J20 SuperElit contest with Linkoping beating Malmo 7-5. Neutral Zone focused our attention to first time 2024 NHL draft eligible players.
| Sebastian Peter Skoog | Linkoping J20 | J20 Nationell | L | D | 6’2″ | 178 | Malmo, SWE | 2006 | 2023-2024: B |
Game Grade: B
Skoog is a smooth skating left shot defender with an NHL sized frame who worked to set his gaps early in transition but shockingly faded through the neutral zone and off the defensive blueline to allow for easy zone entries on even man situations. During in zone defense he tended to drift towards the puck but he showed the speed and acceleration to recover to the net quickly when needed. Offensively his forehand passes were on time and on target but we feel he overcomplicated a few things by going to his backhand when he really did not need to. In the offensive zone he used his skating ability to be very active looking to scissor down the mid-wall or slide to the backdoor whenever he recognized that his forwards were in clear possession of the puck. He finished the game with 4 shots on net with each being 6″ to 8″ off the ice. Skoog was second among his team’s defensemen earning 20:15 of 5 on 5 ice time and an additional 0:47 while on the power play. He did not kill penalties and we feel this is due to his tendency to drift towards the puck while in defensive zone coverage. Skoog is currently a “B” rated Neutral Zone 2024 NHL draft prospect.
| Felix Ohrqvist | Linkoping J20 | J20 Nationell | L | D | 5’8″ | 161 | Stockholm, SWE | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: A
Ohrqvist is an undersized left shot defender who depending the situation played both the left or right side, but played primarily the right side during 5 on 5 play He showed a deep knee’d athletic skating posture with long powerful stride and a return leg that returned to it’s flat edge. He showed that he could stop in an instant to change direction or stutter step then accelerate but in any case he could create space for himself and his skating is a true asset. Although he finished the game with 3 hits defensively he was not a killer. Instead he read the routes that opposing forwards were taking and he used his feet and low center of gravity to skate through their ice bumping them off the puck. Offensively he played a simple straight forward game that made him very easy to play with. His passes were hard flat and on the money. He scored a goal after recognizing his forward was attacking the net from our side the right dot-lane which allowed him to slide into the high slot for a royal road sweeping wrister that he fired back against the grain to beat the goalie 12″ high just over his right leg pad. Ohrqvist also earned a secondary assist from below his own goal line after he won a 1 on 1 battle and used an escape to create space for himself. He then made a high percentage board to board pass that led to a clean zone entry and in all honesty he was probably sitting on the bench when the goal was scored but if he didn’t win the defensive zone 1 on 1 the goal never happens. He finished the night with a game high 24:38 time on ice including 3:29 on the power play and 1:22 while shorthanded. He finished +2 had 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots, 1 grade “A”, 3 hits and he received 4 hard hits which is the only thing that concerned us because at his size there could be issues with wear and tear while playing in a small ice sheet in North America. He is currently a Neutral Zone “C” rated 2024 NHL draft prospect but with more games like this he will play himself into being a pick who could earn and NHL opportunity.
| Leo Henden | Linkoping J20 | J20 Nationell | L | C | 6’1″ | 168 | Linkoping, SWE | 2006 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: B-
Henden played 9:18 of even strength ice time earning an assist. He finished +1, with 3 shots, 2 grade “A” opportunities, 2/8 on face-offs, 0 hits, received 2 hard hits and had 2 additional shots blocked. He has an NHL frame to continue developing but at this point we do not see him as an NHL draft pick.
| Oskar Lisler | Linkoping J20 | J20 Nationell | R | C | 6’1″ | 196 | Praha, CZE | 2006 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: C
Lisler wore #20. He is an average sized right shot right wing with an upright skating base and quick fluid strides that bounce from inside edge to inside edge. He is fast, agile, athletic and the puck does not slow him down. In the defensive zone he could get mesmerized by the puck which allowed him to lose his coverage. An truthfully what we really did not like was his puck watching allowed his opposing defenseman to pinch down the wall which kept his five man unit in the defensive zone for far too long. We view this as a bad habit that can be coached out of him but tonight it was a negative for his unit. On the power play he played 1:06 and was tasked with swinging through the right circle to carrying the puck up the ice for zone entry but in our view he made four poor decisions (1 bad pass, 3 poor wrap dumps) that led directly to 200″ clears for Malmo. On the night he finished even earning 11:15 in total ice time, 0 points, 1 shot, 1 grade “A” opportunity and had 2 hits. Lisler is a physically gifted athlete who currently ha a Neutral Zone “C+” 2024 NHL draft grade but tonight he did nothing to solidify that grade.
| Arvid Westlin | Linkoping J20 | J20 Nationell | L | RW | 5’10” | 180 | Katrineholm, SWE | 2005 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: A
Westlin is an undersized left shot forward who played right wing and was a real factor in Linkoping’s win as he finished with 2 goals and a primary assist. He showed a shoulder width skating base with an effortless glide. His strides were long and fluid. He is a late 2005 who had 12 points in 44 games last year and already has 6 points in 4 games this year. Maybe he is physically a late bloomer so we will continue watching him for continued success but at this point he has not earned a 2024 Neutral Zone draft grade.
