hawksfan50
Registered User
- Feb 27, 2002
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- 1,980
If he hasn't already,JOAKIM ANDERSSON might be now considered a "riser" and BACKLUND a "faller" in swedish prospects for the draft given the results at the recent 4Nations U-18 which finished last week-end in Pitea...
Andersson had 1g+2a in 3GP to tie with several others for 3 pts in the tournament--he also won 64% of his face-offs and was a +3...The much balleyhooed Backlund failed to get a point in the tournament..true its only a short 3 game tournament--but still you expected more from Backlund who the ISS rates at #9 in their November rankings (per published on TSN.ca)... it is hard to compare them in regular season play because Andersson plays in the J-20 Super Elit South (9g+8a in 17GP) and Backlund plays against men in the 2nd tier Allsvenskan pro league for Vasteras (2 assists in 9GP) --he also played 3 games in the J-20 Super Elit North
for Vasteras where he had 3g+1a in those games vs Jr. competition...as I said,I don't know if you can determine anything from a short tournament like the 4Nations--but 2 facts stand out about Andersson that make me wonder if he's not the better pro prospect:
1. HIS SIZE--he's much bigger than Backlund and even in the NHL "BIG" centres who are good 2 ways are a coveted commmodity...
2. He has outstanding +/- ...he's +14 in the 17 GP for Frolunda in the J-20 Super Elit South (true they are one of the top teams in that division ,so +/- can be decieving and due to team strength)...BUT the fact he was +3 in the 3 GP at the 4Nations also leads one to believe that he is good defensively 5x5...
Anyway--I just wonder if at the very least,ANDERSSON has closed some gap to Backlund,if not surpassed him already on some scouting lists...we'll see how it shakes out the rest of the season..
Andersson had 1g+2a in 3GP to tie with several others for 3 pts in the tournament--he also won 64% of his face-offs and was a +3...The much balleyhooed Backlund failed to get a point in the tournament..true its only a short 3 game tournament--but still you expected more from Backlund who the ISS rates at #9 in their November rankings (per published on TSN.ca)... it is hard to compare them in regular season play because Andersson plays in the J-20 Super Elit South (9g+8a in 17GP) and Backlund plays against men in the 2nd tier Allsvenskan pro league for Vasteras (2 assists in 9GP) --he also played 3 games in the J-20 Super Elit North
for Vasteras where he had 3g+1a in those games vs Jr. competition...as I said,I don't know if you can determine anything from a short tournament like the 4Nations--but 2 facts stand out about Andersson that make me wonder if he's not the better pro prospect:
1. HIS SIZE--he's much bigger than Backlund and even in the NHL "BIG" centres who are good 2 ways are a coveted commmodity...
2. He has outstanding +/- ...he's +14 in the 17 GP for Frolunda in the J-20 Super Elit South (true they are one of the top teams in that division ,so +/- can be decieving and due to team strength)...BUT the fact he was +3 in the 3 GP at the 4Nations also leads one to believe that he is good defensively 5x5...
Anyway--I just wonder if at the very least,ANDERSSON has closed some gap to Backlund,if not surpassed him already on some scouting lists...we'll see how it shakes out the rest of the season..