Prospect ID: #4 ranked Filip Forsberg

Swedish forward Filip Forsberg does have a really great hockey name. However, he is not related to former NHL superstar Peter “Foppa” Forsberg. Already projected to be a top international player for the 2012 NHL Draft last year, Filip has really impressed scouts and analysts and even more on the international level at the Ivan Hlinka tournament during this past August. This is HockeyLobby’s top prospect #4.

 

Born in Östervåla, Sweden, young Forsberg has been playing his entire career in Sweden as he grew up watching and idolizing the same Foppa, who shares his last name. At 6ft1 and 176 lbs, Forsberg completely dominated at every junior level where he competed. In 2008-2009, he played for Leksand J-18 and U-16’s teams, where he recorded 21 and 17 points in respectively 15 and 8 games. The year after, Forsberg spent most of the season with the J-18 swad, recording 21 goals and 16 assists for 37 points in 31 games. Finally, last year in 2010-2011, Forsberg saw a fair number of games in both Leksand 1^st division team and the J-20 squad. Playing at the age of 16, he scored 1 goal in 10 games in the Swedish Elite League, and scored 40 points (21g-19a) in 37 games for the junior club. And as the cherry on his sundae, Forsberg made a lot of impression at the Ivan Hlinka U-18 Memorial Tournament in August, as he helped Sweden to an unbeaten record till the finals, where they’ve lost the gold medal game to a determined team Canada by the count of 4-1. He finished the tourney with 6 points in 6 games. Thus far this year with Leksand in the SEL, Filip Forsberg has 2g-1a-3pts in 11 games.

A combination of size and high octane offensive skills, Filip Forsberg, a left winger, is on route on becoming the best Swedish forward prospect since Washington Capitals Nick Backstrom. His greatest asset as he, himself, would describe it, is his offensive flair. Though he does not possess the same high end speed that Oilers Magnus Paajarvi has, Forsberg does possess a better overall offensive toolset. He is more of a goal scorer than a playmaker, but his hockey IQ is really high. What makes him even more well rounded is his puck protection ability. He uses his body really well to cover the puck and is really strong on his feet as he rarely gets knock off his skates.

HockeyLobby is really high on this young Swedish prospect and when it’s all said and done, although he got selected HC Sibir Novosibirsk in the 2nd round (41st overall) of the KHL Junior Draft, we do think that Forsberg’s name will be call up on the Console Energy Center stage as early as number 4^th overall for the 2012 NHL Entry draft. Not only does he possesses such high offensive upside, but is also a young guy who loves the game and seems to really enjoy playing it. His playing style reminds us a lot of an Ottawa Senators captain and one of Sweden’s best player, Daniel Alfredsson.

Bonus Video: Watch Filip Forsberg on CBC.ca

Future Watch: Nathan MacKinnon

Guess who: Originally from Nova Scotia, playing at Shattuck-St. Mary’s high school in Minnesota and tearing it apart at the young age of 15 years old, playing a the center position, and was the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League 1^st overall pick… it sure sounds like a certain Pittsburgh Penguins franchise player isn’t it? Well, HL is pround to present our first article on this amazing prospect from Darmouth, NS, Halifax Moosehead’s Nathan MacKinnon.

Already coveted since the age of 14 years old, Nathan MacKinnon had a great year in 2011 participating at the Canada’s Winter Games in Halifax and at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, finishing respectively with 8 goals-3 assists-11 points and 5 goals- 3 assists-8 games in a 7 and 5 games tournament, representing team Nova Scotia and team Atlantic. He also finished his senior season at Shattuck-St. Mary’s with a 39 goals – 85 points in 34 games season, at midget level.

Presently compared to another Nova Scotian Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon gathered so much media and interest throughout the hockey world, especially in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Months leading up to the Q’s Midget Draft, the MacKinnon family had never shown interest for Nathan to play for the Q’s lottery winner, GM Steve Ahern and his Baie-Comeau’s Drakkar team, utlimately forcing him to trade away his 1^st overall prize to the Halifax’s Mooseheads and GM Cam Russell. After a full summer of doubt, whether young MacKinnon was to play in the CHL or the USHL, he finally showed up at the Mooses training camp, in a great form.

