

My write up on him for my top 31:

A little Zucc spirit perhaps - he might shine for us when it`s dark outside in late October next season? He probably need at least 1 year with hard condition training & development!

A warm welcome to New York Rangers! ))

 

[Edge]

I will say that Henriksson “feels” like a Tampa pick.

They often took chances on guys who needed that boost in one or two key areas to hit the next level, and then they focused on those areas with training and development.

When I see Henriksson, the first thing that pops into my head is, “I’d really like to see this kid in a Barb Underhill type program.”

 

[Roo Returns]

Videos show he's very cerebral and a good passer. He's also not afraid to go to the net. Because of his size, he doesn't have to necessarily bulk up in the old school body builder sense, but work on core strength which is totally attainable and will take 2-3 years. He might be a real gem and perhaps run a PP if he can improve in those areas.

 

[Edge]

Fair enough, I'll heir to your opinions. I know plenty about puck, been around the game since before I skated as a rink rat and was around good levels. Point being, as infatuated as I am with hockey and confident in my opinions, and despite how in love with the draft and prospects I've been for a long time compared to all the guys I grew up playing with into Juniors... I'm not great at assessing the nuances of a prospect.

The amount I put into that opinion was minimal and most of it after they were picked, so very easy I got a bad read on Henriksson lol.

To me just reading a bit about him it jut seems like Henriksson, like I mentioned, brings too much of the 'bare basics' to be successful. Hands, creativity, enough grit, excellent skating ability and a presence in all three zones. Was I wrong on this insight? To me that seems like a guy who will more than likely end up a productive and solid NHLer. The more I read the more it seemed like the potential was also there, just seemed like he had a high floor too. @Edge was that a bad read on my end?

Robertson I was more familiar with but as far as all the guys on my radar, he was barely. Again, seems like a guy who has a certain floor. To me he seems like a very able big body who worst case scenario is on your third pairing and very effective.

Again, I'm welcome to being wrong on these things.Wish I could always dive in and get more into it with you boys. The wealth of knowledge (this place is a gem on speed of news too, I'm like a freakin insider to the boys) and being able to get quality legitimate opinions to learn more and new things from in this sport is the best part.

I digress though, my point was not to rob them of the idea they had a high ceiling.... just felt like Dorofeyev would have been more swinging for the fences where they got Karl.

I think Henriksson is a bit of a risk/reward type. When we think of those types, we often envision a flashy forward with question marks about his approach working in the NHL.

That’s not quite the case here.

With Henriksson, he plays a fairly straight forward and effective game. It’s physical elements that raise some question marks.

He’s an undersized center who doesn’t necessarily have the type of speed where you automatically think that will be his passport to success. He’s very smart and moldable, so the hope is that you can make just enough refinements in things like skating, and maybe get an extra inch and 15 pounds to get over that hump and into a category where you think there’s enough amino to make it happen.

 

[NYR Viper]

Interesting that he was a very good soccer player as well until 15 when he chose hockey. Those sports train very differently. If he only recently began truly concentrating on the fitness side of hockey, to me, that screams he has a lot of upside physically. Be it strength, balance, speed or agility on his skates.