Latest news with #Ekberg
Edmonton Journal
5 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Which right-wingers could Calgary target in 2025 NHL Draft?
Article content There has been so much focus on centre ice that it's easy to forget that the Calgary Flames are thin on right wing, too. Article content When the name-calling commences at the 2025 NHL Draft, the Flames will be determined to address both. Pivot prospects should be the priority with one or even both of their first-round picks, but could they target a future flank with the No. 54 overall selection? Article content Article content Measurements: 6-foot-2, 192 pounds The skinny: There were a lot of smiles around Calgary when the Flames plucked Andrew Basha in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft and there undoubtedly would be a repeat if they pick another hometown hopeful in 2025. The smooth-skating Behm is an alum of Edge School and the Royals 'AAA' program. He made headlines by winning a national golf long-drive title last summer and scouts have been impressed with the velocity that he can fire a hockey puck, too. He is projected to be a second-rounder. Filip Ekberg Hometown: Uppsala, Sweden This season: 16 goals, 45 points in 53 games with the OHL's Ottawa 67's Measurements: 5-foot-10, 166 pounds The skinny: The World Under-18 Championship is one of the most important scouting showcases of the season and Ekberg certainly didn't waste his opportunity to make a positive impression. He won the tournament scoring title — and nabbed MVP honours, too — with 10 goals and 18 points in seven outings for Team Sweden. The Flames have had past success with mid-round swings on undersized forwards and, because defence prospect Henry Mews played part of this season with the 67's, the decision-makers at the Saddledome should be mighty familiar with Ekberg. Latest National Stories
Calgary Herald
5 days ago
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
FLAMES RETOOL TRACKER: Which right-wingers could Calgary target in 2025 NHL Draft?
Article content There has been so much focus on centre ice that it's easy to forget that the Calgary Flames are thin on right wing, too. Article content When the name-calling commences at the 2025 NHL Draft, the Flames will be determined to address both. Pivot prospects should be the priority with one or even both of their first-round picks, but could they target a future flank with the No. 54 overall selection? Article content Article content Article content Measurements: 5-foot-7, 161 pounds Article content The skinny: If he wasn't so small, Schmidt likely would be a shoo-in to be selected in the first round. He still could hear his name called on opening night, but it wouldn't be a huge shock to see him slide and that could turn him into a potential steal. This on-the-rise righty has blazing speed and a wicked shot, two things that will appeal to the Flames. The question is: Will he be too easy to push around at the pro level? Schmidt was coached at RINK Academy in Kelowna by Jarome Iginla, so his input will be invaluable. Article content Article content Measurements: 6-foot-2, 192 pounds Article content Article content The skinny: There were a lot of smiles around Calgary when the Flames plucked Andrew Basha in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft and there undoubtedly would be a repeat if they pick another hometown hopeful in 2025. The smooth-skating Behm is an alum of Edge School and the Royals 'AAA' program. He made headlines by winning a national golf long-drive title last summer and scouts have been impressed with the velocity that he can fire a hockey puck, too. He is projected to be a second-rounder. Article content Article content Measurements: 5-foot-10, 166 pounds Article content The skinny: The World Under-18 Championship is one of the most important scouting showcases of the season and Ekberg certainly didn't waste his opportunity to make a positive impression. He won the tournament scoring title — and nabbed MVP honours, too — with 10 goals and 18 points in seven outings for Team Sweden. The Flames have had past success with mid-round swings on undersized forwards and, because defence prospect Henry Mews played part of this season with the 67's, the decision-makers at the Saddledome should be mighty familiar with Ekberg.
