Prospect Info: Round 5, Pick 139, Linus Hogberg , D, Vaxjo Lakers, Sweden

[Tripod]

Well at least with Hog signed, it further shows how Ghost is a goner.

 

[deadhead]

Alexander Appleyard on Twitter

For those who have never really seen much of him.

He seems a lot like Kimmo in some ways.

Kimmo was never an offensive dynamo (averaged 3-12 15 per season at ES, had a few big seasons as PP QB though), wasn't that big (5'10 194, Hogberg may end up 6'1 200 or so), but was smart, smooth and efficient and made the most of his size by using leverage and positioning.

Hogberg just makes me think of that kind of defenseman, who never jumps out at you but just gets the job done efficiently with minimal mistakes.

 

[Appleyard]

He seems a lot like Kimmo in some ways.

Kimmo was never an offensive dynamo (averaged 3-12 15 per season at ES, had a few big seasons as PP QB though), wasn't that big (5'10 194, Hogberg may end up 6'1 200 or so), but was smart, smooth and efficient and made the most of his size by using leverage and positioning.

Hogberg just makes me think of that kind of defenseman, who never jumps out at you but just gets the job done efficiently with minimal mistakes.

I understand that comparison to a degree. Ofc never likely to be half the player Kimmo was at his best... but his style is in the Timonen/Strålman lite kind of mold.

 

[GapToothedWonder]

Out with the Hag in with the Hog

 

[Starat327]

Out with the Ghost in with the Hog

Ftfy

 

[orangey]

Low risk game, positionally sound and a good outlet pass seems like someone they would like, now that he has signed.

 

[deadhead]

Low risk game, positionally sound and a good outlet pass seems like someone they would like, now that he has signed.

At worst, I project him as a reliable 3rd pair D-man, where not losing games is more important that winning games through heroics.

He'll be 22 in September, I wonder about his real size now, EP has him listed at 6'1 176, but that's probably 3-4 years old.
He has 200 SHL games under his belt, so Hogberg is probably close to NHL ready.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

Oh, nice.

 

[Beef Invictus]

His name is Linus Hogberg so he's definitely going to be good.

 

[Appleyard]

Got some nice insight from Lakers assistant coach.

 

[deadhead]

Got some nice insight from Lakers assistant coach.

"I think he has to be tougher in his game . . ."

Not my words.

 

[Appleyard]

Had a brief back and forth with Linus... here is what he said in response to a few short questions on signing.

 

[Larry44]

Had a brief back and forth with Linus... here is what he said in response to a few short questions on signing.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[wankstifier]

Had a brief back and forth with Linus... here is what he said in response to a few short questions on signing.

Thanks for the coverage.

Bit of a tangent: do you ever chat with the players in Swedish? IIRC, you have some working proficiency in the language.

 

[Appleyard]

Thanks for the coverage.

Bit of a tangent: do you ever chat with the players in Swedish? IIRC, you have some working proficiency in the language.

Nope. I can read okay-ish enough to get the jist of most things, understand some things when spoken to... and speak very basic sentences (although tbh it is really Danish with a couple of Swedish words thrown in haha!). But not really enough to have a proper conversation. I have never learnt Swedish apart from watching hockey and transferring my knowledge of Danish to it, as they are not so far apart.

And pretty much every Scando player I know of speaks great English haha.

My Danish is ~A2 level. So basically I can function in Denmark in every day life without usually "having" to use English, and some is transferable to Swedish. But as soon as gets past "hey, can I get this", "excuse me, do you know where", "oh, thanks for that", "Hey, Im Alex, I work here, I live here"... then I am too slow to comprehend and respond.

 

[Maurice of Orange]

The Flyers have loaned Linus Hogberg to HC Vita Hasten of the Swedish second league, keeping him overseas.

Hogberg ended up inking his two-year deal on May 30, but will be staying in Sweden for the time being. The 22-year-old defenseman has played four full seasons in the SHL, scoring 14 points in 50 games in 2019-20.

 

[deadhead]

Good move, though isn't that Allsvenskan, a step down from the SHL?
Seems sort of a waste of time after 200 SHL games, but it'll keep him in shape for TC.

 

[Appleyard]

Good move, though isn't that Allsvenskan, a step down from the SHL?
Seems sort of a waste of time after 200 SHL games, but it'll keep him in shape for TC.

He effectively does not have an option right now.

SHL have now banned short term loans from the NHL for players who did not have an SHL contract for next year.

Hence why it has been a month since the last NHLer was loaned to an SHL team... while there have been like 20 prospects in the last three weeks loaned from NHL teams to Allsvenskan.

If there is no AHL season he will likely leave Allsvenskan and go to the SHL, as there is SHL interest.

 

[Eye of Ra]

He effectively does not have an option right now.

SHL have now banned short term loans from the NHL for players who did not have an SHL contract for next year.

Hence why it has been a month since the last NHLer was loaned to an SHL team... while there have been like 20 prospects in the last three weeks loaned from NHL teams to Allsvenskan.

If there is no AHL season he will likely leave Allsvenskan and go to the SHL, as there is SHL interest.

Vita Hästen is saying this loan of Högberg is for the entire season. Kind of weird. He should be in SHL.

 

[Appleyard]

Vita Hästen is saying this loan of Högberg is for the entire season. Kind of weird. He should be in SHL.

It has an out if NHL/AHL get underway... I have that on pretty good authority.

 

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

Out with the Hag in with the Hog

One can only hope....

 

[Appleyard]

 

[deadhead]

He may have had to work himself into game shape, he didn't have a preseason did he?

 

[Curufinwe]

What's next for Cam York and Egor Zamula? Brent Flahr on 8 Flyers 'D' prospects

What was it about Högberg’s 2019-20 season that cemented the decision to officially sign him to an entry-level contract? I didn’t get the sense that was always a certainty.

For him, I think the biggest adjustment was really his off-ice. He’s a kid that’s played over there (in Sweden) and played OK and done those things, but he never really invested the time in the offseason — to get stronger to put on weight to do the things that would give him a chance to play over here. I think, finally, he did. He’s a kid that has always been blessed with good skating ability, he can defend, he can move pucks. But he was one of those guys you always (thought) there’s another level to him.

Högberg has extensive experience playing in the SHL. He was loaned this season to a club in the second-tier Swedish league (Allsvenskan), not an SHL team. Why is that?

To loan to a Swedish Elite League team, you have to stay there all season. The only reason (Linus) Sandin can (play in the SHL this season on loan) is because he still has a contract there, and we can just recall him. So in order for Högberg to play over there, he had to play in the Allsvenskan. That’s why a lot of those guys are now playing in the Allsvenskan rather than the Swedish Elite League.

 

[deadhead]

This is why the Flyers emphasize work ethic and love of the game, at 19-21 years old there are a lot of distractions, especially in the off season (I can spend the day in the gym and skating laps and sprints, with a hot girl, with friends drinking beer, which do I choose?).

He’s a kid that’s played over there (in Sweden) and played OK and done those things, but he never really invested the time in the offseason — to get stronger to put on weight to do the things that would give him a chance to play over here. I think, finally, he did. He’s a kid that has always been blessed with good skating ability, he can defend, he can move pucks. But he was one of those guys you always (thought) there’s another level to him.

My suspicion is that this is true for a lot of prospects, it' s not that they're "lazy," it's just that they're not "ice rats". As JJ Watt pointed out, when he's 35 he'll have lots of time to drink beers with his buddies, but right now it's all business in a career with a limited timeline. Some kids get this early, some later, some never. And that may partially explain why some prospects mature faster than others.