HF Articles

[HF Article]

Rookies Simon, Sundqvist filling their roles ably for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Photo: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward and Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Dominik Simon competed for the Czech Republic at the 2015 IIHF World Championship, posting a goal and five assists in 10 games (courtesy of Martin Rose/Getty Images)


</p>Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forwards Dominik Simon and Oskar Sundqvist are rookies by trade in the North American pro game, but both have played professional hockey overseas in the Czech Republic and Sweden, respectively. While it is not the first time these two have competed against men at a high level of play, it is the first time they are experiencing it on the smaller North American ice surface.… read more

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[HF Article]

SHL Prospect Notebook, November, 2015: Frolunda, Skelleftea the top teams heading int

Photo: Frolunda Indians forward and Montreal Canadiens prospect Artturi Lehkonen has nearly equaled his point total from the 2014-15 season through the first third of the 2015-16 campaign (courtesy of Sheffield Steelers/Champions Hockey League via Getty Images)


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The first Swedish Hockey League (SHL) notebook of the 2015-16 season includes a look at the top teams in the league through early season action, plus the highlighting of some significant contributions from NHL prospects or players that could become NHL property before too long.

Domination 1

The SHL season is well underway, and after a little more than a third of the season, the favorites have clearly established themselves.… read more

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[HF Article]

Checkers' Ryan has taken unconventional path in bid to land NHL job

Photo: Charlotte Checkers captain and Carolina Hurricanes prospect Derek Ryan is the leading scorer for the Checkers, posting eight goals and 16 points in 20 AHL games in 2015-16 (courtesy of Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)


</p>Derek Ryan and his wife, Bonnie, have a map hanging on the wall in their living room back in Spokane, Washington.

Places the couple have lived and visited are on the map, including Austria – where their son Zane was born – and Orebro, Sweden – where Ryan won the Swedish Hockey League’s MVP award last season.

“It’s kind of neat, I’ve gotten to travel the world and play the game I love,†Ryan said.… read more

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[HF Article]

2016 NHL Draft: Matthews maintains hold on top spot, but change elsewhere in ISS Dece

Photo: Mississauga Steelheads center and 2016 prospect Michael McLeod is currently ranked 18th in scoring in the OHL with 32 points in 28 games (courtesy of Aaron Bell/OHL Images)


</p>Following a couple of months of relative calm in ISS Hockey‘s ranking of the top 30 prospects for the 2016 NHL Draft, the December list features a fair amount of change throughout the rankings.

That change begins in the top 5, although not at the very top. Holding steady at No. 1 for the third straight month is Auston Matthews, the U.S.-born center currently competing for the ZSC Lions in Switzerland’s top league, the National League A.… read more

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[HF Article]

Prospect Faceoff: Young SHL talents collide, 2016 draft-eligibles go head-to-head in

Photo: Rouyn-Noranda Huskies defenseman and Philadelphia Flyers prospect Philippe Myers and Moncton Wildcats forward Kevin Klima go head-to-head in a top QMJHL meeting of NHL prospects for the coming weekend (courtesy of Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)


</p>Two prospects taken in the middle rounds of the 2013 NHL Draft have a lot on the line when they matchup against each other this weekend in the SHL. Likewise, two 2016 draft-eligibles go one-on-one in the OHL, while one WHL defenseman tries to acclimate to a new environment after a recent trade. The QMJHL offers an interesting matchup when a pair of twins with NHL bloodlines takes on a giant defenseman.… read more

The post Prospect Faceoff: Young SHL talents collide, 2016 draft-eligibles go head-to-head in the OHL, more from junior and college hockey appeared first on Hockey's Future.