Miami Herald
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
U-18 Men's Worlds: Eight Tournament Standouts As Canada Wins Gold
The under-18 World Championship finished up last night in Texas with Team Canada defying the odds to win the gold medal over a strong Swedish squad while the Americans took home the bronze in an overtime thriller. Coming into the tournament, Canada faced questions of whether they had enough firepower and depth at just about every position outside of goaltending. While their netminders, specifically Jack Ivankovic, were stellar throughout the tournament, they found offense from up and down the lineup. Braeden Cootes led the team in scoring with 12 points, while Lev Katzin and Brady Martin both scored in double digits. Against Sweden in the gold medal game, they showed their depth of scoring with a 7-0 win featuring six different goal scorers. Ivankovic was fantastic in net for Canada as well, making 28 saves on the night to hold Sweden off the board. It was their second straight gold and a well-earned victory without some of their top available names. In the bronze medal game, things were a bit tighter. The teams traded chances with the Americans controlling the first period, Slovakia taking over a bit in the second and the Americans controlling the pace in the third. But a clutch goal from Slovakia's Jan Chovan tied the game with under eight minutes to go, forcing overtime. The overtime was tense with the Americans having the edge in possession. With 4:23 left on the clock, Ben Kevan picked up a loose puck in the slot and snapped it home to give the Americans the win. Everyone doubted this American squad because it wasn't a strong year for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. Even though they brought in several notable reinforcements, Kevan included, it was going to be an uphill battle on paper. The Americans exceeded those expectations to capture their fourth-straight medal at the tournament. With the tournament now over, let's take a look at some of the players who saw their stock rise and fall for this year's NHL draft. Ekberg took a massive step in the second half of his first OHL season with Ottawa, and he wanted to carry the momentum of that into the U-18s with the understanding that his stock had fallen after a poor first half. Not only did he carry the strong play into the tournament, but he led all scorers with 18 points in seven games and won MVP in the process. He was four points ahead of everyone else, and his skill and playmaking were on full display. This tournament couldn't have gone better for Ekberg individually, outside of winning the gold. The mobile, 6-foot-2 right-shot defender was simply masterful at times for Sweden, notching 14 points, which was good for second in the tournament. And he used his skating and fluidity to find success at both ends of the ice. Some questioned what his offensive ceiling could be after a very solid season at Boston University, because although there were some flashes of high-end puck moving, he never consistently put together good offensive performances, using his strengths to defend and transition the puck up ice. This tournament showed that in a situation where he's against his age group, he was more than capable of putting up some offense. With Michael Misa and Matthew Schaefer missing due to injury, the question of where Canada's offense would come from was prominent heading into the event. Cootes came in and immediately made it known that he was going to be a catalyst for this team as their captain. His impressive play saw him put up 12 points, including a five-point night to open the tournament against Slovakia. Cootes was already viewed as a fringe top-20 guy by consensus, but this tournament could see him move into the top half of round one securely. A leg injury suffered early in the year took Mooney out of the lineup for nearly two months, and when he came back, he looked like a shell of the electric, skilled, center-driven player we had all come to know. His size (5-foot-7) was always going to be an issue for NHL teams, but his play style helped mitigate the concerns. His play began to pick up over the last month or so, and then the U-18s arrived and Mooney was wheeling and dealing. He looked as good as he has all year and announced his return to form with some big-time plays en route to a bronze medal. Whenever Benak has thrown a Czech jersey on, he has been one of the best players on the ice, and he showed that throughout this tournament. He got a late start with Czechia because he was playing in the USHL playoffs, but he still managed to put up seven points in five games, showing out for his home nation. Benak, like Mooney, will face questions about his size (5-foot-7), but his play throughout the last year has earned him a draft pick, and his U-18s should entice teams even sooner than expected. Slovakia needed to get some timely offense from their lineup at this tournament, and they certainly got that from Chovan. He was always there when they needed him, it seemed, and his three points in a 4-3 overtime loss to the USA in the bronze medal game showed that. He tied the game late and looked