Isak Alvudd, Casper Scherstén headline TV-Pucken Playoffs standouts
TV-Pucken is a youth tournament that has run in Sweden since 1959 and continues to be a major event every fall. It’s nationally televised (as the name suggests), and every hockey district in the country brings their best team. Almost all of the Swedish superstars you have seen in the NHL over the years have played this tournament, with only a few exceptions of late bloomers.
This last week held the playoffs, with the eight districts that have qualified from the group stage in September. With the country’s top under-16 players gathering to represent their districts, the tournament offers scouts, agents and fans a first look at the talent that will shape the junior national teams and the junior elite clubs the upcoming year.
The age rule also makes this a particularly important tournament for agents. Agents aren’t allowed to contact players until the year they turn 16, which for these kids (born 2010) will be the year of 2026. The best talent here will be expecting a call from various firms on New Year’s Day.
This tournament is also the lead-up to selecting the age group's first national team in Sweden, who will play their first games in December.
Of course, we can’t do this without a disclaimer: Despite the hype and media coverage, this is still a short tournament and the first time a bunch of 15 year olds play hockey on national television. Standout performances aren’t a guarantee for future success. The playoff format only contains eight of 24 districts, too, so it isn’t a week where all the best U16 players in Sweden are represented either.
Still, let’s just dive right into the players who stood out the most for us last week:
Casper Scherstén, F, Skåne (Malmö Redhawks)
Casper Scherstén told hockeysverige.se in an interview that he models his game after Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. In the quarterfinal game, he was doing everything himself, taking the puck from his own end and using shifty and powerful crossovers to carry the puck all over the ice before shooting it. It looked impressive, but also very hard to do at higher levels. But he really stepped up in the semifinal against tougher competition.
Here’s Jimmy Hamrin’s report:
“In my second game watching Scherstén, he impressed me even more. I might have underestimated his playmaking and sense of space. Facing a tougher opponent in this semifinal, he wasn’t just travelling with the puck and creating for himself. He varied his plays more and used the fact that the opponents had plans to stop him against them. He had many sequences where he drew the opponents to him and slowed down his pace to play the puck behind them which gave his linemates more time and space to make plays.“
The dynamic ways that Scherstén opened up space and manipulated his opponents were the most translatable attacking patterns from any offensive talent in the tournament. He adapted his game depending on the opponents and was effective in all three games, controlling play and tilting the ice when he played. Scherstén is definitely a prospect we will most likely see and hear a lot about in the upcoming years.
Isak Alvudd, F, Småland (HV71)
No question here – Isak Alvudd was one of the main standouts. The HV71 product stepped up when it mattered most, delivering crucial goals and assists. He impressed with his blend of skating ability, puck handling, and relentless motor, consistently generating high-quality chances both as a shooter and playmaker. His combination of quick hands and agile feet made him a slippery, unpredictable presence for opponents. On top of that, Alvudd shows a quick mind for the game, making smart decisions.
In one game report, Sebastian Orre had the following to say about the tournament’s top goal scorer:
”Alvudd scored twice in the final, including the game-winning goal. He demonstrated his quality as a shooter on the power play with his first of the the day. He came in from the left side, received the pass, and used his skating and a subtle deke to create a slight movement on the goalie before quickly firing a low shot. His second goal was a beauty from start to finish – he capped off a quick transition set up by Sigge Isaksson’s stretch pass to Olle Sandberg, who found a seam pass over to Alvudd, who made no mistake with his catch-and-release shot. While the goals were impressive, a standout moment that truly showcased his skill came in another situation: quickly pressured as he received a pass in the neutral zone, Alvudd maneuvered away with a sharp cut from the defender, accelerated with impressive crossover skating, blasted by the opponent, and created a breakaway, which he very nearly converted as well. A top player throughout the tournament, delivering in high-pressure situations.”
Leon Roos, F, Gästrikland (Brynäs)
Elegant yet powerful, Leon Roos has a certain presence whenever he’s on the ice. Although he couldn’t help his team pull off an upset in the quarterfinal, he made a lasting impression throughout the tournament. He drives play with authority, showing excellent anticipation. Dynamic and agile, he changes pace and direction effortlessly and consistently holds off pressure from opponents. With a dangerous shot and outstanding playmaking ability, Roos is a constant threat in the offensive zone.