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[HF Article]

2015-16 Calder Poll: Red Wings' Larkin leads the way in November

Photo: Detroit Red Wings rookie forward Dylan Larkin has made a smooth transition so far from NCAA hockey last season to the NHL in 2015-16 (courtesy of Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire)


</p>A clavicle injury to Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, the first player taken in the 2015 NHL Draft, has sidelined the 18-year-old until mid-January at the earliest. With McDavid — the leader in the initial Hockey’s Future Calder Trophy staff poll last month — out of action, the Detroit Red Wings‘ Dylan Larkin and Chicago Blackhawks‘ Artemi Panarin are out in front of the field after putting up big numbers in November.… read more

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[HF Article]

Prospect Impressions: Mistele, Marner beckon the bears, Sparks makes history, QMJHL g

Photo: Toronto Maple Leafs rookie goaltender Garret Sparks has had an eventful year, spending time in the ECHL and AHL before getting his first NHL win and shutout in his first NHL start last week (courtesy of Peter Llewellyn/Icon Sportswire)


</p>Prospect Impressions is packed full of highlight-reel plays this week. Matt Mistele and Mitch Marner sent teddy bears flying with their goals, while Garret Sparks made history in his first NHL start. Three goals from the QMJHL highlight a great weekend of play in La belle province, plus goals from unexpected sources in minor hockey and Europe, including one perpetrator caught in the act of embellishment.… read more

The post Prospect Impressions: Mistele, Marner beckon the bears, Sparks makes history, QMJHL goals from Fontaine, Garland, and Veleno appeared first on Hockey's Future.



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[HF Article]

2016 WJC Preview: Team Sweden looking to spoil the party in Helsinki

Photo: Toronto Marlies forward and Toronto Maple Leafs prospect William Nylander will lead the offense for Team Sweden at the 2016 World Junior Championship (courtesy of Graig Abel/Getty Images)


There will be fireworks this holiday season at the 2016 World Junior Championship*in Helsinki, and hockey pundits are certain: Team Sweden will be responsible for many of them!

For the national program itself, it is time to clear the slate after Finland crashed Sweden’s home country party at the 2014 World Junior Championship in Malmo, Sweden, where Finland triumphed on a Rasmus Ristolainen overtime goal in the gold medal game.

There are plenty of challenges to get there, but any team that can put together such a talented and balanced group of players while leaving the likes of Oliver Kylington (CGY), Rasmus Andersson (CGY), and Robin Kovacs (NYR) off the roster should be very confident in their ability to end up in a medal game.… read more

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[HF Article]

(Video) 2016 World Junior Championship: Gustav Forsling, Sweden

Photo: Team Sweden defenseman and Chicago Blackhawks prospect Gustav Forsling is in his second season in the SHL, where he plays for Linkoping HC (courtesy of Chapin Landvogt)


</p>Team Sweden remained undefeated at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship after eking out a 1-0 win over the USA in a Group A battle at the Helsinki Ice Hall in Finland.

Sweden needed just one goal to gain the victory, a goal scored by Alexander Nylander (2016) early in the second period of a tight, penalty-filled contest. But in reality, the Swedes needed goaltender Linus Soderstrom (NYI) to shut the door on Team USA as the Americans controlled play throughout much of the game, outshooting Sweden 46-23 on the day.… read more

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[HF Article]

(Video) 2016 World Junior Championship: William Lagesson, Sweden

Photo: Team Sweden goaltender and New York Islanders prospect Linus Soderstrom turns aside one of the 46 shots he faced in his 1-0 shutout of Team USA at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship (courtesy of RONI REKOMAA/AFP/Getty Images)


</p>The talented collection of forwards and defensemen that Team Sweden brought to the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship overshadowed the goaltenders on that country’s WJC roster, but it was goaltender Linus Soderstrom that won the day in Sweden’s 1-0 win over the USA on Day 3 in Helsinki, Finland.

Soderstrom, a prospect of the New York Islanders, earned the shutout with full marks, stopping all 46 shots that Team USA fired his way.… read more

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[HF Article]

Prospect Impressions: Strome, Nedeljkovic shine at World Juniors, Myers uses his head

Photo: Team Canada forward and Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome is once again among the scoring leaders in the OHL, with Strome having posted 16 goals and 53 points in 25 games for the Erie Otters in 2015-16 (courtesy of RONI REKOMAA/AFP/Getty Images)


</p> The 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship is underway in Helsinki, Finland, and there are a number of developing storylines. Dylan Strome and the Canadian squad rebounded following a loss to Alex Nedeljkovic and the United States, and both players find their way in the this week’s Prospect Impressions. Joining them are Louke Oakley and Sergei Mozyakin with a pair of beauties from Europe, while Tyler Myers and Kevin Shattenkirk prevent goals in unique fashion.… read more

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[HF Article]

(Video) 2016 World Junior Championship: Anton Karlsson and Marcus Pettersson, Sweden

Photo: Team Sweden forward and Arizona Coyotes prospect Anton Karlsson celebrates his goal in his country’s 5-2 win over Canada at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship (courtesy of RONI REKOMAA/AFP/Getty Images)


</p> Team Sweden ran the table in Group A at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, winning all four of their preliminary round games to finish as the top seed for the playoff round. The Swedes completed their sweep on New Year’s Eve with a 5-2 win over Canada, the second loss suffered by the defending champions at this tournament.

