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New York Times
04-08-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Why Blackhawks first-round pick Anton Frondell plans to stay in Sweden this season
Where Anton Frondell was going to play this coming season was decided long before he was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks. It was decided even before it was known which division Djurgården would be playing this season. Djurgården general manager Niklas Wikegård had it arranged long before that. 'Actually, we already talked about it in October, November (of 2024) that it doesn't matter if we're going to play SHL or HockeyAllsvenskan, in the second league in Sweden,' Wikegård said by phone on Friday. 'So it would be good for him to play at least one more year in Sweden and just mature physically as a player. So we had a mutual agreement with the agents and him and his father that he's gonna stay for one more year in Sweden and play. Advertisement 'He had a difficult year where he came into the season a little bit wrong, a little bit injured and kind of like all the young players had ups and downs in his play. To play in Sweden, when you play under pressure all the time to win in Sweden — Europe is different than North America where you have to qualify for the next league and you don't want to fall out — so to play those games, (that's) extreme pressure for a guy who's 17 years old. … So, there was no thoughts from our side where he's going to play next year. We were 100 percent sure that he's gonna play with us for the season coming.' A lot has happened since late 2024. Djurgården earned its promotion to the SHL by winning HockeyAllsvenskan. Frondell, 18, played a part in that and emerged as one of the top players in the draft class. The Blackhawks selected him with the No. 3 pick. Still, the plan remained. The Blackhawks learned more about Frondell's plan after drafting him. Originally, they hadn't ruled out his coming to training camp and seeing how he stacked up against NHL competition in preseason games. But as the Blackhawks negotiated Frondell's entry-level contract and discussed what he sought for the upcoming season, he expressed his desire to return to Djurgården for another year. The Blackhawks were understanding. They see the benefit in Djurgården playing in a higher league and Frondell facing better competition. The Blackhawks still offered him a training camp invite. Recently, Frondell decided he wouldn't travel to Chicago for camp. He didn't want to interrupt his SHL season. Djurgården opened training camp last week and will begin its season in early September. Wikegård believes Frondell's development will be best served by being in one place for an extended period. Wikegård used the last four months as an example; in that time, Frondell played with Djurgården until the end of the playoffs in April, then went to play in Texas for the U18s, then he was off to the NHL Scouting Combine, then the NHL Draft and finally the Blackhawks development camp. Advertisement 'If we hadn't talked to the junior team national coach, he would be with the junior national team now and then he would go to the camp with Chicago and then go back to us, then in November go to another camp with the international team and then the junior World Championship and so on and so on,' Wikegård said. 'So that's going to be like a wasted season for a guy like that. So we talked to his agent and Chicago too — I think they understand it — that this guy, this type of player in this age, he needs to go to the rink, put his physical clothes on, go to the gym, put his hockey gear on, practice day after day after day after day, play games. 'That's going to be an incredibly important season for this guy, and that's going to be extremely important for him in the coming 10 to 15 years. We've seen several guys in Sweden — we have William Eklund, who is the brother to Victor here, coming over to play those nine (NHL) games (in the 2021-22 season), coming home, didn't know where to find himself, probably. … NHL is the best league in the world, for sure, and everybody wants to play there, but they're going to have lots of time to come over and play there.' Wikegård also believes Djurgården can provide the optimal development environment for Frondell. They know his game. They know what he needs to work on. 'When it comes to his hockey, he's such a big guy that he still has those hands, still has the ability to do things with the puck all the time, reads the play well, has a tremendous shot,' Wikegård said. 'He looks like a grown-up senior player already. … He's just going to have to keep being strong without the puck, read the play a little bit more, take a little more good decisions when it comes to the defensive play. Just keep on going to the gym, just keep practicing extra with the team and stuff like that. 'If he has time with us, that's going to be another step for him. He took a step from juniors to senior last year and this year it's going from the second league to the first league. Just put in repetitions and ice time, that's what you want to do, then you're going to have the whole package for many years.' Advertisement What the Blackhawks will undoubtedly be interested in is how Djurgården actually uses Frondell. What position will he play? Where will he be in the lineup? How much ice time will he get? Will he be on the power play? Will Frondell's development be prioritized? Wikegård can't guarantee anything, but he expects Frondell to play a key role this season. For now, Frondell will also play on the wing. 'In Sweden, we can't rebuild,' Wikegård said. 'We can't prioritize players. We have to win all the time. … When we build the team before the season starts, him and another guy named Victor Eklund are on first three lines with us, so he's gonna have his time. He's going to have his games; he is going to have his shifts at five-on-five and five-on-four, probably not four-on-five, but he's a regular player in our lineup. That's what we feel about him. 'We're not going to play a guy like Anton Frondell or Victor Eklund in a fourth line. We're going to place them in creative spots where they should be. They should play in their role that they are meant to play in, probably the same thing up in Chicago, I guess. You're not gonna play Anton in a checking line. So he's going to play creative minutes in our line.' Frondell will also have meetings every two weeks with coaches to go over his development plan. 'They do special drills for him, covering the puck, strong on the boards, you know, all those things,' Wikegård said. 'He's still so young, so in Sweden, you have hockey gymnasium, hockey school, so he's working on the fundamentals all the time. We try to add another 80-90 extra practices for all these young players this year. So games, regular training and 75-80 extra practices for him just working on the fundamentals.' Frondell was likely a long shot to make the Blackhawks this season. If he can continue to develop at Djurgården and be ready for the NHL a season from now, that's all that matters.