like their best player at various points throughout this tournament. His game is simple but effective. Everywhere Ivankovic has played, he's put up stellar numbers and put his team in a position to win. Some scouts worry about his size, being just six feet, but the technical elements of his game, combined with the athleticism, have made him the best goalie on the ice in just about every game he's played over the last couple of years. Backstopping Canada to a U-18 gold medal with a .961 save percentage should have NHL teams interested pretty early on draft day. There's been some buzz around his name this year, but he wasn't consistently mentioned among the top goalies in the draft class. His performance at the U-18s was simply fantastic, giving Slovakia the insane goaltending they would need to compete for a medal. His two worst games both came against Canada, and he helped keep the Slovaks in the bronze medal game against the U.S. until overtime. The 6-foot-5 netminder could hear his name quite early at the draft. Get thelatest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and bysubscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting belowthe article on Copyright 2025 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
New York Times
04-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
2025 U18 Worlds standouts and disappointments: Martin, Stenberg impress, Frondell falls flat
After 29 games in 11 days in Texas, the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship is over. I was in Frisco and Allen all tournament, splitting time between Comerica Center and Credit Union of Texas Event Center. Canada defeated Sweden in Saturday's final, winning their first-ever back-to-back golds at the event. And Switzerland was relegated for the first time in two decades, losing to a Norwegian program on the rise in recent years. At the end of the event, I had notes on nearly 100 of the top prospects in the 2025, 2026 and even 2027 draft classes. Here are my standouts and risers, and disappointments and fallers — as well as a couple of notables I had mixed feelings about. Where else to start but with Ekberg, who pulled away in the tournament scoring race and set Sweden's all-time single-tournament goals and points record. It felt like everything he touched ended up in the back of the net, and that every time he was on the ice, he was creating looks inside the offensive zone. Advertisement He's a fascinating story because he didn't have a great year in the OHL, registering 45 points in 53 games, and came into the tournament ranked 178th in North America by NHL Central Scouting as a 5-foot-9.75 winger. There are layers to the way his season went that haven't been fully contextualized, too, including that he was very ill when he first showed up in Ottawa and it lingered throughout the fall, impacting the full first half of his year while they tried to figure out what was ailing him. That, combined with playing on a bottom-of-the-standings Ottawa 67's team that struggled to score, and for a coach in Dave Cameron who I don't think got the most out of him when he was healthy, has likely made him a little underrated. He's still ultimately a small winger who's destined to be a mid-round pick, but the last two weeks were still a clear indication of his real talent. He found soft space in the slot. He showed a slick release. He can pick his spots in the net. His standup skating stride can look a little unconventional, but he's agile on cuts and can play with tempo. He finds his way around of ton of chances in the home plate area. He showed a quick catch and release and quick hands. I even liked how he won body positioning on the cycle. He was a driver of offence at both five-on-five and made his power-play unit the de facto go-to unit after it wasn't always that way this year. Awesome week for the kid — though his gold medal game was his first quiet one of the event. Stenberg continues to look like the second-best forward in next year's draft to me, and was a standout in most of Sweden's games. (He scored on a lucky bounce in the semifinals against USA, but I actually thought that and the final were his least impactful games after he was one of the best players on the ice in group play and the quarters.) He's very strong on pucks, protecting pucks and pushing through contact for a 5-foot-11 winger and drew a few penalties holding pucks along the cycle. He gets off the wall and wants to take inside ice. He's dangerous on the flank on the power play and likes the one-timer, but can also pick apart seams. He's got a multi-faceted shot. The puck comes off his stick extremely quickly and hard. He'll make effort plays. Pucks stick to him on first touch. He's got dynamic one-on-one skill with defenders and goalies. And despite being among the tournament scoring leaders, he hit a couple of posts and could have had more looks. He's going to be one of the first players picked in next year's draft. Advertisement Martin is one-of-one in this draft class, and that was never more evident than over the last couple of weeks in Texas. He rocked two or three players per game and was eventually ejected for interference in the first period of Canada's semifinal for what amounted to hitting a kid too hard after he'd made a pass. He's not a dirty player, but he only has one mode out there. His presence is felt in every game he plays in and he was great in the gold medal game. That is why Brady Martin is going to be a first round pick in the 2025 #NHLDraft! 