Sweden Stock Watch: Eddie Genborg and Anton Frondell making strong early impressions
Early in the season the SHL has been electric with high scoring games and odd results.
It has also been electric due to a lot of young players showing strong progress and taking big roles early. There is no secret that both top prospects from Sweden for the 2026 NHL Draft, Ivar Stenberg and Viggo Björck, are playing regular SHL hockey and turning heads with their skill and maturity. Other prospects that are creating headlines are Filip Eriksson, Anton Frondell, Eddie Genborg and Milton Gästrin. The latter has dominated in Hockeyallsvenskan to start the season.
The U20 Nationell league has also started and with changed rules and format this season. There will be no top 10 in the second half of the season and the two leagues (north and south) are straight 36 game leagues now.
The playoff format will now be 16 teams with five matchups through four rounds. This will increase the competition level with more meaningful games at the end. They have also changed the age rule and only U18-U20 players are allowed with the exception of three U21-players plus one U21 goalie per team. The fact that these rules started just after a U17-player (Björck) broke the scoring record is rather ironic.
This article will focus on six forward prospects playing pro-level hockey though.
Stock Rising 📈
Eddie Genborg, LW/RW, Timrå IK (Detroit Red Wings 2025)
Eddie Genborg, who finished last season as a bottom-six forward on the Swedish U18 WJC team, had a strong pre-season and earned himself a top-six role with his new SHL club. He has already tripled his point totals from last season. He plays a straight-forward North American-style of game. He is a physically relentless and effective checker against pro-level players. He excels offensively around the crease with timing, puck skills and physical skills as well. His skating looks good and he has shown the ability to gain space with his skating in transition and added decent playmaking at times as well. Genborg could be ready to step over to North America as early as next season. It looks like Detroit found themselves a future NHLer with their 44th pick this summer.
Anton Frondell, C/LW, Djurgårdens IF (Chicago Blackhawks 2025)
Anton Frondell started at center but moved to wing a few games ago and became a more dangerous player. He is built like a man and is incredibly clinical when he gets the puck in dangerous areas. His NHL-caliber shot and puck control truly shines. He is a clinical passer too. He intentionally seeks open spaces and reads where the puck is heading before his opponents do even at this level. He doesn’t need much room to fire his shot either. He reads the space just as well in the defensive zone also breaking up plays. It isn’t uncommon for young Swedish center-prospects to play as a winger before the step over to North America, but in Frondell’s case I think he would fit better as a winger long-term. Even though his skating ability has improved a bit, he still isn’t an all three zone driver of play and he is at his best when he can lurk into dangerous areas and deliver high-end finishing plays. Frondell will play in the NHL next season and I think that Chicago should start him as a winger to either Connor Bedard or Frank Nazar. I see Frondell having the potential of becoming a topline winger with time. If he plays center, his game and potential fits more to have a second line center ceiling. He would benefit from playing with play drivers in the future as well.
Milton Gästrin, C, Modo Hockey (Washington Capitals 2025)
Gästrin is a player that never does anything less than 100% and he always seems to believe highly in his own abilities which helps him greatly when he faces new challenges. Gästrin has arguably been the best center in many of Modo's games early on which is impressive for an 18-year-old with a top club in Hockeyallsvenskan. He dominates with a strong mental pace. He processes plays and acts at a high pace constantly. He isn’t a particularly well-schooled skater technically but his pace and proactivity makes him fast. I also see a better shot from him this season and he has scored on some clinical finishes from outside the slot as well. He plays physical too and is a kind power center in the way he plays. I think at least one season in SHL after this one would be a good path for him before stepping over to North America. He is a type of player that might get stuck in a limited role if he has to take big steps too early. It was wise of him to stay with Modo after their relegation, I think.
Stock Steady ↔️
Lucas Pettersson, C/LW, Brynäs IF (Anaheim Ducks 2024)
Lucas Pettersson has adapted well to his new SHL club. He is a strong rush attacker with a lot of speed to his game. He likes to attack the middle and has a good wrist shot in motion. He is a decent playmaker as well and can slow down the play on rush attacks too. He shows good awareness and scanning abilities on both sides of the puck. Brynäs uses him as a winger and I see his future in that position also even if he has a background as a center. At wing his speed and skill down the rush and in transition comes to good use. His progression to this player was expected from what we saw from him in his draft year. He is a good third-line prospect with speed, some skill and a solid two-way game. I can see him being ready to play in the NHL or AHL next season.
Victor Eklund, RW, Djurgårdens IF (New York Islanders 2025)
Victor Eklund has, as expected, been able to translate his game to the SHL with ease. He is one of the better players on his team. He is a playmaking energy player with a fantastic motor and competitiveness. He has put up a decent amount of points through his vision. He has a knack of delivering open passes in high traffic or from the board to the middle. He hasn’t scored any goals yet and is just under two shots on goal per game which is okay but lower than he had in Hockeyallsvenskan. Djurgården doesn’t have the puck as much as they are newcomers this season but I also think he has had it a bit tougher to get to the inside with the puck so far. It’s still early and I wouldn't call it concerning but something to follow during this season.
Stock Falling 📉
Melvin Fernström, RW, Örebro HK (Pittsburgh Penguins 2024)
Melvin Fernström had a rough start to the season. After putting up a decent production (17 points in 48 games) last season in the SHL, many thought Fernström would be ready to take the next step. He has struggled to earn ice-time and only has three shots on goal in his first nine games and no points. There is no denying that Fernström is a skilled winger. When he gets the puck in dangerous areas - he is a dangerous player. He has strong control of the puck and is both a good shooter as well as a passer. His skating mechanics are still an issue though and he lacks speed. He rarely is involved in transition or shows much ability to drive the play. He trends more to become a power play-specialist rather than a dynamic attacker. If he doesn’t earn a bigger role and start producing soon, Pittsburgh might be looking at getting him over to North America already during this season.