Nonetheless, Nathan MacKinnon is finally proving to be worth the blockbuster deal that Russell made to acquire him, as he is already dominating the Q with a 19 points in 12 games production and made most of his early points at the age of 15 years old since he has just turned 16 on September 1^st. His style of game is very striking as he dominates his opponents with a very powerful skating stride and violent wristshot. The Mooseheads are a pretty young team that should become a President’s Cup contender in the next few years, as Nathan MacKinnon will have plenty of great players to support him: Luca Ciampini, Martin Frk, Darcy Ashley, and a certain young midget player from the Lac St-Louis Lions, 2^nd overall pick in the 2011 QMJHL’s Draft, Jonathan Drouin.

Nathan MacKinnon is surely and already considered the best prospect for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and people sure like to compare him to a young Sidney Crosby. However, that comparison might be a little bit unfair to the young prospect, and he should not carry around that much pressure. Then so, rather to compare him to Sid The Kid, here on HL, we see a lot similarity in Nathan MacKinnon and Boston Bruins own amazing sophomore, Tyler Seguin.

Next on HL, we will resume our covering of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, as we will have features on #4 and #5 ranked players, Leksand’s Filip Forsberg and Everett’s Silvertips Ryan Murray.

Bonus article: Read Goal-happy Moose on a roll on MetronewsMacKinnon's profile on Elite Prospects

Future Watch: Luc Deschênes

I know it's pretty soon for a 1997-born prospect, but this kid is the next big thing out of New Brunswick. Only 14 years of age, Deschênes has been gathering so much attention from all Quebec Major Junior League scouts and GM such as André Tourigny and not only from the Q, but from certain NHL scouts already too.

Touted as the next big defenceman coming from the Q, and the best of the Maritimes since Luc Bourdon. Comparisons already to Brandon Gormley, but even better at the same age. His parents will eventually ask an Exceptional Player Status so he can be drafted in next year's Q midget draft.

Recently played at the Atlantic Challenge Cup as an exceptional player for team Newfounland and being also, the team’s captain.

Played at the Canadian Winter Games for NB as a 97-born, probably the youngest. Certainly a prospect to keep an eye on for the next few years.

Bonus article: Read "Luc Deschênes suit les traces de Luc Bourdon" on Cyberpresse (in French)
Deschênes' profile on Hockey Canada

Prospect ID: #2 Nail Yakupov and #3 Alex Galchenyuk

Since the transfer agreement has been established between the KHL and the NHL, Russia has seen less and less of their home products make it to the NHL, and consequently to NHL teams picking less Russian imports in the NHL Entry Draft. However, there’s a new breed of young Russian superstars that aren’t afraid of playing Major Junior Hockey in Canada in order to appease NHL teams and increase their draft stock. Therefore, last year, the Ontario Hockey League has witness Russia’s best import in Russian forward, Nail Yakupov, dominating the entire OHL and CHL.

Born in Nizhnekamsk, Russia, Yakupov could become, well surely, the 1^st breakout hockey star from Muslim Tatarstan.

Playing for the Sarnia Sting of the OHL, Yakupov came to Canada as the 2^nd overall pick in the 2010 CHL Import Draft, and completely showed the world a completely new style of Russian type of player. With little knowledge of English and Canadian culture, Yakupov was welcomed by teammate and best friend Alex Galchenyuk, the 2010 1^st overall pick of the OHL Priority Draft, and his family. Having to live and play together, these two Russian young guns have learned to connect on the ice, as well off the ice.