😱 The @OHLHoundPower star has his second and 🇨🇦's fifth of the #U18MensWorlds final! — Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 4, 2025 I thought he started the tournament a little slow offensively but as the event wore on he made some skill plays one-on-one, his skating looked quick and he did it within his established identity as a fearless forward who sticks with plays, is always in the thick of it, goes to the dirt areas and forces turnovers, willing plays into existence. Don't be surprised if he sniffs the top 10 in June. Verhoeff joined Team Canada late after his Victoria Royals lost to the Spokane Chiefs in the second round of the WHL playoffs. I thought he didn't have his best game in his debut against Finland and he was just fine in the gold medal game, but he was Canada's best defenseman as an underager in between. Outside of average skating (his feet can look a little heavy under his 6-foot-4 frame at times), he looks like the real deal in every other area of the game. He became a 25-minute guy for Canada, moved up the lineup, played in all situations and made some big plays, including a great play to set up the overtime winner against the Czechs in the quarterfinals. He's big, he's poised, he can play both ways, he's highly talented, he can make plays, he's got great instincts offensively and defensively, he likes to involve himself in the play offensively both on and off the puck inside the offensive zone and he's a summer birthday who is still 16 and has a ton of runway to get even better. He's got a real chance to go No. 2 next year and looks like a star prospect. The 5-foot-7 Mooney was USA's driver all tournament until he got injured and left early in the second period of the bronze medal game. I actually thought his least impactful game of the tournament was USA's semifinal loss to the Swedes and he still had points on all three American goals in the game. His line with 2026 forward Mikey Berchild and 2025 forward Jacob Kvasnicka (who I thought made a case to at least get picked and looked like he'll be a solid college player for Minnesota with his work ethic all tournament) was USA's best, too. Advertisement His smarts stood out on the puck. He put a ton of pucks into space for his linemates. He flowed with play beautifully and found ways to navigate around the ice with his cutbacks in control. His ability to spin on a dime and lose and separate from guys, both in open ice and even inside the offensive zone, popped very consistently. He made some magic happen, putting defenders in the spin cycle inside the offensive zone with his ability to slip and slide around them. He was a neutral zone machine, creating a ton of entries and finding holes in coverage to weave through, cutting into space/gaps so well. And maybe most impressively, he was a competitive driver as well, playing in the guts of the ice and laying a few of the biggest non-Brady Martin hits of the tournament, tagging guys such as Anton Frondell and Ivar Stenberg. He was going to the net. He was winning battles along the wall. It was a very impressive week after an up-and-down season. I thought he outplayed the other two top little guys, Adam Benak and Cameron Schmidt, pretty clearly. When he went down, USA looked like a completely different team. Team USA outscored the opposition 12-2 with Mooney on the ice in the tournament at five-on-five and he was my final cut for my tournament all-star team ballot at forward (it was down to him and Martin). Bjorck got better as the tournament went on and played his best game in Sweden's semifinal against Team USA. I don't think he was quite the standout that the players ahead of him on this list were, but the top of the 2026 class stood out more in the event than the 2025s, and his skill level was a distinguisher at times. He will go outside to attack back inside with his agility and ability to carve into defenders' hands. He's strong for his size (he's listed at 5-foot-9 but he looked bigger than that to me) and will take pucks to the blue paint on D. He's got adjustable feet to slip away from sticks and turn away from coverage. He shakes his man so well and has high-end stick skill to combine with his cutting game to make guys miss (which he drew some penalties out of). He's got a quick first three steps and can accelerate around D from a standstill. He's also got a quick release. He was a go-to five-on-three penalty killer for them. He can turn over some pucks trying to be too cute at times, but he also showed a good stick on lifts to get pucks back and attack quickly out of it. This tournament had a weak crop of goaltenders, and that made Ivankovic look comparatively speaking like he was in a different class. He was outstanding yet again for Canada, building on his legacy with the Program of Excellence. He needed to remind people of