SWE: Bergfors of Nature

Jante examines the top names from Sweden for the 2005 NHL entry draft.

Looking ahead to the 2005 draft, the Swedish draft class looks deeper than the country’s 2004 crop. Sodertalje’s 1987-born winger Nicklas Bergfors has quickly emerged as one of the top players in the Euro class, amassing impressive offensive numbers in the Swedish junior league and seizing a spot on the Swedish U18 World Junior roster, where he scored a goal and added a pair of assists in six games.

Sweden will also offer two very intriguing netminders in Frolunda’s Joel Gistedt and Lulea’s Mattias Modig. The duo dominated the Swedish U18 playoffs this season and will be pivotal in the Swedish quest for a medal at next years U18 tournament.

Cream of the Crop

Nicklas Bergfors, RW, Sodertalje

Very good upper body strength for his age .. not all that big, but has truly filled out his frame over the past year .. a smooth skater is explosive in the right situations; when he touches the puck, he is off .. excellent scoring instincts, soft hands, natural finish and an accurate wrist shot .. a creative player nifty passing instincts .. has looked invisible at times when the opposition shadowed him specifically .. needs to learn to deal with physical punishment better .. good overall work ethic for his age; always looking to improve himself.

Tom Wandell, C, Sodertalje

Centers Bergfors’ line .. the duo has jelled very well together, showing a tremendous chemistry when on top of their game .. somewhat undersized and tends to come up short against more physical opponents .. very fluent with the puck; an excellent stickhandler with elite vision .. works hard in his own end; makes smart positional decisions .. a smooth skater with a fluid stride who lacks some top-end explosiveness.

Sebastian Karlsson, C/LW, Frolunda

Late ’86 was a lock for the Swedish U18 team as he had been a consistent performer internationally for a couple of years .. a mainstream-type Swedish centre who plays a two-way game with impressive work ethic .. excellent hands and nifty stickhandling abilities .. comes back to help out in his own end and shows few real weaknesses .. prefers safe over sorry, but lacks offensive drive .. a fluid skater with a soft stride, but acceleration is only okay .. very loyal and dependable.

Mattias Ritola, LW, Frolunda

An offensive package who combines skill and size .. has a strong frame, but needs to utilize it with greater consistency .. a dazzling stickhandler with an excellent wingspan .. good vision and anticipation of his linemates .. sees out of the corner of his eye, delivering crisp passes tape-to-tape .. excellent side-to-side skater with great acceleration and fluid strides .. doesn’t always show up; work ethic has been questioned .. defensive coverage is nothing to brag about.

Mattias Modig, G, Lulea

He and Gistedt are heir apparents in goal .. a proven winner thus far has been a key factor in Lulea’s U-18 playoff campaign .. posted a .936 sv % in the league, second only to Gistedt .. rises to the occasion; has shown spectacular poise in close game situations .. very calm and poised .. makes saves seem effortless .. quick, smooth laterally .. a strong puck handler really stands out with the way he aids his teammates.

Magnus Isaksson, C, Lulea

Undersized, chippy pivot shows amazing creativity .. excellent with the puck; has soft, quick hands and good hockey sense .. runs the powerplay oftentimes by himself .. excellent passer in all situations .. a rather weak shooter, though he did amass 18 goals in 21 games .. a quick, elusive skater with good acceleration .. size is an obvious weakness; needs to beef up and add a more bullish side.

Hjalmar Tornqvist, D, Lulea

A regular on the Swedish U-16 and U-17 teams internationally for the last two seasons .. a skilled, two-way defenseman is adept at the powerplay and defends his net with vigour .. doesn’t have a big frame, but is a good hitter who plays with a mean streak which is at times too noticeable .. gets involved and finds himself in the penalty box regularly .. a solid puck carrier with accurate passing skills .. we like his work ethic; has natural leadership skills.

One to Watch in 2006

Joel Gistedt, G (2006), Frolunda

An astute and agile goaltender who loves to challenge the shooter .. posted a .938 save percentage to lead all goalies in the Swedish U-18 playoffs .. has a lively glove hand .. shows a penchant for the spectacular; makes highlight reel saves .. excellent vision of the ice .. poised and competitive .. not a strong puckhandler.