So when I had the chance to see him play live in a situation where, unlike in the junior tournaments, he would be lining up against men in a regular season game without national pride on the line and assurance of hundreds of scout eyes beading down on him, I had to make the trek. While big tournaments are a good barometer for how a player might perform in high-pressure situations, it's equally important to see how they play when they're in their own element. There's plenty of value in day-to-day, regular season hockey when it comes to appraising talent. That, and it was a good opportunity to take in my first puck since moving to Sweden last week.
First off, I was happy to find that getting from Lund to Ängelholm, then to the arena, then back to the station, then back to Lund did not prove as complicated as I was anticipating. I'm looking forward to going back for games there in the future. (Mainly to watch Hampus Lindholm more closely, because he caught my attention tonight as well.) Also, they gave out unlimited free carrots. Pretty weird.
The other reason I'm glad I went? This kid was worth the price of admission alone. That's not to say that he was outright dominant - really, you can't expect him to be playing mostly fourth line minutes against seasoned pros - but I felt like I was watching a budding star who hasn't even come close to hitting his stride yet. Defensively he was a bum, but that can be fixed. On the attack he was electric, and the awareness that he showed is something you can't teach. He was not standing neck deep in water like Jacob de la Rose (who in his own right as a '95-born will probably be a solid player someday) but fashioned himself into an integral part of the attack and was involved on every shift playing mostly mistake-free hockey. Calling it mistake-free is selling him short. He was the most creative player on the ice.
FILIP FORSBERG
LEFT WING, Leksands IF, Hockeyallsvenskan
SEASON TO DATE: 29GP - 5G - 5A - 10P - +1 - 39 SOG - 31 PIM
STATS ON THE NIGHT: 0G - 0A - 0P - +/- EVEN - 3 SOG - 0 PIM
Leksands IF @ Rögle BK (Lindab Arena, Ängleholm, Sweden)
16/1/2012 (19:00)
FINAL SCORE: LEK 4-3 RÖG
BY PERIOD: 2-0, 2-1, 2-0
One game is admittedly the most limited of viewings, so take the following with a grain of salt.
SUMMARY
Skilled forward with power forward tendencies and a shot-first mentality in the offensive zone. Stickhandling is reminiscent of Malkin but Forsberg does not have the same overall quickness. More subtly shifty but very effective with sleight of hand. Showed the ability foil a forecheck with quick, simple moves. Demonstrated swagger with the puck despite limited ice time. Understands there are times when he can slow down the play to relieve pressure against his team. Offensive awareness is off the charts. Fluid with and without the puck on the attack. Allowed seamless breakouts by making himself available as head man or by carrying the puck. Made crisp, quick passes that laid flat and went tape to tape. Great pass reception skills. Has a set of skill moves and is unafraid to use them, with a high rate of success. Was the most creative player on the ice for either side. Has a hard snapshot with a quick release. Never teed one up with any kind of back swing. Set up for high shots and crashed the net at the right times. Unafraid to take the puck to the middle. Holmstrom-type power play skillset. Willing to take punishment to screen the goaltender, though his balance/leg+core strength have a ways to go. Apt at spinning off checks and is aware of when he's in the goaltender's line of vision. Heavy on his stick in front and during faceoffs. Good on the cycle and at using his body to protect the puck. Showed a heavy bias toward the offensive side of the game. Was lost defensively much of the time. Whether he doesn't care or lacks the awareness is uncertain. Did not forecheck and as a result often floated back into the zone. Was always watching the puck with his back to point men but rarely was in the right passing lane and was not quick to check nearby puck carriers. Did not utilize his size or reach defensively. Was able to force an outnumbered attack by cutting off a slow cross ice pass and also tried to spark a breakaway by pressuring a point man. Went for an all-or-nothing stick check that missed and created a shorthanded chance for the opponent. Appears willing to put in the defensive effort when an offensive chance might result. Quick feet forward and backward and good determination getting to loose pucks. Efficient stride that keeps him strong on his feet, though there were a few instances when he was overpowered. Should get better with time. Never got to top speed. Needs to keep his feet moving defensively. Got only one even strength shift after his team gave up two quick goals to cut the lead (4-1 to 4-3). Clearly being protected by his coach and was put in a position to succeed. Did not penalty kill. Played on the fourth line with '95-born Jacob de la Rose and Michael Raffl, as well as on the powerplay. Rarely stayed on the ice too long, if anything his shifts were short. Looked like a man amongst men most of the time, though there's still plenty of room for improvement to his game.