that after getting lit up a couple of times by the Gens in the first-round of the OHL playoffs (though it should be noted that Oshawa also lit up Brantford and Barrie in the next two rounds), and after his numbers with Brampton were good but not great in the regular season. It's especially important for him to continue to show people that he's a top goalie because of his 5-foot-11 listing. I still think he's got it. His reads, anticipation and hockey sense are very high-end and those combined with impressive movement allow him to get to east-west plays and make big saves. He plays the puck extremely well and was an important part of Canada's breakout at times. And he battled in the net and held the line on scrambles and jam plays all week. There were extended stretches when Canada struggled at five-on-five against the Finns, the Czechs and even the Slovaks, and they don't even get to the gold medal game without a couple of big saves in overtime of the quarterfinals. Others I liked or I thought helped themselves: Frondell came mid-tournament from a championship celebration across seven time zones after helping Djurgarden to promotion into the SHL. He was going to be jet lagged and probably not at his best in the earlier games in the tournament. But with scouts from all of the top teams in attendance and him in the conversation at the top of the draft coming in after an up-and-down year that finished up with excellent HockeyAllsvenskan production in the regular season, he was a letdown. Advertisement They broke up their most successful line all year (Milton Gastrin between Ivar Stenberg and Viktor Klingsell) to put him with prominent linemates, but as the games went on, he wasn't used as a go-to player in offensive or defensive situations for the Swedes. His boots looked big and choppy at times. He couldn't generate offensive looks for himself. And while he still showed his strength, puck protection and willingness to play a team game and support pucks or pick up assignments, he didn't look like a surefire top-five talent, at least not in these viewings. And while they aren't the be-all and end-all of a year, there were other similar stretches (between some excellent ones where he looked like a stud) this year as well. I've seen enough that I still think he projects as an excellent 2C in the NHL, and he's got some definite fans, but he didn't have anywhere near the impact that James Hagens and Porter Martone, two players in his range, had at this event a full year ago. He was better early on in the final but still struggled to break through. Others I wanted to see more from: There has been a lot of conversation this year about who the second- and third-best D in this class are after Matthew Schaefer. Smith didn't make a convincing case for most of the tournament that he was one of them for me, but he played his best game in the gold medal game and scored a big goal. The @TCAmericans' Jackson Smith has his fourth of the #U18MensWorld! 🇨🇦 One of the top defenceman available in the 2025 #NHLDraft, Smith extends Canada's lead in the final to 3-0! — Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) May 4, 2025 He played top minutes for Canada, skated some pucks in neutral ice and showed his good edges opening up. He can shoot it. He's still got a pro build, was productive for Tri-City and made some high-end plays this year. But there were also times on a blue line that was made up almost entirely of 2026s where Team Canada needed some of their 2025s to step up and I thought he, Alex Huang and Quinn Beauchesne all struggled in stretches and were outplayed certainly by 2026s Verhoeff and Carson Carels at times (and also Ryan Lin to a lesser degree). It's the IQ piece that my attention was drawn to on a number of occasions. He skated some pucks into trouble, turned some pucks over on outlets, took some bad routes and made some bad reads defensively, getting beat or making mistakes a little too often for my liking. He's got the tools, but his game needs to be more buttoned up. I think he's more of a teens guy than a 9-12 guy for me. There was some good and bad, but ultimately, I still have the questions I had coming in. Boumedienne broke the tournament's all-time D scoring record and played more minutes than any other player in the event. He was on my tournament all-star ballot. But picking the two D on the all-star team was also a challenge this year and Boumedienne had some real highs and lows. Advertisement He needs to move the puck a bit quicker at times. He doesn't always think his D-zone coverage and pick up his man that well. His execution isn't always clean and he seems to bobble and mishandle a lot of pucks. He turned over a bunch of pucks and got caught cheating and out of position a few times. But he's also a brilliant skater and 6-foot-2 and at this level that allows him to be a top player. He got first touch on pucks on the PK and cleared the zone well. He was jumping into the rush and deep into the offensive zone off the line. He looked to create and wanted to be a difference-maker. He got a lot of shots through from the point and was obviously involved in a lot of offence. He closed out plays in neutral ice. If he can just improve the speed at which he processes the play, he'll be an NHLer. But he's still learning the game in a lot of ways. (Top photo courtesy of Tim Austen / IIHF)