The win for Sweden sends them to a quarterfinal encounter with Slovakia, while the Canadians will face the high-flying hosts from Finland.… read more

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[HF Article]

(Video) 2016 World Junior Championship: Rasmus Asplund and Andreas Englund, Sweden

Photo: Team Sweden defenseman and Ottawa Senators prospect Andreas Englund has scored one goal in 24 SHL games for Drjugarden IF in 2015-16 (courtesy of Chapin Landvogt)


</p>Given their status as the host country and the fact that the team has been an offensive powerhouse so far at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, the Finnish squad has received a great deal of attention from media and fans alike at this tournament. But the best squad overall through the preliminary round was Team Sweden, who posted a 4-0-0-0 record in a Group A that included Canada and the USA.… read more

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[HF Article]

2016 World Junior Championship: Playoff and Relegation Round previews

Photo: Team USA had just one blemish in their four preliminary round games at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, with their quarterfinal match placing them up against the Czech Republic (courtesy of RONI REKOMAA/AFP/Getty Images)


</p>The playoff round of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship begins tomorrow with the quarterfinal matchups featuring the non-relegated teams from Group A and Group B, although the first relegation game in the best-of-three series will also take place. The games will take place at Helsinki Ice Hall and Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.

The first part of this preview will cover the two games being played Hartwall Arena, with the first game being a battle between Russia and Denmark, and the second game being host Finland facing off against the defending champions from Canada.… read more

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[HF Article]

(Video) 2016 World Junior Championship: Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson and Axel Holmstrom,

Photo: Team Sweden goaltender and New York Islanders prospect Linus Soderstrom stops one of the 17 shots he faced in Sweden’s 6-0 win over Slovakia at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship (courtesy of RONI REKOMAA/AFP/Getty Images)


</p>Team Sweden was hoping for a chance to settle a score with host Finland at the 2016 IIHF World Championship, and their wish has come true after the Swedes earned a semi-final berth with a 6-0 win over Slovakia in a quarterfinal game at Helsinki Ice Hall.

The win means that Sweden will face Finland in the next round, although the Swedes may have been hoping for a gold medal game showdown to turn the tables on the Finns, who won gold at this event in Sweden two years ago after defeating the Swedes in overtime on a goal by Rasmus Ristolainen.… read more

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[HF Article]

(Video) 2016 World Junior Championship: USA takes the bronze medal with 8-3 win over

Photo: Team USA forward and 2016 prospect Matthew Tkachuk deposits one of his two goals past Team Sweden goaltender Felix Sandstrom in the USA’s 8-3 win in the bronze medal game of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship (courtesy of MARKKU ULANDER/AFP/Getty Images)


</p>Teams USA and Sweden entered the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship with high hopes for winning gold. Instead, the two hockey powers met in the bronze medal game, an outcome that was certainly a disappointment to both squads.

If the outcome of the bronze medal game was any indication, though, then Sweden seemed to be the team that suffered the worst after-effects from their semi-final loss as the USA took home the bronze after a decisive 8-3 win over the Swedes at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.… read more

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[HF Article]

(Video) 2016 World Junior Championship: Jacob Larsson and Joel Eriksson Ek, Sweden

Photo: Team Sweden defenseman and Anaheim Ducks prospect Jacob Larsson will now return to SHL club Frolunda to continue his 2015-16 campaign after the completion of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship (courtesy of Chapin Landvogt/HF)


</p>Team Sweden made a nice run through the preliminary round of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, finishing atop a tough*Group A while compiling the best record among the countries competing at this year’s event in Helsinki, Finland.

Their strong play continued in their quarterfinal match against Slovakia, a game they won 6-0, but the tournament then took a familiar turn for the Swedes.… read more

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