Roos is a top prospect in his age group, as Sebastian Orre noted in one of our game reports:
”Roos stepped up as centre in the final game for Gästrikland, after going scoreless in the first two playoff games. He consistently generated high-quality scoring chances on nearly every shift and proved to be a decisive force for his team. He set up the opening goal with a sharp power play assist from the right side, threading a pass that his teammate could simply redirect into the net. Shortly after, in another power play, he found the back of the net himself from the same spot, firing a low shot through the goalie’s five-hole. His offensive game is dynamic – equally dangerous firing quick shots or finding slick passes into the slot. What sets him apart is his ability to control the puck at top speed, combined with exceptional skating skills. Roos excels at various skating techniques, with his cross-over skating particularly impressive. He stands out as one of the most gifted players among the 2010-born, blending speed, skill, and vision to drive play.”
Olle Sandberg, F, Småland (HV71)
Among Småland’s deep and balanced roster, few players were as consistently impactful and an offensive threat in their TV-Pucken win as Olle Sandberg. The HV71 centre established himself as the team’s heartbeat throughout the TV-Pucken, driving play with his speed, competitiveness, and mature two-way approach. He produced offensively in key moments, scoring and setting up crucial goals during both the group stage and playoff rounds, while also taking major responsibility in all three zones, and ended the tournament with six goals and 12 assists.
From a game report by Victor Svensson:
“Sandberg delivered one of the more complete performances for Småland in their quarterfinal matchup. Combining speed, power, and puck movement, he was a constant threat through the neutral zone, often carrying the puck with pace and manipulating defenders by changing his pace. His ability to accelerate into open ice and challenge through the middle gave Småland clean zone entries on several shifts. Sandberg also showed strong scanning habits – notably using shoulder checks to identify passing lanes before setting up Alvudd’s opening goal with a precise feed into the slot. Off the puck, he worked hard to support plays, tracking back responsibly and competing on both sides of the puck.”
Sandberg plays a powerful north-south game built around pace and puck control. He constantly sought to attack through the middle, carrying possession with confidence and manipulating defenders by changing speed and direction. Sandberg competed hard and was showing a bit of grit and physicality when needed, especially against top opponents. With his combination of strength, vision, and offensive toolkit, Sandberg projects as a complete 200-foot centreman capable of thriving at higher levels as the pace and structure of the game increase.
Lucas Toumeh, F, Värmland (Linköping)
Lucas Toumeh was a play-driving beast at this level. He is always competing and trying to make plays. He plays with a lot of energy and intensity, winning battles and creating offence. He looked strong on both sides of the puck.
Here’s Jimmy Hamrin’s report after one of the games:
“Toumeh is a highly competitive and smart player. He is constantly on the move making plays. He is a powerful skater and takes smart proactive routes and always seems to be close to the puck. He generates speed through strong crossover technique and has natural explosiveness. He gives his linemates puck support and creates space for them by taking straight-forward routes. He also showed a knack of finding open space in the slot and time his entries there. He can be a good complementary player offensively to a strong playmaker that way. He is also a decent playmaker himself and had some nice board-to-middle passes. He scans well and seeks the net. He thinks the game at a high pace and can make decisions through both instinct and planning.”
Toumeh is likely going to be a player who we see on national junior teams who can be a prospect for various roles. His offence stands out at this level with his shiftiness and understanding of space. Long-term, it might be his motor and mental pace that help him keep standing out in various areas of the game.
Anton Toivola Henriksson, D, Stockholm Nord (SDE)
Anton Toivala Henriksson is an enormous 15-year-old defenceman who apparently still is choosing between playing basketball or hockey, although is leaning towards hockey, according to a hockeysverige.se interview. The 6-foot-6 right-handed defenceman is athletically very impressive with smooth mobility at that height and age. He also impressed with a strong sense for the game, never lacking time or space to make plays. He showed strong awareness of space and was a solid puck-mover from the backend.
