Will Andersson pass Backlund as Sweden's best prospect for the draft?

[hawksfan50]

If he hasn't already,JOAKIM ANDERSSON might be now considered a "riser" and BACKLUND a "faller" in swedish prospects for the draft given the results at the recent 4Nations U-18 which finished last week-end in Pitea...

Andersson had 1g+2a in 3GP to tie with several others for 3 pts in the tournament--he also won 64% of his face-offs and was a +3...The much balleyhooed Backlund failed to get a point in the tournament..true its only a short 3 game tournament--but still you expected more from Backlund who the ISS rates at #9 in their November rankings (per published on TSN.ca)... it is hard to compare them in regular season play because Andersson plays in the J-20 Super Elit South (9g+8a in 17GP) and Backlund plays against men in the 2nd tier Allsvenskan pro league for Vasteras (2 assists in 9GP) --he also played 3 games in the J-20 Super Elit North
for Vasteras where he had 3g+1a in those games vs Jr. competition...as I said,I don't know if you can determine anything from a short tournament like the 4Nations--but 2 facts stand out about Andersson that make me wonder if he's not the better pro prospect:

1. HIS SIZE--he's much bigger than Backlund and even in the NHL "BIG" centres who are good 2 ways are a coveted commmodity...

2. He has outstanding +/- ...he's +14 in the 17 GP for Frolunda in the J-20 Super Elit South (true they are one of the top teams in that division ,so +/- can be decieving and due to team strength)...BUT the fact he was +3 in the 3 GP at the 4Nations also leads one to believe that he is good defensively 5x5...


Anyway--I just wonder if at the very least,ANDERSSON has closed some gap to Backlund,if not surpassed him already on some scouting lists...we'll see how it shakes out the rest of the season..

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[Crosby=Gretzky]

If he hasn't already,JOAKIM ANDERSSON might be now considered a "riser" and BACKLUND a "faller" in swedish prospects for the draft given the results at the recent 4Nations U-18 which finished last week-end in Pitea...

Andersson had 1g+2a in 3GP to tie with several others for 3 pts in the tournament--he also won 64% of his face-offs and was a +3...The much balleyhooed Backlund failed to get a point in the tournament..true its only a short 3 game tournament--but still you expected more from Backlund who the ISS rates at #9 in their November rankings (per published on TSN.ca)... it is hard to compare them in regular season play because Andersson plays in the J-20 Super Elit South (9g+8a in 17GP) and Backlund plays against men in the 2nd tier Allsvenskan pro league for Vasteras (2 assists in 9GP) --he also played 3 games in the J-20 Super Elit North
for Vasteras where he had 3g+1a in those games vs Jr. competition...as I said,I don't know if you can determine anything from a short tournament like the 4Nations--but 2 facts stand out about Andersson that make me wonder if he's not the better pro prospect:

1. HIS SIZE--he's much bigger than Backlund and even in the NHL "BIG" centres who are good 2 ways are a coveted commmodity...

2. He has outstanding +/- ...he's +14 in the 17 GP for Frolunda in the J-20 Super Elit South (true they are one of the top teams in that division ,so +/- can be decieving and due to team strength)...BUT the fact he was +3 in the 3 GP at the 4Nations also leads one to believe that he is good defensively 5x5...


Anyway--I just wonder if at the very least,ANDERSSON has closed some gap to Backlund,if not surpassed him already on some scouting lists...we'll see how it shakes out the rest of the season..

I watched him in Malmö two weeks ago. He played well, had a goal and an assist, IIRC. As you say, he's on a great team, with four possible top 3 round selections in the '07 draft (Andersson, the Dane Lars Eller, Simon Hjalmarsson and Jens Hellgren, the big defenseman) and one big name for the 2008 draft (another Danish player, Mikkel Bödker). He's resposible defensively and uses his size advantage. His skating has some questionmarks, and you can see it, he's not the fastest guy out there.
But I believe he'll rise in the rankings during the course of the season. Backlund might not even be the 2nd Swede selected; Oscar Möller playing for the Chilliwack Bruins could be a top 15 pick, while I believe that Backlund can slip out of the first round.

 

[VanW27]

I'll say it before and i'll say it again Oscar Moller is gonna keep climbing and may be the 1st Swede taken.

 

[Jeff_Dyck_#1]

Will Andersson pass Backlund as Sweden's best prospect for the draft?

Sadly, No!

1.Backlund
2.Möller
3.Andersson
4.Torp
5.Hjalmarsson

 

[Preds666]

Although I personally do not see Backlund as a first rounder at this point (he has achieved nothing since January this year and was mediocre in all 3 games in Piteå last weekend, which I watched), I do not think Andersson has that much upside. He will get drafted. Likely in the top three rounds, but I believe he at best could develop into a Samuel Påhlsson -type of player, although less physical. That is in not way a bad thing, but he will not be an early first rounder because of that (unless he totally breaks out this winter/spring).

Andersson has good size, nice technical skills and a decent passing game. He is not much of a scorer, his technical skills are okay (not spectacular), he is not very flashy and he is a below average skater imo.

As for the Frölunda prospects, Lars Eller is IMO the best and most interesting one.

 

[hawksfan50]

Maybe I worded the question wrongly--MOLLER plays in the WHL --so though he's Swedish,I treat him as a WHL prospect---as for the Danes or other nationsls playing in the Swedish Jr/ leaguees,Allsvenskan or SEL--I wasn't asking for their ranking either...I meant: WILL ANDERSSON SURPASS BACKLUND AS THE HIGHEST RATED SWEDISH PLAYER PLAYING IN SWEDEN at the final rankings on most scouting lists? Given that ISS ranks BACKLUND as #9 overall (for the entire draft) in it NOV. rankings--and that ANDERSSON was more impressive at the 4Nations U-18 --this doesn't mean I think ANDERSSON is worthy of a top ten --but surely if a laclustre BACKLUND is considered even first round material,maybe ANDERSSON will also be one and go even ahead of him somewhere in round one...it is just that BACKLUND had a lot of hype prior to this season,whether he has failed to live upto it so far is another question...meanwhile ANDERSSON seems to be progressing nicely--that is all I brought to the table in this issue...

 

[Ola]

With Backlund's skills-set, a late charge in march-april might put him into the top 10 in the draft. Its all about what he does on the ice from now on. Nobody will pick a player like Backlund unless he actually gets some results.

If he gets the results, no matter how late this season, somebody will take a shot with him.