Standing at 5ft10 weighing 170 lbs, Yakupov plays a much bigger style than his height and weight are showing. Blessed with blazing speed, especially his transition speed aka acceleration, and extremely quick hands, the young right winger dazzled through the Ontario Hockey League with 49 goals and 52 assists for a total of 101 pts as a 16 years old... Russian import and earning him the OHL and CHL rookie of the year. His rookie totals outscored those of Sting alumni and 2010 Rocket Richard co-winner, Steven Stamkos. Let aside his gifted offensive toolset, Yakupov delivers explosive hits... most of the time much bigger than him. He has the nose for the net and is not scared to create his way to it. Some compare him to a smaller version of Capitals own Russian Tsar, Alexander Ovechkin, while others compare him to the other Alexander the Great, Alexander Mogilny and shifty as Pavel Bure. As far as scouts say, Yakupov’s size isn’t an issue. With that type of will and toolset, he has every chance to make it to the NHL and dominating right away for the team that will pick him. 

 Nail Yakupov (left) and Alex Galchenyuk (right) 

with their agent and former NHLer, Igor Larionov.

Playing alongside Nail Yakupov and completing this dynamic and dominating duo is American born of Russian descent residing in Canada, Alex Galchenyuk. Our #3 ranked Prospect for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft comes from a hockey family as Galchenyuk’s father, also named Alex, was a veteran of the Russian Super League, the precursor to the Kontinental League. After years playing for Dynamo Moscow, he headed to Milwaukee in 1992 to play for the minor-league Admirals. During his stint, Alex Jr. was born. Due to his father hockey career, young Alex has traveled a lot, from Italy to Chicago to finally live in Ontario.

With a bigger frame than Nail Yakupov at 6ft1 and 185 lbs, Sarnia’s primordial centerman plays a completely different style than his RW linemate. Galchenyuk possesses certainly one of the best vision and hockey IQ in this upcoming draft and uses it well to connect with his linemates. If it wasn’t for Yakupov’s incredible rookie season, Galchenyuk’s 31 goals and 52 assists would have give him the Rookie of the year title in the Ontario Hockey League. He is an extremely smart playmaker and his best attribute is the ability to slow down the pace of the game. Especially on the powerplay, he usually possess the ability to control the play and create his team chances to score. When without the puck, Alex has this ability to sneak behind the opponent defense and score most of his goals on the right side of the goal. Scouts compare him to a poor man’s Marian Hossa, but here on HockeyLobby, we see him turning into a similar player as Dallas Stars centermen Mike Ribeiro. Both have slick shootout moves and have the ability to sneak past defensemen and be at the right place at the right moment.

All in all, Nail Yakupov and Alex Galchenyuk are probably the best duo the CHL has ever seen since the dominating force that the London Knights once have back in the 2006-2007 season in Chicago’s Patrick Kane and Edmonton Oilers Sam Gagner. Not only that these two Russian superstars live and play together, they both trained together this past summer at the Biosteel Camp lead by Matt Nichol and Gary Roberts with a bunch of NHLers such as Mike Cammalleri, Steven Stamkos and of course, Twitter King Paul Bissonnette aka Biznasty 2point0.

With their past World Junior Championship Gold medal win lead by Zhenya Kuznetsov(WAS) and Vladimir Tarasenko (STL), Russia is definitely back on top of the World Junior Hockey Supremacy, especially with our top 3 ranked prospects for the NHL 2012 Entry Draft: Mikhail Grigorenko, Nail Yakupov and Alex Galchenyuk. Next June, we might witness history as these top 3 prospects will try to be the 1^st ever Russian trio to go 1-2-3.

Next up on HockeyLobby, brand new feature with our FutureWatch section. We will talk about two interesting prospects from the Maritimes as one is eligible for the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and the other one only for the 2015 Entry Draft: Halifax Moosehead superprospect and 1^st overall pick in the QMJHL Entry Draft, from the same hometown as Sidney Crosby, Nova Scotian Nathan MacKinnon and top rated defenseman prospect for the 2013 QMJHL entry draft, New Brunswicker Luc Deschênes.

Bonus link: Go watch NHL: Brothers in Arms on TSN