| Dominik Badinka | Malmo Redhawks J20 | J20 Nationell | R | D | 6’2″ | 172 | Chomutov, CZE | 2005 | 2023-2024: A- |
Game Grade: A-
Badinka is a long right shot defenseman with an athletic shoulder width skating base who keeps his shoulders high while pivoting and while carrying the puck. He showed a smooth glide, nice four-way mobility as well as some elusiveness as a puck carrier. He had two assists and both highlighted why he will be high on NHL team’s draft watch list. The first assist was a primary assist where he easily handled a wrapped puck out to him at the right point. On the play he recognized the puck was headed his way and he moved up into the offensive zone and coolly caught the puck while he was moving backwards and the opposing left winger was in his face. He showed no panic pulling the puck off the wall to an extended backhand which allowed him to establish body positioning on the winger so he could attack the right dot-lane. He then did a smooth heel to heel mohawk with a hard left inside edge thrust to accelerate away from the winger causing the entire Linkoping defensive structure to change and focus on him. Badinka recognized his opponent’s focus and changed stick placements and he fired a perfect royal road pass to his teammate who literally had a full 4×6 to shoot at. It was a big time play. His second assist was a secondary assist that started in the defensive zone when he calmly won a 50/50 puck and rather than blindly firing the puck around the wall he located his short support at the right defensive dot and made a perfect tape to tape pass that trapped all three Linkoping forwards below the puck. Again it was a big time play that he made look simple. Badinka currently has an “A-” 2024 Neutral Zone draft grade but it is very easy to see this grade moving higher and potentially putting him in the top 10 prospects.
| Max Vilen | Malmo Redhawks J20 | J20 Nationell | L | D | 6’2″ | 190 | Hammarlov, SWE | 2006 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: B
Vilen is a defensive minded left shot defenseman with an NHL sized frame who moves the puck quickly and understands that his role is to force turnovers and then win the loose puck battles so he can get the puck into his forward’s hands as quickly as possible. On the night he was second in total ice time among all of Malmo’s players with 23:52 of TOI. He was also second on the team with 2:39 of penalty kill ice time. He did not play on the power play. Regrettably for his role on the team he finished -3 with all three goals coming after Linkoping was able to have an extended offensive zone cycling session and Vilen ending up gassed and unable to box out or clear the net front. The goals may not have been his fault but -3 is -3 and that was tied for team lead with his defensive partner. Offensively his passes were on the tape and he did not force plays that were not available. In the third period he had a quick release snap shot from his strongside left point that created a rebound and net front chaos. On the night he finished -3 with 0 points, 3 shots, 3 hits and he received 2 hard hits. At this point he has earned “C” Neutral Zone 2024 draft grade.
| Louis Jonerheim | Malmo Redhawks J20 | J20 Nationell | L | LW | 6’4″ | 185 | Trelleborgs, SWE | 2006 | Not yet rated |
Game Grade: B-
Jonerheim is a 6’4″, 165lbs long lanky left shot left wing who showed surprising acceleration through the neutral zone and a nice combination or body control and strength while battling for loose pucks along the wall. He is prospect who is still growing into himself but we liked his compete and assertiveness while battling. On the night he totaled 13:07 of ice time including 0:04 while shorthanded. He finished -2 with 0 points, 1 shot, 0 hits and he received 1 hard body check. At this moment he has not earned a Neutral Zone 2024 draft grade but with his size and skating base he could be a player to watch as the season goes on.
| Hjalte Kruse Thomsen | Malmo | SHL | L | RW | 5’10” | 154 | Herning, DEN | 2005 | 2023-2024: C |
Game Grade: B
Thomsen wore #38. He is an undersized maximum effort left shot forward who played primarily right wing and did his best work cycling below the goal line in the offensive zone. He used a low center of gravity to stay below the defenders power source and then stutter stepped, power turned or just flat out sprinted to the goal mouth. In the third period he earned a primary assist after he used his speed to drive the opposing right defender off the blueline so he could leave a perfect drop pass into the vacated high slot. Thomsen finished the night sixth among Malmo forwards in total ice time with 14:36 as well as being fifth among forwards with 0:55 of shorthanded ice time. He did not play on the power play. We liked that he earned a matching roughing penalty in the first period for standing his ground and eventually putting his opponent in a headlock. On the night he finished even with 1 assist, 1 shot, 2 PIMs, 0 hots and he received 1 hard hot. At this point Thomsen has earned a “C” 2024 draft grade from Neutral Zone.
| Wille Magnertoft | Malmo | SHL | L | C | 6’2″ | 154 | Malmo, SWE | 2006 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: C+
Magnertoft played a team low 7:46 in total, finishing even with 0 points, 2 shots, 2 grade “A” opportunities, 4/6 on face-offs, 3 hits and he received 2 hard hits. He currently has a “C+” Neutral Zone 2024 NHL draft grade.
Logo Courtesy of Linkoping HC