New York Times
27-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Why the Blackhawks selected Anton Frondell with 2025 NHL Draft's No. 3 pick
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2025 NHL Draft. CHICAGO — Marcus Krüger got his wish. The Chicago Blackhawks drafted Anton Frondell, Krüger's Djurgården teammate in Sweden, with the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday. What went into that decision? Let's start with Krüger's evaluation of Frondell. 'He's like the whole package,' Krüger, the former longtime Blackhawks role player and two-time Stanley Cup champion, said in March. 'He's big. He can skate. He can handle the puck, all that. But also he's really, like, curious, like he asks stuff, he tries stuff. So, yeah, he's not going to play with me for very long here. Soon you're going to get a taste of him there.' Advertisement Those are exactly the reasons why the Blackhawks drafted Frondell. They couldn't have summed it up any better. Frondell has the size (6 feet 1 inch, 204 pounds), offensive skill, defensive awareness and ceiling the Blackhawks believe will make him a perfect fit in their top six in the future. With all the players the Blackhawks were considering at No. 3, they envisioned how Frondell could work alongside Connor Bedard and/or Frank Nazar. While it's possible Frondell could replace one of them at center, he can also play on the wing. More importantly, he has the offense, especially his shot, to fit with those players and the size and defense that could help them. Frondell's 25 points in HockeyAllsvenskan were the most by an under-18 player since William Nylander produced 27 points during the 2013-14 season. Djurgården coach Robert Kimby was impressed by how Frondell handled himself as an 18-year-old in a league that includes Krüger and other established Swedish players. 'His matureness as a person and as a hockey player, the way he kind of made up his mind to be as good as he possibly can, I think is his biggest strength,' Kimby said. 'But then on the ice, good vision, for us, an outstanding shot, good enough shot so that we put in him as a shooter in power play. Puck strength, and just the same there, even if he's different as a kid, he wants to be in the heat of the moment. If you look at any player, you see the skill with the stick and everything like that, but for me, it's the small things. He just stands out that he really wants to get better every day when he's on the ice. You kind of almost have to pull him back to save energy sometimes.' Frondell is expected to return to Djurgården next season and focus on consistency on next season. It should help his development that Djurgården was promoted to the SHL for the upcoming season, so the competition will improve. Frondell is likely to come to North America after another season in Sweden, but time will tell. Advertisement Krüger will undoubtedly be excited to have him as a teammate for at least another season. That admiration goes both ways, and Frondell has learned plenty from Krüger. 'OK, so he is starting to get older, he has two Stanley Cups, probably good money in the bank — and that doesn't affect his way how he always wants to get better,' Frondell said of Krüger at the scouting combine. 'He's the first guy in the gym. He's the first guy to the rink every day. It doesn't matter how early I am, I can never win over him. And he doesn't just come to the rink. He comes there to get better. It's just cool, a guy like that still wants to get better.' The Blackhawks are hoping for a different type of career for Frondell than Krüger, but the team goal is still the same. The Blackhawks would love for Frondell to be a part of multiple Stanley Cup teams, too.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wilson Bjorck Commits To Colorado College
Dave Schwarz, dschwarz@ Djurgardens IF J20 forward Wilson Bjorck has committed to Colorado College, it was announced earlier this week. Bjorck, a product of Stockholm, Sweden, split time this season between the J20 Nationell and the pro level (10 games with Djurgardens IF in HockeyAllsvenskan and one game with Tyreso/Hanviken in HockeyEttan). Over 11 pro games, Bjorck went pointless, but he scored 28 goals and added 39 assists for 67 points in 43 regular season games in the J20 Nationell. Advertisement Eligible for the 2025 NHL Draft, Bjorck spent his time playing his hockey in Djurgardens IF's system and IFK Taby HC's system growing up. His best season offensively came this year, where he really showed his skills with the puck on his stick. As Bjorck comes over to North America for the very first time, his skills should allow him to be an immediate difference maker for the Tigers. Likely to hear his name called at the draft this week, Bjorck will be one to watch as he heads into his freshman season.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jets Sign Top Defensive Prospect Alfons Freij To Entry-Level Contract
