U18 Ivan Hlinka Tournament: Sweden Part 1

Sweden captured their first-ever gold at the Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament held in Hodonin, Czech Republic and Piestany, Slovakia from Aug 14-18, 2007.

Backed by stellar netminding from Jacob Markstrom and a solid group of forwards led by Mattias Tedenby (2008) and a pair of upstart 1991-born players in Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi and Anton Lander, the Swedes posted a perfect 4-0 record.

McKeen's Chief Scout David Burstyn attended the event and provides reports on Sweden's top performers.

Jakob Markstrom (2008), G, Brynas

Named the tournament's Top Goaltender thanks to his sparkling play .. won each of his 3 starts including a masterful effort in the opener against Canada in which he was peppered in shots .. also played very well in the gold-medal game making a number of key saves and even registering the lone assist on the tournament's winning goal in overtime .. tall, butterfly goalie who frequently demonstrated his superb lateral movement, sliding across the crease to rob shooters on countless occasions .. his ability to perform under pressure and to elevate his game at key moments factored heavily in Sweden's triumph here .. clearly emerged as one of the top goalies available for this summer's NHL draft. Tournament Stats: 3GP, 3-0, 2.27GAA

Mattias Tedenby (2008), C, HV 71

Second-line center provided clutch scoring throughout the event .. notched a pair of goals against Canada and also spearheaded the game-tying goal against the Finns in the final .. a sexy, lightning-quick skater - weaves through traffic and darts around the ice swiftly and economically .. always wants the puck and relishes in the role of a finisher .. posted impressive totals as a 16-year-old last season in the Swedish J20 SuperElit (27-10-10-20) and was the top scorer on HV 71's J18 squad with seven goals in five playoff games .. with Patrick Kane being selected first overall in last year's draft, the door has certainly opened for undersized players such as Tedenby who are quick, super-skilled, and can put the puck in the net. Tournament Stats: 4-4-1-5, 4PIM, PLUS-1

Anton Lander (2009), C, Timra

Tied for the tournament scoring lead with four goals .. his breathtaking play and ability to create chances out of seemingly harmless plays was reminiscent of a young Peter Forsberg .. a smooth and terrific skater who actually garners more momentum with the puck in his possession .. developed sensational chemistry with Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi as he was the recipient of some nice centering feeds and was able to capitalize on his chances thanks to his astute stick preparation and timely release .. remember the name Lander as he appears to be a probable top 10 pick for next year's NHL draft. Tournament Stats: 4-4-1-5, 5PIM, PLUS-3

Magnus Svensson-Paajarvi (2009), LW, Malmo

Tied for the tournament scoring lead with six points .. an aggressive, highly-skilled power forward cut from the same cloth as a young Keith Primeau .. routinely terrorized the opposition here .. showed off his versatility and well-rounded game as he was used to kill penalties and was the first choice for PP situations as well .. a complete wrecking ball on some shifts hitting everything in sight, though was relatively tame at other times .. dominated this tournament both offensively and physically despite being an underager .. his stock will only soar if he keeps playing with an edge and works on his skating and balance .. a potential top-five pick for next year's draft. Tournament Stats: 4-2-4-6, 0PIM, PLUS-4

Victor Hedman (2009), D, MoDo

Already touted as a potential top pick next year along with John Tavares .. a massive, slick-skating rearguard who handles the puck with poise and patience .. reads the play well both offensively and defensively .. emerged as a rock on Sweden's back-end eating up many key minutes while also scoring the clinching goal in overtime during the final, his only goal of the tournament .. possesses the size, skills, and intelligence that all NHL teams covet .. will play pro hockey for MoDo this season which should only benefit his overall development. Tournament Stats: 4-1-1-2, 2PIM, PLUS-1

David Rundblad (2009), D, Skelleftea

The type of defenseman who complements his partner as he can lead in both the offensive or defensive side of the game .. when partnered with a slick puck moving defenseman he readily hangs back and takes care of the defensive duties however he has the requisite puck skills to also take charge and be an offensive contributor .. an asset on the PP as he patrolled the line intelligently .. his hand-eye coordination served him well as he was able to bat down many errant pucks to preserve pressure inside the zone .. a solid foundation of size and skill should make him a sought-after prospect next season. Tournament Stats: 4-0-1-1, 4PIM, PLUS-1