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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Matthew Schaefer at No. 1, who goes next and answering the 2025 NHL Draft's 10 biggest questions
With the 2025 NHL Draft just over a week away, we line up the 10 biggest questions to be answered when the picks start flying on June 27. The New York Islanders hold the top pick, and the consensus No. 1 prospect is defenseman Matthew Schaefer. The left-shot blueliner has the full package: size, skating, legit offense and a high compete level. He projects to play big minutes in all situations and has the potential to be a legit No. 1 NHL defenseman. Advertisement But there's a local wrinkle. James Hagens, once projected to be the top pick in this class, hails from Long Island. The idea of the Islanders drafting a homegrown, dynamic forward with elite skill has emotional and marketing appeal. That said, Hagens' stock cooled in the second half of the year, with many scouts now placing him closer to No. 5 on their boards. It seems highly unlikely the Islanders would go away from Schaefer for either Hagens or Saginaw's Michael Misa, but still, within the NHL, the possibility hasn't been completely discounted in the lead-up to the draft. Misa, the exceptional status forward who was the top player in the OHL this season, seems like the safest bet to be the first forward off the board. He's a creative, pace-driving center who has produced at a very high level. But there are some other options. Porter Martone is a very skilled big winger with a strong compete level. Anton Frondell brings a complete game to go with a high skill level and an elite shot. Caleb Desnoyers had a monster year in the QMJHL and projects as a tough minutes NHL center. Jake O'Brien and Roger McQueen bring size and skill down the middle. In discussions with NHL teams, most have Misa as their top forward, but each of the above names got at least one vote as the best forward in the class. There is a notable section of the league, for example, that prefers Frondell to Misa currently. McQueen has all the tools an NHL team wants: a 6-foot-5 frame, NHL-level foot speed, great hands, a high hockey IQ and a willingness to use his big body. But he missed the majority of the season, and the cause, a back injury, is notoriously tricky for NHL teams. The risk-reward calculus here is steep. If healthy, McQueen is a matchup nightmare who could become a dominant NHL center. The question is when does a team feel confident enough to roll the dice on him. Joshua Ravensbergen has been the top-rated goaltender this draft season, but his play was inconsistent. He's big and highly athletic, and tracks pucks well enough, but his game was a bit chaotic at times. First-round goalies are always a gamble, and organizational philosophy often plays a role. Some teams simply don't take goalies early, and Ravensbergen lacks the pedigree of other goalies who have gone high in recent years. Still, with few elite goalie prospects in recent years, someone may decide to secure their crease of the future in Round 1. If that happens, look for it to be in the 20-32 range. After Schaefer is picked, it's unclear who will be the next defenseman selected. Radim Mrtka is a huge right-shot defenseman who can skate, has legit offensive skill and hockey sense, although he's not overly physical. Jackson Smith brings size, mobility and high-end offensive skill, but his game can be a roller coaster. Kashawn Aitcheson is highly physical but has good enough speed and skill. Advertisement Team preference will dictate who goes next. Mrtka probably has the safest profile. Smith is the most purely talented. Aitcheson is the most unique profile that could translate the best to the playoffs. Brady Martin's stock was sharply on the rise following a good second half and a great U18 worlds. He's relentless, physical and also highly skilled. Teams are also falling in love with his background and character. Two months ago, it felt like Martin had a strong chance to be a top-10 pick in the draft, but as things stand right now, the question is now more about how high in the top 10 he goes. Hagens entered his draft year rated by many as the top prospect in the draft. He's extremely skilled and creative, a great skater and projects to run an NHL PP1. He had a very good but not great season at Boston College, though, and some scouts have raised concerns about how his barely 5-foot-11 frame will translate, especially given he's not overly physical. He's still likely a top-10 pick, but it's not clear where he goes in that range. Frankly, I've talked to more teams that have him in the 6-10 range than those who see him as a top-five prospect. Ivan Ryabkin entered the season being projected as a potential top-10 pick by some scouts. He was just as productive as Matvei Michkov and Ivan Demidov were as underage players, and talking to scouts a year ago, he was being discussed in the same light as them. He's a super-skilled winger who plays hard and was quite productive in the USHL in the second half this season. However, the term 'headache' has followed Ryabkin. He wore out his welcome in Dynamo Moscow, leading to a mid-year transfer, and his time in the USHL involved several suspensions and scouts picking apart the habits in his game. He also came in noticeably overweight at the NHL Combine. He's a legit first-round talent, but I haven't talked to many people excited to call his name in recent months. Advertisement This is one of the weakest Finnish draft classes in recent memory. There isn't a clear-cut top-100 player from Finland, but there are a few players at least on the radar. From the 2007 age group, defenseman Lasse Boelius is a good skater who was a top player internationally. In terms of re-entry candidates, Benjamin Rautiainen up front and Petteri Rimpinen in goal were good versus men and for Finland's World Junior team. Mason West might be the most intriguing athlete in the class. A legitimate dual-sport prospect in football and hockey, he has the physical tools of a legit first-round pick. He's a powerful center with NHL-caliber footspeed and puck skills, but will teams hesitate if they think he might eventually pivot to football? West has been trying to reassure teams he is going to eventually commit to hockey full-time after playing high school football this fall. (Photo of Michael Misa and Matthew Schaefer: Joe Hrycych / NHLI via Getty Images)
Time of India
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Could Anton Frondell fall to Philadelphia Flyers in 2025 NHL Draft?