Jimmy Hamrin, who probably was our biggest supporter of Toivola Henriksson among our group of scouts on site, wrote this in one of his reports:
“Toivola is a towering presence on the ice. He looks huge in comparison to his peers here. He plays a mobile and physical game and impacts play on both sides of the ice. He moves well in all directions and controls the puck well in motion as well. He looks calm with the puck and makes good plays. He also scored two goals and added a helper. He was constantly able to get his wrist shots through from the offensive blue line. He plays actively to be in good spots to be open for a pass. He scored the first goal that way and his assist came from a deflection off his shot too. On the power play, he was used in front of the net and scored on a rebound. He didn’t just stand there though. He moved behind the net and made himself open for passes and moved the puck. Being 6-foot-6 at 15 years old with good mobility and aggression, he looks like a player that NHL scouts will take a long look at in a couple of years."
Toivola Henriksson is going to be a player to follow in upcoming years to see how he can develop his game further and if he can grow even more. There still a lot of detailing needed to make his game as effective on higher levels, but the foundational pieces are in place already. HV71 is the elite club that has gotten the privilege of signing him for next season.
Joakim Dahl, F, Stockholm Syd (Flemingsberg)
Joakim Dahl emerged as Stockholm Syd’s offensive leader and captain, standing out as one of the tournament’s most dynamic forwards. With a powerful, fluid stride and natural goal-scoring instincts, he consistently drove his team’s attack, finishing TV-Pucken with six goals and three assists and a key factor behind their deep playoff run. Dahl played with speed, confidence, and offensive mindset in every shift. His ability to read the play ahead of defenders allowed him to find open ice and strike with precision. Whether attacking off the rush or creating space in the offensive zone, Dahl was a constant scoring threat.
Victor Svensson wrote this in one of his reports on Dahl:
“Joakim Dahl was the standout performer and clear offensive catalyst for Stockholm Syd, driving his team’s attack with speed, confidence, and a scorer’s mentality. His powerful, fluid stride allowed him to create separation effortlessly and attack open ice with intent every shift. Dahl tied the game 1-1 with a quick one-timer from the slot and later reclaimed the lead with a sharp wrist shot, both goals showcasing his natural scoring touch and quick release. He consistently hunted space, reading play ahead of defenders and positioning himself where he could strike. Even when away from the puck, he stayed dangerous—constantly scanning and ready to explode into scoring areas. Dahl’s combination of skating power, offensive timing, and shooting confidence makes him one of the most threatening forwards in his age group. He projects as a high-end offensive winger whose attacking instincts and goal-scoring drive will continue to separate him at higher levels.”
What makes Dahl particularly intriguing is his balance between skill and pace. He doesn’t just play fast — he processes the game quickly, using small positional adjustments and scanning habits to stay one step ahead. His attacking mindset, combined with elite-level skating mechanics and a confident shot, projects him as a high-end offensive winger capable of producing consistently as he transitions into higher levels of junior hockey.
Oliver Hammerman, F, Stockholm Syd (Nacka)
Oliver Hammerman was one of Stockholm Syd’s most productive and entertaining players, finishing the tournament with eight points and establishing himself as a creative force. His offensive instincts and composure under pressure stood out in multiple games, especially in how effortlessly he accelerated out of the corners and battled with the puck. Hammerman’s skating is fluid and technically refined, allowing him to create separation with quick turns and minimal effort. His combination of soft hands, precise timing, and strong vision made him a constant dual threat—both as a playmaker and shooter—from the half wall on the power play.
Victor Svensson had this to say in a report on Hammerman:
“Oliver Hammerman displayed excellent puck control and creativity, highlighted by a subtle toe-drag that opened a passing lane for an assist on Stockholm Syd’s equalizer. His skating is fluid and technically refined, using minimal energy to separate from opponents and exit tight spaces with control. Hammerman showed confidence driving toward the slot, frequently challenging defenders from his half-wall position on the power play. Midway through the second period, he broke free for a breakaway and finished calmly with a deceptive forehand move low glove side. He’s assertive, composed, and has a knack for creating offence with skill and pace. Continued focus on consistency in puck battles will elevate his all-around game. Hammerman profiles as a high-upside offensive forward with natural hockey sense and confidence with the puck that he showed a lot of on his 3-point night and took Stockholm Syd to the semifinal of TV-pucken.”
His execution, creativity, and skating technique make him a high-upside offensive prospect. Hammerman, currently a Nacka forward, will join Frölunda HC’s hockey academy next season, where his blend of skill and poise should translate seamlessly as he continues to develop into a dynamic forward in their program.
