J20 SuperElit action where the visiting team, Vaxjo Lakers HC Jr., won 2-1 in overtime. Neutral Zone focused on 2024 NHL draft first year draft eligible players who made the largest impact on the outcome.
| Lucas Kling | Farjestad BK J20 | J20 Nationell | L | C | 6’3″ | 201 | Skara, SWE | 2005 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: C+
Comments: Kling is a tall powerful left shot forward who took shifts at both left wing and center finishing 6/9 on face-offs. He showed a bit of a bow legged skating posture and a 2/3 length stride. He did show a nice cross-under when coming out of power turns. On the night he totaled 14:17 of ice time, which was good for seventh among forwards, including 1:36 while shot handed, which was second on the team penalty kill time on ice. Overall it was a quiet game for Kling as he finished even with 0 points, 1 shot that came after receiving a pass in his defensive zone then beating a man with a nice backhand- forehand-backhand wiggle at the offensive blueline and then ripping an 12′ snapper off the far pad. In truth that rush and shot is the play that keeps you on the hook because at 6’3′, 200lbs it was an athletic mauver at pace that scouts need to see and hopefully can see more often. Kling currently has a ‘C+’ 2024 NHL draft grade from Neutral Zone.
| Noel Fransen | Farjestad BK J20 | J20 Nationell | L | D | 6’0″ | 179 | Karlstad, SWE | 2005 | 2023-2024: B- |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Fransen is an undersized left shot defender with excellent four-way mobility and a powerful cross-under that allowed him to generate separation when wheeling the net or after making an outlet pass to jump into the rush. Although still lean and light he looked to finish his checks with authority. During defensive neutral zone transition he used his skating ability to confidently set his gap and was consistently a stick’s length away from his forward. On the night he played a team high 21:41 including a team high 3:51 on the power play. He did not kill penalties. On the power play he was tasked with starting the breakout and there were a few times when he wheeled the net an dot looked like he was playing at a different speed than everyone else on the ice as he flat out blew by everyone. Once in zone he was primarily positioned at the top of the umbrella but there were a few times when he snuck down the left dot-lane for quick stick one timers. Fransen finished with a game high 6 shots on with 4 coming on the power play and 2 being grade ‘A’ opportunities. He scored Farjestad BK’s lone goal late on a 6 on 4 late in the third period off a set face-off play where the center won the draw back to him and he calmly walked to the middle to fire a snapper through a flash screen that beat the goalie high glove. Fransen currently has a ‘B-‘ 2024 draft grade from Neutral Zone and there is no doubt that the December 2005 needs to be watched very closely this year as his ability to transition the puck and play with pace make him a very intriguing prospect.
| Jack Berglund | Farjestad BK J20 | J20 Nationell | L | LW | 6’2″ | 196 | Karlstad, SWE | 2006 | 2023-2024: C+ |
Game Grade: B
Comments: Berglund is a 6’2′, 200lbs left shot forward who showed a shoulder width skating base and a full hip to knee stride that ended without the customary toe snap. The completion of his stride is almost a full steel push. Even without completing his stride with a toe snap he still showed good straight line speed and the ability to generate power while crossing over. This makes us feel that with added work on mechanics that his stride and pace will continue to improve. On the night he earned 15:37 in total time on ice including 3:27 on the power play where he took face-offs and was positioned at the the net or extended goal line. Even though he went 5/9 on face-offs he did not kill penalties. He finished -1 on goal against that originated with him losing a battle in his defensive grey area. Yes it was at the end of a shift but he still lost defensive side positioning to the eventual goal scorer. Berglund earned a secondary assist on Farjestad BK’s lone goal when he won an offensive zone face-off late in the third and then provided the flash screen on a set face-off play. As the season progresses puck management will be something we continue to watch for as there were times when it appeared that he made up his mind to and he was going to go with that decision no matter what was going on around him. Berglund currently has a ‘C+’ 2024 Neutral Zone draft grade.
| Leo Sahlin Wallenius | Vaxjo HC J20 | J20 Nationell | L | D | 5’11” | 165 | Skovde, SWE | 2006 | 2023-2024: B+ |
Game Grade: A-
Comments: Sahlin Wallenius is a slightly below average sized left shot defender with a smooth stride and an easy heel to heel pivot that allowed him to close on opposing forwards with what appeared to be very little effort. On puck retrievals he took routes that consistently kept his body between his opponent and the puck and once the puck was on his stick he accelerated trapping the forechecker on the wrong side of the play. We liked the deception he showed on breakout passes and the poise he showed to outwait a forechecker to then pass into the open ice behind them. On the night he was +1 with two assists. The first assist came after he out muscled an opponent for a loose puck in the offensive grey area. It was a pretty creative play by any stretch but he showed good strength and power. His second assist came on during the power play during a 4 on 3 in overtime where he was positioned at the top of the diamond and made a perfect pass to his right that allowed his man to one touch a royal road pass to the goal scorer. He finished +1 with 23:58 time on ice including 1:25 on the power play and 2:11 while shorthanded. He had 2 secondary assists, 0 shots and 0 hits. Sahlin Wallenius currently has a ‘B+’ 2024 draft grade from Neutral Zone.
| Alfons Freij | Vaxjo HC J20 | J20 Nationell | L | D | 6’1″ | 187 | Solvesborg, SWE | 2006 | 2023-2024: B |
Game Grade: B+
Comments: Freij is a thick powerful left shot defenseman with the footwork to play both the left and right sides. From the first shift of the game you could see him working to be an outlet passing option for his teammates as he scanned the ice locating the opposing forecheckers and calling out for the passing play he wanted (reverse, D to D, quick-up, etc). Defensively he was strong through contact and showed the type power to knock opposing forwards off stride by just punching their hip. We liked how he worked to set his gap showing the confidence to surf through the neutral zone before passes were even made. He had a quick stick and used a hidden poke check to create turnovers and bobbled pucks. On the night he earned a game high 23:59 including 2:31 on the power play and 2:09 while shorthanded. On the power play he was positioned primarily at the top of the umbrella but mid-way through the first period he moved into the right dot-lane from where he moved the puck quickly and got off a quick stick one-timer that led to net front chaos and a secondary scoring opportunity. During overtime he started on the 4 on 3 power play and being totally nitpicky there were two times that he let Farjestad’s get a stick on his pass because he telegraphed it. Freij currently has a ‘B’ Neutral Zone 2024 draft grade.
Logo Courtesy of Vaxjo Lakers HC