As the 2025 NHL Draft approaches, the Philadelphia Flyers may find themselves staring at a golden opportunity: the chance to draft Anton Frondell, the top-rated European skater in this year's class. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Anton Frondell is widely projected to go within the No. 3 to No. 7 range, which could put him squarely in Philadelphia's sights depending on how the lottery shakes out. Why scouts are high on Anton Frondell Despite modest stats this season—11 goals and 14 assists in Sweden's second-tier men's league—Anton Frondell has garnered strong comparisons to players like Aleksander Barkov for his 200-foot game and hockey IQ. 'His strength lies in his ability to combine his strong awareness, drive and hockey IQ with his 200-foot game. Overall, he possesses great composure and poise at such a young age, much like Leo Carlsson in his draft year,' according to the Hockey Writers. Breaking down DRAFT PROSPECT Anton Frondell with Alex Appleyard; Flyers hire assistant coaches Anton Frondell, who only recently turned 18 in May, was also playing through nagging injuries for most of the season — a factor that could explain a statistical dip from his 39-point performance (18G, 21A) with Djurgårdens' junior squad last year. "He has a quick, accurate shot and can create his own scoring opportunities. His puckhandling is excellent, allowing him to maintain possession and navigate through defenders. He shows creativity and has a knack for making smart plays under pressure, whether that be with slick passes or taking quality shots on net. Frondell displays a high hockey IQ, often making quick decisions that positively impact his team's play. He reads the game well, anticipating plays and positioning himself effectively. This intelligence contributes to both offensive and defensive phases of play,' added. FC Hockey's Jocke Andersson What makes Frondell especially intriguing for the Flyers is his potential as a defensively responsible, playmaking center—a glaring need for Philadelphia as they continue to retool under GM Daniel Briere. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While no one is calling him the next Barkov just yet, the similarities in style—high IQ, two-way reliability, ability to drive transition—are hard to ignore. Frondell could eventually fill a second-line center role, with upside to grow into a top-line player if his offensive ceiling hits. And just imagine him centering a line with Matvei Michkov in the years to come—a potential pairing of skill, smarts, and scoring touch that could become a staple of the Flyers' top six. Will Anton Frondell fall to the Flyers' draft slot? The big question is whether Frondell will still be on the board when the Flyers pick. Ranked by many scouting services in the top 5–7 range, he could very well be gone by the time Philadelphia makes its selection—but if a run on defensemen or North American forwards happens early, there's a real chance he slips. Also read: For a Flyers team that's looking to build a sustainable winner and already has one of the league's top prospects in Michkov, Frondell could be the perfect fit down the middle—a cerebral, steady, and skilled pivot who could anchor their lineup for years.
