33rd Overall Jonatan Berggren

[CapnZin]

I am really jealous of the DET draft nabbing Zadina, Veleno, and Berggren in their first 3 picks. To me I think that’s better than the NYI top 3 of Whalstrom (favorite prospect), Dobson, and Wilde.

A bunch of us on the Flyers Board would’ve liked the Flyers to take Berggren at 19. Seems like DET got a steal in the early 2nd Rd.

How has he looked during Spring Training if he was there? In the first few months has he exceeded any expectations or underwhelmed anyone during his play in the SHL thus far?

 

[turkleton85]

I am really jealous of the DET draft nabbing Zadina, Veleno, and Berggren in their first 3 picks. To me I think that’s better than the NYI top 3 of Whalstrom (favorite prospect), Dobson, and Wilde.

A bunch of us on the Flyers Board would’ve liked the Flyers to take Berggren at 19. Seems like DET got a steal in the early 2nd Rd.

How has he looked during Spring Training if he was there? In the first few months has he exceeded any expectations or underwhelmed anyone during his play in the SHL thus far?

Berggren looked pretty amazing in the prospects game i've watched, his skill was on full display there. We should be really excited about these first 3 picks, i think they'll all be homeruns

 

[CapnZin]

Berggren looked pretty amazing in the prospects game i've watched, his skill was on full display there. We should be really excited about these first 3 picks, i think they'll all be homeruns

I think Zadina and Berggren could crack the lineup in the next 2 years, Zadina being next year.

Veleno has had my attention, but also my concerns. He seems to be like Ryan Merkley of the SJS. Has all the skill in the world, but has attitude and commitment issues. I feel like his floor is a B6 player and that’s nothing to gawk at considering his ceiling is really high.

While I was back in Sweden a couple years ago, my grandmother (loves hockey) and I went to a U16 match to watch one of my cousins at an arena just outside Stockholm/Råsunda and Berggren was there. His speed was absolutely crazy not to mention his stick handling.

 

[A Few Good Males]

I think Zadina and Berggren could crack the lineup in the next 2 years, Zadina being next year.

Veleno has had my attention, but also my concerns. He seems to be like Ryan Merkley of the SJS. Has all the skill in the world, but has attitude and commitment issues. I feel like his floor is a B6 player and that’s nothing to gawk at considering his ceiling is really high.

While I was back in Sweden a couple years ago, my grandmother (loves hockey) and I went to a U16 match to watch one of my cousins at an arena just outside Stockholm/Råsunda and Berggren was there. His speed was absolutely crazy not to mention his stick handling.

Attitude is quite possibly Veleno's most lauded trait

 

[CapnZin]

Attitude is quite possibly Veleno's most lauded trait

Really? I may be remembering incorrectly, but I thought once they drafted him Pierre went on a tirade about Veleno being a 15yo CHL player that didn’t work hard enough to live up to his hype.

Regardless of that, he is a great talent, he just needs to figure everything out. Still has a high ceiling and is fun to watch.

 

[A Few Good Males]

Really? I may be remembering incorrectly, but I thought once they drafted him Pierre went on a tirade about Veleno being a 15yo CHL player that didn’t work hard enough to live up to his hype.

Regardless of that, he is a great talent, he just needs to figure everything out. Still has a high ceiling and is fun to watch.

The knock on him has been his scoring ability, particularly his shot, but he is constantly praised for his skating ability and character. As the first player ever granted exceptional status in the Q, there were big expectations for him as a goal scorer which have not come to fruition (although he is finding the back of the net more this season, albeit a very small sample).

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/s...steal-incredible-skater-joe-veleno/751766002/
“Has a very poor shot and will not score on NHL netminders. Tends to telegraph his shot and needs to improve both the power and his release. Plays a mature, advanced two-way game and is responsible in his defensive assignments. Great character kid with strong leadership skills. Highly coachable and will fill whatever role is asked of him."

Apparently he's a great kid. I've heard Jeff Marek say that there are people in the industry who have expressed that they would never billet a junior hockey player, but they would billet Joe Veleno.

Gonna be lots of fun tracking his progress this season - I'm hopeful he can make a push for a roster spot on the Wings next year.

 

[CapnZin]

The knock on him has been his scoring ability, particularly his shot, but he is constantly praised for his skating ability and character. As the first player ever granted exceptional status in the Q, there were big expectations for him as a goal scorer which have not come to fruition (although he is finding the back of the net more this season, albeit a very small sample).