Alfons Freij / The Winnipeg Jets signed defenseman Alfons Freij to a three-year, entry-level contract on Saturday. The Jets used their first pick in the 2024 NHL Draft to select the Swedish defenseman, using the 37th overall pick. The 19-year-old is an exceptional skater who just completed his first professional season in Sweden's second league, HockeyAllsvenskan. With IF Björklöven, he scored two goals and eight points in 29 games. Advertisement Freij's entry-level contract will see him earn an average annual value of $975,000. The Jets will likely remain patient with his development as he's expected to make his SHL debut next season with Timrå IK. Freij is the third of the four 2024 draft picks from the Jets to sign an entry-level contract, joining Kevin He and Kiernon Walton. Finnish centre Markus Loponen is the remaining draftee who has not signed his entry-level contract. Stay updated with the most interesting Jets stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favourites on Google News to never miss a story. Jets Defensive Prospect Puts Up Positive Results In First Professional Season; Tougher Challenges Await Next Season Jets Defensive Prospect Puts Up Positive Results In First Professional Season; Tougher Challenges Await Next Season Winnipeg Jets defensive prospect Alfons Freij completed his first season of professional hockey, putting up positive results.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Edmonton Oilers Prospects: William Nicholl Quietly Impressive
EDMONTON – A team is more than its superstar. At least, all of the good teams are. The Edmonton Oilers have proven that (so far) with the two best players on the team, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, out of the lineup. With them on the shelf for the next week or so, other players will have to step up. Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. That same type of competitiveness is healthy in an organization's prospect pool. The Oilers' latest first-round draft pick, Sam O'Reilly, is having a great season. Goaltender Samuel Jonsson was named Goalie of the Year in the Hockey Allsvenskan. But another Oilers prospect has put their stamp on this season. Oilers Prospect Report: O'Reilly & Akey Playoff Bound The NHL playoffs don't start for another month, but regular seasons are wrapping up across the rest of the hockey world. Former Oilers Holloway & Broberg Come Up Clutch Ex-Oiler Pat Maroon Makes Big Emotional Announcement How Oilers Can Get The Most Out Of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Oilers Game Schedule For March 2025 3 Best Oilers' Trades By Stan Bowman Oilers Host Special Guest Mark Carney EDMONTON – There's no day quite like a game day, especially when special guests are in the house. William Nicholl has largely flown under the radar this year. Nicholl was also a 2024 draft pick, but drafted in the seventh round, 196th overall. O'Reilly and Nicholl play for the London Knights of the OHL, which begins its playoff journey at the end of this week. However, in their last regular season game, Nicholl hit a professional milestone, his first OHL hat-trick. NICKY'S FIRST CAREER HAT TRICK!@EdmontonOilers | #LetsGoOilers — London Knights (@LondonKnights) March 23, 2025 He finished the season with a monster of a game. In addition to the hat trick, Nicholl recorded an assist, fired seven shots on net, and won 15 of his 21 faceoffs (71 percent). That's not too shabby. He finishes the 2024-25 season with 57 points in 66 games (0.86 points per game). Nicholl more than doubled his points from the previous year, scoring 20 points in 65 games. Nicholl is not a prospect to be taken lightly. While O'Reilly has the two-way fortitude that will endear him to his NHL coach one day, Nicholl has the boots and understated skill to have a higher ceiling than his teammate. For now, Oil Country can keep one eye on the Oilers and the other on the OHL playoffs, which begin for the Knights on Friday. Their first round opponents are the Owen Sound Attack. Add us to your Google News favorites, and never miss a story.
