Date of birth: 8/3/1996
Place of birth: Lerum, Sweden
Ht: 6’2″ Wt: 194 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: LW/RW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2014
Twitter: @Antonkarlsson61
THW The Next Ones Rankings (January 2014): 30
Eldon MacDonald, THW: A few words on Anton Karlsson:
- Leader – Captain of two Team Sweden U17 teams plus the 2013 WJC U18 and the 2013 Ivan Hlinka.
- Deadly on the rush – His ability to make top notch plays at high speed make him especially deadly on the rush.
- High-end skills – Explosive skater, high-end passer, soft hands around the net, elite wrister and a killer one-timer.
- Tough to play against – Excels at going to the net, undaunted physically, tenacious, solid checker; loves to roil the opposition and put them off their game.
- Draft placement – Mainly in the twenties; Anton will have to have a breakout 2014 U18 WJC to move up significantly as his results to date have not matched what was expected from his skill-set.
“Big hulking winger who is at his best when he forechecks hard and finishes his checks. He bought that role during the WJC in Sweden and was very effective until he got hurt in a game against Norway. He’s got some offensive tools as well, but if he’s ever going to play in the NHL, it’ll probably be as a banging third-liner who plays responsible defensively and adds a lot of physicality to the game. Wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up in the CHL next season. “
Uffe Bodin - hockeysverige.se
“Karlsson is a strong forward that is tough to handle at full speed. He has a good compete level, solid checking ability and the smarts to play both ends effectively. He’s a strong playmaker given his vision, timing and soft hands but can finish, too. (August 2013)â€
Aaron Vickers - Future Considerations
“Karlsson burst onto the scene internationally last season; wearing the captaincy for Sweden at the Under 17 Championships and following that up with a very impressive performance as an underager with the Swedish entry at the Under 18 Championships. The 6-foot-1 forward has already filled out to 203 pounds and has a motor that is rivaled by few prospects at this age. Karlsson is a tireless worker who is always making an impact with his hardwork and physicality. The 17-year-old is relentless on the forecheck and is excellent at creating turnovers and driving offensive zone puck possession with great board-work and puck protection. Karlsson is underrated offensively and his ability to be around the puck bodes well for him at the next level as he should develop into a forward who is capable of complimenting a first or second line centre.â€
The Scouting Report
Karlsson is always considered one of the hardest working players on whatever team he is on. He has many positives to his game - he's a leader, an above average skater, strong passer, is great around the net, has a lethal wrist shot, is great on the rush, tough to play against... the list goes on. On top of that, Karlsson has all of these skills in a big body that doesn't get pushed around easily and is hard to knock off the puck. He can handle the puck well while moving extremely quickly and he works hard to protect his own end. He also works to keep his defensive game strong, as well - he focuses on his positioning when defending and finishes his checks well.
[NHL]627052[/NHL]
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