Euronews
26-04-2025
- Euronews
Brew festivals and ethical cafes: Why coffee-lovers should head to Helsinki this year
ADVERTISEMENT Coffee-loving travellers might have destinations like Vienna and Melbourne on their must-visit list - but what about Finland? The Nordic nation is home to some of the most prolific caffeine drinkers in the world, and now Helsinki is positioning itself as a new brew capital. An increasingly diverse coffee culture has taken root in the Finnish capital city over the last decade, with small roasteries, transparent sourcing and modish cafés. And this weekend, the Helsinki Coffee Festival, the leading event of its kind in the Nordics, celebrates its 10th anniversary. Related Coolcations: Why more people are flocking to destinations in Norway, Finland and Iceland this summer Finland is a country of coffee fiends For Finns, coffee is more than just a warming and energising drink - it's a social glue and a growing subculture. Finland has long held the global record for coffee consumption, with Finns drinking an average of around four cups a day. For decades, this devotion centred around light-roasted filter coffee, served black and often brewed by the pot. But in recent years, roasteries and cafés have been growing more experimental. Where are the best places to drink coffee in Helsinki? Visitors should start their coffee education at the city's classic coffee houses. The oldest café, Ekberg (founded in 1852), Fazer Café, Strindberg, and Café Engel are still going strong, beloved for their unique history and atmosphere. Café Engel turned 36 in April and has become a Helsinki institution. 'We are happy to notice that Engel attracts people of all ages - sometimes even four generations at once,' says the owner, Harri Sjöberg. 'Our all-time favourites are the all-day breakfasts enjoyed with coffee from the local Kaffa Roastery.' Related Could the world's happiest country be the perfect place for your next holiday? Green and clean: Chasing the perfect brew in Helsinki In recent years, progressive roasteries and cafés have been popping up around the country, where travellers can indulge in eco-friendly brews. Since opening in 2007, Svante Hampf, founder of Helsinki-based speciality roaster Kaffa Roastery, has seen the city's coffee scene evolve. ADVERTISEMENT 'The price tag no longer defines the value of coffee - consumers value transparency and sustainability,' he says. 'Fortunately, quality and sustainability often go hand in hand. When coffee is of high quality, its production chain is often built on a sustainable foundation as well." Kaffa Roastery operates its flagship café and micro roastery in the Punavuori district - with glass walls for literal and metaphorical transparency. Coffee roasters Svante Hampf (L) and Lauri Pipinen (R). Osmo Puuperä / Pekka Rousi, Rousi Visions Over 50 independent roasteries now operate across Finland, many of them in the capital region. ADVERTISEMENT Cafés like Päiväkahvibaari, La Torrefazione and Rams Roasters have become go-to places for Helsinkians and visitors alike. Good Life Coffee, which opened its roastery in 2014 and was named the best roaster in the Nordics at the Nordic Coffee Fest in 2024, is another name at the forefront of the movement. It no longer operates its own café but supplies coffee to some of Helsinki' s favourite spots, such as the hip Sävy in Kallio, with its exposed brick walls, vintage furniture and chandeliers. Co-founder Lauri Pipinen says the roastery's goal is to offer an alternative to mainstream coffee. ADVERTISEMENT 'Our aim is to highlight coffee's origin more clearly - where it comes from and who has grown it. Coffee is rooted deeply in our culture, but still, many people know little about it,' he says, noting that it's nice to operate in a country that appreciates its coffee - and is getting more and more curious about it. Related Golden mosaics and giant frescoes: 4 art-filled churches to visit in Europe this year Want to eat your way round Europe? 7 of the best foodie trips for endless pasta, tapas and wine Visit the Nordic's biggest coffee festival The city's burgeoning coffee culture takes centre stage at the Helsinki Coffee Festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Held at Kaapelitehdas from 25-27 April 2025, the festival is the largest of its kind in Northern Europe, bringing together coffee lovers, roasters and baristas. Visitors can taste coffee from both small and larger roasters, test coffee equipment, learn different ways to brew coffee at home and discover new flavours. ADVERTISEMENT "The pandemic years had a clear impact on coffee culture - people began investing more in making coffee at home and experimenting with new equipment and brewing methods,' says the festival's co-founder, Maija Kestilä. 'At the same time, ecological and ethical considerations have become increasingly important, with more and more people wanting to know the origin of their coffee and opting for responsibly produced beans."
