[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Swedish Edition, Vol. 3):

LHC Anton Frondell (6'1",196lbs)
Djurgardens (J20): 10gp/ 5g/ 2a/ 7pts, +9, 6 PIM
Djurgardens (Allsvenskan): 21gp/ 6g/ 5a/ 11pts, +3, 12 PIM

Anton Frondell is a 200-ft center who has everything, including size, speed, an elite brain, and a power game, but injuries suffered in the last few seasons (including near the start of the current campaign) have negatively impacted his numbers. He uses his size well to play a physical game (which results in those injuries), to dislodge pucks, win battles, and establish positioning. He intimidates on the forecheck, dominates along the boards, barges his way inside, and crashes the crease for chances in-tight. Frondell is an effortless skater with near-flawless technique, and is agile and well-balanced- he can outrace most opponents to loose pucks, separate in open ice, and blow past defenders. His straight-ahead speed may be a step or two below elite, but he has an explosive burst and terrific acceleration with the shifty edges to evade checks, and fool defenders. His stickhandling might be even more impressive than his mobility, as he can handle around sticks on the fly, or deke and dangle through checkers. Frondell's puck-protection is exceptional, and he can handle smoothly with one hand while fending off pressure with the other. The puck seems to be glued to his blade.

Frondell is a lethal scorer from any angle, and can pick corners with a laser of a wrister on a quick and unpredictable release, after creating space for himself to explode into. He will set up in space for his one-timer, which is a bomb, and he plays hard around the net. He seems to excel in all situations, as well as both sides of special teams, and he's an excellent penalty-killer. Frondell bears a well-balanced offensive skillset, and is as good a playmaker as he is a scorer- with a sky-high IQ and supernatural vision to create plays and drive the offense, even under duress. He can see his teammates through traffic, and has the high-end passing skill to connect with them. With his talent for anticipation, he can see the play coming before it ever happens, staying perpetually ahead of the play, and he can break down opposing defenses with how well he reads the ice. Frondell is a tenacious, hard-working, heart-and-soul player who commits to playing a sound defensive game, and puts forth the same effort on the backcheck as he does in offensive situations. He covers seemingly every corner of the zone in defense of his net- from pressuring the point, to aiding his D down low. He is reportedly a gym rat who works hard to improve everyday.

There are those who think of Frondell as being more of a second-liner at this point than a top-line player, as injurues have eaten away at his effectiveness. His performances this season have been uneven, but he is currently in the middle of the 11th-best season for a U-18 player in Allsvenskan history- and the season isn't over yet. In 2023-24, he put up 7 points in 6 games at the World Junior A Challenge, but only managed 4 points in 5 games at this year's event- although I suspect he was still getting his feet under him after returning from injury. He's a top-line center all-day long, and will be taken in the top 6 or 7 players in this summer's draft.