CSS CHECKLIST:
Skating
(7) Acceleration - First few strides, ability to pull away from or catch other players.
(NA) Speed - When in motion at full stride. (Did not reach full speed)
(6.5) Balance - Is he strong on his skates?
(8) Mobility - Agility, footwork, pivots, stops and starts.
(7) Backward Skating - Overall backward skating ability.
Puck skills
(8) Shot accuracy - Does he hit the net, force the goalie to make a save?
(8) Shot strength - Does he have a heavy shot?
(8) Shot release - Ability to shoot without getting set, off of the stickhandle.
(6) Possess multiple shot types - Quality of wrist, slap, snap and backhand. (Did not
illustrate variety but probably has more clubs in his bag)
(8) Stickhandling ability - Can he handle the puck at top speed? Controls the puck in tight
quarters, corners, along the boards.
(8) Puck protection - Ability to adjust body position & balance to keep or acquire the puck.
(NA) Faceoffs - Gets his team puck possession off the draw, used in all zones and all
situations.
(8) Giving a Pass - Delivers puck for easy handling, leads his man.
(8) Receiving a Pass - Gets puck under control quickly, can receive puck backhand, forehand,
off skates.
(NA) Scoring touch - Can he score several ways? Smart around the net, has a nose for the net.
(Involved in chances but no goals on the night)
Competitiveness
(8) Scoring drive - Willing to battle, go to the net, pay the price to score.
(6) Work ethic - Overall effort, works and competes every shift regardless of score & venue.
(7) Attitude - Level of maturity; well developed or 'has a ways to go.'
(5) Consistency - How consistent has his play been over the course of the season or in a game?
(His game changed, for better or worse, when his team went up big)
(7;3) Forechecking - Puck pursuit, fights through checks. (Offense: 7; Defense: 3)
Physical Play
(8;4) Board & Corner play - Battles for loose pucks, willing to pay the price. (Offense: 8;
Defense: 4)
(7;3) Physical presence - Size and strength are used as an asset; tough to play against;
punishes opponents every chance. (Offense: 7; Defense: 3)
(6) Conditioning - Overall physical conditioning, build, strength, stamina and durability,
seldom misses games.
(7;4) Hitting - Takes the body, effectively separates opposition from the puck, willing to take
a hit to make a play. (Offense: 7; Defense: 4)
(NA) Fighting - Willing to fight and is capable.
Hockey Sense
(8.5) Playmaking - Vision, offensive imagination, sets teammates up for scoring chances.
(8.5/5) Anticipation - Reads and reacts to the play, gets himself in position before the play
develops, sees opening for transition play.(Offense: 8.5; Defense: 5)
(7) Discipline - Avoids bad penalties, accepts a bad call, not drawn in to retaliation.
(No penalties on the night; hesitant to join scrums)
(8;4) Decision Making - Ability to sort out options and make the right choices. (Offense: 8;
Defense: 4)
(7) Play under pressure - Ability to make the right decisions above when forechecked or in a key situation.
(6) Versatility - Ability to play various positions, roles, special teams. (ES + PP)
Defensive Play
(4) Defensive Anticipation - Reads the play, gap control.
(3) Positioning - Angles opponents, active away from the puck.
(3) Backchecking - Picks up man, returns hard to the defensive zone. (7 on one shift)
(3) Defensive Reliability - Is he used in critical situations?
Psychological Factors
(5) Leadership - Takes charge, displays on-ice leadership. (Still wet behind the ears but poised)
(6) Communication - Witnessed in-game examples of constructive discussions w/ teammates and coaches.
(8) Confidence - Displays a noticeable 'air of confidence' in his on-ice activities.
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