New j18 players 2023-2024 (born 2007)

[Sliptip]

From all I've heard Brynäs will just be retaining their best 07s, which at this point is the best they could have asked for. Outside of the 10 who got at least a game last year they also went with Leo Berggren and Melker Jonsson. Berggren I have no clue what happens with though. Only 12 games because of knee problems and was supposed to comeback for the playoffs as far as I heard originally.

Expect the 07s to carry a big load this year. Think you can argue they are already better than the 06es despite being younger. If Hedin starts to play j20 Hillström needs to beastmode through this season, I don't think any of the other players will be optimal centers.

 

[hockeyprospects9]

Hoping for Klingsell to get more consistency, love him as a player.

I thought he deserved more ice-time and opportunities than he was given last season, and with this big of a roster there will definitely be players who'll suffer a bit from the same treatment. Hoping for him to get a top-role on this years team.

 

[Sliptip]

I thought he deserved more ice-time and opportunities than he was given last season, and with this big of a roster there will definitely be players who'll suffer a bit from the same treatment. Hoping for him to get a top-role on this years team.

Agreed, and I don't see how he doesn't get more this year, but that results in others getting crammed instead. Not generally a fan of how some of these more popular junior destinations just pull in as much talent as possible and they make so many kids suffer in terms of ice time and opportunities. Have heard stories and its noticeably sneaky and malignant towards the players. With how many clubs we have in junior I can't imagine that is would not be better for at least many of the kids right outside the absolute top tier to play more on the "second tier of junior clubs"(Björklöven, Mora, maybe Almtuna etc), and be a star player with way more icetime and chances to play up in ages.
The thing is that no matter what, even the top clubs are for the most part not just churning out all these talents. Obviously there are better and worse programs, but so much about the top ones are just about pitching and recruiting the top players from various places, especially the great Stockholm emigration every year. We generally don't see these kids get 4th lines minutes on a top program and then develop into a top player. If anything, they get loads of ice time and develop where they are at and then get into top teams as solid talents.

 

[hockeyprospects9]

Agreed, and I don't see how he doesn't get more this year, but that results in others getting crammed instead. Not generally a fan of how some of these more popular junior destinations just pull in as much talent as possible and they make so many kids suffer in terms of ice time and opportunities. Have heard stories and its noticeably sneaky and malignant towards the players. With how many clubs we have in junior I can't imagine that is would not be better for at least many of the kids right outside the absolute top tier to play more on the "second tier of junior clubs"(Björklöven, Mora, maybe Almtuna etc), and be a star player with way more icetime and chances to play up in ages.
The thing is that no matter what, even the top clubs are for the most part not just churning out all these talents. Obviously there are better and worse programs, but so much about the top ones are just about pitching and recruiting the top players from various places, especially the great Stockholm emigration every year. We generally don't see these kids get 4th lines minutes on a top program and then develop into a top player. If anything, they get loads of ice time and develop where they are at and then get into top teams as solid talents.

Currently he's playing 2nd pp in j18 during the preseason games, I genuinly can't believe it. It might not seem like a big deal, but if you compare it to his peers who are at a similiar level they're getting looks with the J20's during preseason and are undisputed top guys for their J18.

It might be a bit overdramatic, but to me it's like watching Holtz in NJ

 

[Sliptip]

Currently he's playing 2nd pp in j18 during the preseason games, I genuinly can't believe it. It might not seem like a big deal, but if you compare it to his peers who are at a similiar level they're getting looks with the J20's during preseason and are undisputed top guys for their J18.

It might be a bit overdramatic, but to me it's like watching Holtz in NJ

Haven't seen that, bizzare. He is their best 07 by far as well. I'm guessing they went full 06 on the 1st then? My guess pre-season was that they were going to move up Zetterlund/Nordlund to j20 and have him as their new high-flying guy. The rest of their 06es are pretty good and have some interesting guys, but Klingsell is no worse(probably better) than I considered those two named earlier were at the start of last season. Makes you wonder. Again though, proves the point, don't you think? I It's unbelievable how in this case their neighbours Björklöven can't even sense blood in the water nor be appealing enough to say "we'll give you everyting" and get anything.

Guesss that's no surpising though, people would get shocked by how amateurish/hfboardesque so much of junior hockey and the people running these organisations are. Keeping it vague, but one of the absolutely best u16 teams of last year essentially had one of their future j18 spots they were battling for taken by a random player who played elsewhere. I don't know exactly how the process went, but essentially they had given that player a verbal promise for a NIU spot despite people responsible for the junior department not having even seen the guy play(live at least, nor talked in person). Keep in mind this player was okay, but in now way a hidden gem or anything. Anyways, people were in uproar about this, especially because that u16 team battling for the spots were so stacked in that position anyways, and you essentially have to on average half the team going into j18, since it's for double agegroups.

To no surprise, after enough attention on this they went back and looked at it, and then rescinded the verbal promise before any actual contract got signed.

The massive tangent aside, hoping Klingsell either gets more time, or decides to jump elsewhere. I can't imagine he either enjoys this nor founds it productive in terms of development. He is one of the most entertaining juniors in the country to watch.

 

[Justsaying]

Currently he's playing 2nd pp in j18 during the preseason games, I genuinly can't believe it. It might not seem like a big deal, but if you compare it to his peers who are at a similiar level they're getting looks with the J20's during preseason and are undisputed top guys for their J18.

It might be a bit overdramatic, but to me it's like watching Holtz in NJ

I don't really see the same utilization woes as you do. Who is the top guy for Skellefteå J18 if not Klingsell?

What I've seen so far, the line Klingsell-Öberg-Wedin is the most utilized unit. My view is that as they've drawn a couple of penalties. By that, they automatically end up as PP2. The ice time between PP1 and PP2 has been quite evenly split as well.

With Nordlund/Zetterlund/Lindberg set for J20, I can't imagine they over time will play Lundström-Hedlund-Landström more frequently over time. No other line is close to the offensive abilities the Klingsell line has shown.

Last season, Klingsell's minutes was quite limited. As I see it, he didn't really have a defensive game that made him deserve more ice time. Even if the line he leads this pre-season is an offensive threat, their +/- is not that great so far.

I watched a couple of games and was somewhat surprised that Wedin was the one making the most effort in backchecks. Not Klingsell.

The debate is - are you supposed to develop the weaker aspects of his game or focus on limiting his skills to a pure offensive role. Very few 07's do actually play both power play and shorthanded in J20, nor in J18. I can't see Klingsell developing his overall game enough if he was to play J20 instead of J18.

What I've seen so far, Klingsell (and Öberg) is even playing shorthanded.

For instance: I can't recall Holtz playing shorthanded on a regular basis for Djurgården. They saved his energy for offensive minutes. Maybe that's one reason for Holtz not playing more for NJ - his two-way game is not good enough, despite having an elite level shot.

 

[hockeyprospects9]

Lundström - Hedlund - Lindström seemed like their go-to guys for me.

As for Klingsell’s defensive game, I’m not too worried. He lacks effort of the puck at times, although that’s not what he’s there to do. To me he’s a pure offensive player and is probably better of just letting other players take care of the defensive duties. In my opinion Skellefteå should focus more on developing their players best abilities. It feels like they’re producing such all round players with no x-factor, although those players will likely be decent players in the shl. I’m not a fan of how they develop forwards.

I also don’t like the way they give all players the same opportunities, their best talents should be favored and be give more ice-time and O-zone starts.