Maximilian Söderholm, D, Stockholm Nord (SDE)
Maximilian Söderholm is a mobile two-way defenceman with good reach. He shows good puck control while skating. He handled the puck well in all three zones, planning plays and also flashing some dekes. He moves quite well in all four directions, too, mostly due to such good backwards skating technique. He impressed with his ability to kill plays with aggression and move the puck well all tournament. He made it tough for the top players on other teams to make plays. He checks many translatable boxes and should be a player we see on national junior rosters in the future.
Sigge Isaksson, D, Småland (Växjö)
Sigge Isaksson played a key role on the back end in Småland’s championship run at the 2025 TV-Pucken, anchoring the blue line with poise, intelligence, and controlling the pace of every game. Calm and composed in every situation, he consistently read pressure early and made smart, efficient decisions with and without the puck. Isaksson’s skating and edgework were standout qualities throughout the tournament, where his smooth pivots and quick directional changes allowed him to evade forecheckers and transition play effortlessly, often turning defensive recoveries into clean zone exits or entries. In the final, he delivered one of the weekend’s best plays and goals — a perfectly timed stretch pass from behind his own net that set up Sandberg and Alvudd for a 2-on-1 goal. His composure under pressure and ability to blend both sides of his two-way game make Isaksson one of the most reliable and projectable defencemen in his age group.
Philip Tollefsen, D, Värmland (Färjestad)
Speed, size and aggression: If you check those three boxes in your draft year as a defenceman, you are definitely in the mix to be drafted. Philip Tollefsen already checks them off. He was a menace here. He has impressive acceleration through his crossovers and gains space with just a few strides. He retrieves the puck constantly and has the physical skill to protect the puck and skate away with it. He plays aggressively and delivers hard hits. He scans the ice while handling the puck to make the best play. Offensively, he showcased a heavy slap shot multiple times, which he perhaps used a bit too often. But a player who wants the puck and wants to make plays will get a lot of practice improving his decision-making in offensive situations.
Milo Spelkvist, F, Värmland (Örebro)
Milo Spelkvist, together with Toumeh, was the offensive spark for Värmland, creating some of the team’s most memorable moments with his skill, determination, and confidence with the puck. The right-handed forward who can play both centre and on the wing has great hands, shoots the puck well, combining with powerful skating strides and physical strength, and scored six goals and three assists during the tournament. Despite Värmland’s tougher playoff path, Spelkvist’s composure, offensive toolkit and experience stood out. His production and poise from U18 competition this season underline just how much power and potential he already brings to his age group. As he continues to build consistency, icetime on U18 level and strength, Spelkvist projects as a dynamic offensive forward capable of impacting the game at higher level on a top line.
Sven Zetterberg, D, Stockholm Syd (Djurgården)
In rush-heavy games, Sven Zetterberg distinguished himself by repeatedly neutralizing the opponents’ attacks. His sharp instincts made it look effortless as he timed his moves and stepped up at exactly the right moments. While his defensive play was his biggest asset for Stockholm Syd, the defenceman also contributed with solid passing, reliably advancing the puck up the ice. As Swedish Regional Scout Jimmy Hamrin noted in one game report, he could definitely be in the mix for a national team spot.
Ricky Helte, D, Småland (Växjö)
Going into the final weekend of TV-Pucken, Ricky Helte was among the players we were most excited to watch, and he did not disappoint. The two-way defenceman performed at a high level, impressing with his ability to string together impactful shifts and seamlessly transition from breaking up plays in his own zone to establishing offensive pressure. Maybe his greatest asset is his knack for creating time and space, dictating play, and setting up his teammates for success – a standout player on this level and a key factor in his team’s success.
Alexander Kenttä-Esko, D, Norrbotten (Björklöven)
No one else on this list faced the same challenges as Alexander Kenttä-Esko, who played on a team that was under a lot of pressure. Despite this, he demonstrated strong puck-moving ability throughout the tournament. His quick mind and decent four-way mobility allowed him to escape pressure during retrievals. Even more impressive was his ability to adapt his style of play, opting for a more straightforward approach with the puck when needed and doubling down on his defensive work. His awareness and positioning allowed him to break up plays and shut down scoring chances.