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

[Appleyard]

Problem is where does he play here?
Say one season in the AHL to acclimate to NA ice and style of play.
2020-21 - Provorov, Sanheim, Morin, ahead of him? Does Ghost stay at RHD?

1st world problems.

I think the most talented 6 Dmen in the organisation right now would result in:

Provorov (23) - Gostisbehere (27)
Sanheim (24) - Myers (23)
Morin (25) - Högberg (22)

Which would also give pretty good balance skill-set wise. Högberg has played quite a lot of games on both sides in his pro career as well.

However, I doubt all six will be still in the organisation by 2020-21. And Friedman is not as talented in his own zone as Högberg for me, but is close in terms of overall talent, plus a righty.

I would say Gudas is the only in-house "veteran" who is good enough to potentially hang around until then, he would be 30.

 

[David St Hubbins]

Problem is where does he play here?
Say one season in the AHL to acclimate to NA ice and style of play.
2020-21 - Provorov, Sanheim, Morin, ahead of him? Does Ghost stay at RHD?

1st world problems.

He doesnt, so long as Hak is the coach.

 

[Chuck Downie]

Q & A with Hogberg

Matchens profil: Linus Högberg

Google translated:

Describe yourself with three words
- Nice, happy, thoughtful.

Do you have any special preparations for match?
- Wants to play some football before the match.

Which person in hockey has meant the most for you?
- The whole family.

What is your favorite place?
- Sofa.

If you only had to eat a dish for the rest of your life, what dish would it be?
- Mammal pasta and meat sauce.

What is your favorite movie?
- A common cinnamon bun.

If you were allowed to live in a TV series, what would you choose to live in?
- Does not follow any series, so I do not know what I would have chosen.

What do you prefer in your spare time?
- Play golf or video games.

Who is the team's time optimist?
- Nils Carnbäck.

Who in the team would you rather live with?
- Kalle Johansson.

 

[Tripod]

"playing video games"

uh-oh.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

1. If you only had to eat a dish for the rest of your life, what dish would it be?
- Mammal pasta and meat sauce.

2. What is your favorite movie?
- A common cinnamon bun.

1. The translation is "Mom's pasta and meat sauce"

2. They weren't asking him about his favorite movie "Fika" is what the Swedish call a small snack they eat with their coffee, such as you would have when you go to a cafe. Swedish coffee is strong and bitter (I'm sure that originates both from the cold climate and the fact that historically it would have been difficult to get coffee year-round from places where the good stuff is grown, so they made do with lesser, crappier versions from closer than, e.g., Hawaii - these are just my theories, but I think they are accurate). "Ska vi fika?" means basically "Shall we go have coffee and a snack?" Because of the nature of the coffee, they usually eat something sweet, like a cinnamon bun, to offset the bitterness.

Here endeth the lesson.

 

[wankstifier]

I’ll take some mammal pasta and a common cinnamon bun, thanks

 

[Appleyard]

He honestly might be the best defensemen inside his half of the ice in the league. It is not hyperbolic to suggest going off how he has played this year.

 

[Appleyard]

 

[Psuhockey]

Which side does he play, left or right?

 

[baudib1]

Great stuff as always @Appleyard

 

[Stizzle]

How is it that he doesn't have an assist this year? You'd think he'd have one by accident.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

I think Gudas is more skilled than Morin.

 

[Appleyard]

How is it that he doesn't have an assist this year? You'd think he'd have one by accident.

Vaxjo had ridiculous bad luck to start the year... and dont score that much in a low scoring league. Their 2nd highest scoring Dman has 6 points. Hogberg has the 2nd most goals on their D too... Persson who runs the PP has 3.

 

[Appleyard]

Which side does he play, left or right?

He is a lefty, but has played both over his SHL career, and both this season. He was on the right side quite a lot at the start of the year especially.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Most Swedes have experience playing the right side. The big ice helps, but they always seem to have an abundance of LHD at all levels. At least to my eyes, more than most countries.

 

[baudib1]

Most countries have more LHD than RHD. The Flyers went for years without a RHD.

 

[Curufinwe]

As a right handed person I could never play left handed. It's weird that it's so common when I don't think it is in field hockey, and definitely not in cricket.

 

[Ghosts Beer]

When I was a kid I had a theory that, in general, Americans had harder shots in the NHL than Canadians because in Canada most are taught to stickhandle/shoot with their strong hand on top. I still believe it.

 

[baudib1]

As a right handed person I could never play left handed. It's weird that it's so common when I don't think it is in field hockey, and definitely not in cricket.

yeah I think it's a Canadian thing. I've not played a ton of hockey but as a right-handed person I can't even imagine wanting to use a lefty stick.

 

[Here4ThaLids]

It's the other way around. Most people are right-handed, dominant hand controls the top of the stick, thus most players shoot left and traditionally RHD are considered rarer/more valuable. Obviously not always, there's a lot of feel involved, and I've always thought very low-level clubs and camps shaped it culturally. There's a lot more variation country-to-country than there is with handedness, and baseball might have some influence.

Edit: remembered this old NYT piece: Hockey Stick Divide: Canada Leans Left, U.S. Right
I also seem to remember an old blog piece that really went deep into breakdowns but haven't been able to find it.

 

[Appleyard]

 

[Appleyard]

 

[Appleyard]

The most in depth interview I have ever done. Really nice guy, very accomodating, and very open with his answers.

 

[deadhead]

Appleyard, why are the Flyers leaving Hogberg in Sweden.

I presume he wouldn't be eligible for the ED if they brought him over, and it seems he's already done enough in the SHL that it would be time to acclimate to NA rinks.

Is it contractual? Hogberg wanting to stay in Sweden another year?

 

[Appleyard]

Appleyard, why are the Flyers leaving Hogberg in Sweden.

I presume he wouldn't be eligible for the ED if they brought him over, and it seems he's already done enough in the SHL that it would be time to acclimate to NA rinks.

Is it contractual? Hogberg wanting to stay in Sweden another year?

I do not know. Though it is not too late for them to give him an ELC over summer and bring him over, even if there are no obvious signs of that.

And it is not contractual, or him explicitly wanting to stay another year. But I do know that if they had signed him to an ELC and asked him to come to North America he would be there next year.