[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Swedish Edition, Vol. 14):

LW Filip Ekberg (5'10",168lbs)
Ottawa (OHL): 36gp/ 9g/ 13a/ 22pts, -5, 2 PIM

Winger Filip Ekberg set the Allsvenskan record for the youngest player to ever record a point in that league, at the age of 15- and he scored a hattrick in that game. After being drafted 33rd-overall in the 2024 CHL Import Draft, Ekberg was expected to be a top player for a rebuilding Ottawa 67's squad (who are currently 16/20 teams in the standings), but has grossly disappointed- and by all accounts, he isn't even getting top-6 ice-time. Some were even projecting him to be a first-rounder in the 2025 Draft, but those projections have evaporated, as he's currently ranked as #136 (EU Skaters) by Central Scouting. Apparently, he missed training camp with an illness, on top of having to adjust to North American ice, as well as different surroundings on a new team. Ekberg skated in last summer's Hlinka for Team Sweden, posting 2 goals and 3 points in 3 games, and he put up a mediocre 3 points in 5 games in December's World Junior A Challenge.

Ekberg's playmaking acumen is perhaps his best asset, with his high-end vision and hockey sense driving his game- he skates with his head up to scan, and makes good decisions. He creates chances off the rush and causes havok on the forecheck to force turnovers. He drives the net hard, and when installed in the zone, he is always finding holes in coverage to fill while funneling pucks to the slot, and sending dangerous passes to the middle. Ekberg has a hard shot with a lightning-quick release and pinpoint accuracy that he can fire off on the fly, but he is also adept at scoring in-tight. His one-timer is powerful, as well. He exhibits uncanny awareness in all three zones, and intelligent off-puck positioning. Ekberg is an excellent skater who can push pace, and displays shiftiness in his edges- he is very slippery and hard to catch with quick changes of pace and direction, as well as deceptive shifts of weight. His hands and his skill match his feet, with some fairly dynamic stickhandling and slick 1-on-1 moves; he pairs these skills with delays to create space, and employs manipulation with deception tactics, such as look-offs, fakes, and dekes. He expertly plays the give-and-go to contribute to clean entries through transition, and he can skate some of the more dynamic routes to carry through the neutral zone.

Ekberg is not all finesse, as he's a bit hard-nosed and gritty with a surprisingly high battle-level, and some physicality mixed in. He will take abuse and absorb hits to complete plays, and will wade into the greasy areas to win puck battles against larger opponents. He will throw his weight around to dislodge pucks, but often ends up on the losing end of physical confrontations due to his lack of size and strength- still, he's game, and there is no issue with his motor, or his compete. Ekberg anticipates the play well enough to contribute defensively, but his impact is average at best- he needs to be more aggressive, as he's not very disruptive. Players with Ekberg's size are usually expected to have better numbers, or have some elite qualities, and I'm not really seeing that here. I think he'll be a mid-round pick at best this summer, and he may have to wait until even later to be chosen.