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/s...steal-incredible-skater-joe-veleno/751766002/
“Has a very poor shot and will not score on NHL netminders. Tends to telegraph his shot and needs to improve both the power and his release. Plays a mature, advanced two-way game and is responsible in his defensive assignments. Great character kid with strong leadership skills. Highly coachable and will fill whatever role is asked of him."

Apparently he's a great kid. I've heard Jeff Marek say that there are people in the industry who have expressed that they would never billet a junior hockey player, but they would billet Joe Veleno.

Gonna be lots of fun tracking his progress this season - I'm hopeful he can make a push for a roster spot on the Wings next year.

I was wrong. Maybe I attributed what they said about Merkley to Veleno too since they were touted much higher than where they were drafted.

You can always work in a shot. I looked up some highlight videos and a combine video on SportsNet:

The one weird thing about his shot (and play in general) is his lateral skating ability. His skating in general is good, but lacks complete efficiency. You can say it’s good, but to say it’s great is a bit too much. When he turns his hips open to take a shot, it’s almost as if he tenses his abdominal muscles which gives an off balance shot. That could be the “telegraphed shot” due to a weakened release point. That may be innate for him, but developmental coaching can fix that in due time. His first step is good which can generate power on his wrist shot. His slapper seems to be subpar... again, torque on hips is the main knock I can see. When gearing up for a shot too, your back foot is your leverage in your shot, which also seems a bit off. His skating lacks some leverage, but it’s mainly in his shot, rather than his movement.

He’s a lot more tenacious than I expected for someone touted to be a skill player. He may be a role player now, but in JR he has good hands and IQ. The puck does find him and if it doesn’t, he goes and finds it.

You’re right about the 2-way play. His NZ stop gap play is arguably the best in that draft class for a forward and one could say he’s probably a top 3 forward in that draft with a defensive stick. Not to mention, his cycle play is great at both ends, more so in stopping play below the red line in the Dzone.

 

[Shaman464]

The knock on him has been his scoring ability, particularly his shot, but he is constantly praised for his skating ability and character. As the first player ever granted exceptional status in the Q, there were big expectations for him as a goal scorer which have not come to fruition (although he is finding the back of the net more this season, albeit a very small sample).

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/s...steal-incredible-skater-joe-veleno/751766002/
“Has a very poor shot and will not score on NHL netminders. Tends to telegraph his shot and needs to improve both the power and his release. Plays a mature, advanced two-way game and is responsible in his defensive assignments. Great character kid with strong leadership skills. Highly coachable and will fill whatever role is asked of him."

Apparently he's a great kid. I've heard Jeff Marek say that there are people in the industry who have expressed that they would never billet a junior hockey player, but they would billet Joe Veleno.

Gonna be lots of fun tracking his progress this season - I'm hopeful he can make a push for a roster spot on the Wings next year.

He's doing okay, but given the number of years he's spent in the Q, and his team being a very good team, he's by no stretch setting the world on fire.

 

[TheGoldenJet]

I’m hearing it will be a close call on whether or not Berggren makes the WJC this year. Wasn’t invited to the four nations, but the Swedish team flat out stunk so the coach might be looking at making some roster changes.

 

[The Flying Octopus]

5'10

180

easy

 

[Gniwder]

You can always work in a shot.

Tell that to Backhand Luke.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Tell that to Backhand Luke.

Lol.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Zetterberg 2.0

 

[CapnZin]

Tell that to Backhand Luke.

Lol... shots area fixable, the players has to have to moxy to learn

 

[Winger98]

Tell that to Backhand Luke.

hey, just wait until he starts letting that backhander go from the blueline and he starts piling up points on the power play with it.

 

[Christien]

Anybody know why he didn't play today? Healthy scratch?

 

[MBauer]

Anybody know why he didn't play today? Healthy scratch?

He's been rather disappointing, so I wouldn't be surprised, doesn't really look like hes ready for the SHL.

 

[lilidk]

last year we try to draft mostly for leadership and hard working prospects , this year totally opposite , for skills and speed . You could never know who will be improve or not .

 

[Christien]

Skelleftea is about to play Hopefully Berggren is playing. Here's the link EDIT: Damn, looks like no Berggren again

 

[DInTheB]

Is it possible that Berrgren might get taken in next years Import draft? I would love for this kid to play somewhere in the CHL next season.