New York Times
09-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
NHL Draft Confidential 2025: What insiders think of Matthew Schaefer, goalies and more
Today, we bring you our annual NHL Draft Confidential. You know where people like me stand on the players and the draft, but today we turn to the NHL, and the people who will ultimately decide where these players land, for their thoughts on the big questions facing this draft class. Numerous NHL evaluators were surveyed for this article. As a note, 'Scout 1' in a given question does not refer to the same Scout 1 in another question. Scouts and executives were granted anonymity in order to speak freely about the prospects in question. The most interesting debate in this year's draft, as it is with most drafts, is what happens at the very top. Most expect Erie defenseman Matthew Schaefer to be the first pick. Then there's a big group of forwards after him. Who will be the first forward taken? How close is the grouping? Does anyone have a forward ahead of Schaefer? We asked the NHL. Scout 1: 'Misa would be our top forward followed by (James) Hagens but there's a sizable gap from Schaefer to those guys.' Scout 2: 'We have Schaefer, then a gap. (Anton) Frondell is No. 2 for us. He's a potential (Aleksander) Barkov/(Anze) Kopitar type of forward.' Scout 3: '(Michael) Misa should be No. 1, even ahead of Schaefer. I don't understand why he's not getting as much hype as previous top OHL guys, when he's been just as good, if not better, than some of the top Ontario kids in recent years. He could be an NHL superstar.' Advertisement Executive 1: 'Schaefer is the best player in the draft. It's not close, quite frankly. After that, Misa is the top forward, but it's close. He has the best chance to be a No. 1 center, all-around player who scores a lot.' Scout 4: 'Schaefer is the top player by a good margin, then it would either be Frondell or Hagens. Misa I think is getting overrated — his compete level is average and he's not as dynamic as some portray.' Scout 5: 'Martone is the best forward in this draft, and I think in the playoffs he will show he has as much value as Schaefer. He's a competitor who plays a style that will translate to success when the chips are down.' Scout 6: 'Misa and Schaefer would be neck and neck for me. I would lean Misa. Misa has the potential to be a star No. 1 center, and that's the harder player to find compared to a No. 1 D, even if both are very valuable. (Caleb) Desnoyers would be third, then. He's a great all-around center, a guy you win with.' Executive 2: 'Schaefer, then a gap to Misa, then a gap to the rest. (Roger) McQueen would have been in the group with Misa if he was healthy.' Executive 3: 'Schaefer and Misa are clearly ahead of the rest of the pack. Then it would be some order of Hagens, (Jake) O'Brien and Martone. Desnoyers and Frondell are nice players, but we worry about their offensive upside.' Executive 4: 'Schaefer and Misa distinguished themselves from the pack. Then it's Desnoyers and Frondell in a group with Martone on the edge of that group. I expect that combination of players will make up the first five picks.' Scout 7: 'It goes Schaefer, then O'Brien, and then Frondell. O'Brien is so talented, has a lot of upside, and a lot of physical development left to go.' Scout 8: 'Schaefer is in a group by himself, then I would have Desnoyers, Hagens, Martone and Misa all closely bunched together. My lean would be towards Desnoyers as the best of that bunch. He's a winner who does a lot of things very well.' Advertisement Scout 9: 'Schaefer is the top player. Misa could get close, he is extremely talented, although he is inconsistent and has some bad habits. The top forward is between Misa and Desnoyers, but you have to take Misa after the year he had.' Executive 5: 'After Schaefer/Misa, Brady Martin is right in the mix with that next group, may even be at the top. He looks very similar to what Sam Bennett has become.' Scout 10: 'Schaefer and Misa are the clear top two players. After that I would have Desnoyers, Frondell, O'Brien and Martin in a close group together.' Scout 11: 'Schaefer is the best player in the draft, then I would have Desnoyers at 2. He does so much well, he could be a player you build around.' Executive 6: 'Schaefer is the clear No. 1. Then it would be a group of Misa, Desnoyers, Frondell and Martin for me. It's funny because I think Hagens could potentially outscore all of those forwards by the end of their careers, but you're trying to build a team that wins playoff rounds, and those guys bring different elements.' Schaefer is by leaps and bounds the top defense prospect in this draft. No other defenseman is expected to go in the top five. But the second defenseman to be picked will be interesting, and we expect another one will go in the top 10. So we asked people in the league for their second-ranked defender. Executive 1: 'Kashawn Aitcheson is an apex predator. He knocks a guy out with a hit, and then he knocks out the guy who comes calling for the fight afterwards. There's nobody in a top four in the NHL who plays like him. If you want his attributes, it's normally in a No. 6 or 7, but he is a top-four defenseman, a better version of Radko Gudas.' Scout 1: 'Mrtka will give you the least headaches of the top candidates. He's poised, makes good plays at both ends, just a very good all-around defenseman. Aitcheson's and Smith's hockey sense are concerning.' Advertisement Scout 2: 'Mrtka is clearly the top guy. He transformed Seattle when he got there.' Executive 2: 'Smith. He's a better skater than Aitcheson or Mrtka. He has the most skill of all of them. His decisions aren't the best, but he has the most pro potential.' Executive 3: 'Smith. He's big and such a good skater, competes, has offense. There's no miss factor with him.' Scout 3: 'Mrtka is going to play 1,000 games and just eat up minutes. You wished he played a bit harder, but he has successful pro written all over him.' NHL teams will at least somewhat follow public discourse. So I asked people around the league who are some top prospects for this draft that they feel the public is overrating. Scout 1: 'Victor Eklund. He's a small winger without elite offense, those types tend to fall. He's top 10 on almost every list, but I can almost guarantee that won't happen on draft day.' Scout 2: 'Lynden Lakovic. His compete is an issue, doesn't get to the middle and lack of physical engagement, and his hockey sense is ordinary. He's more of a late first-rounder than a top-15 pick.' Scout 3: 'Cullen Potter is a one-dimensional offensive guy. His skating is elite, but his compete is average and he doesn't make many plays.' Scout 4: 'Cameron Schmidt. The lists that have him as a first-rounder are way off. He's talented, but he has a lot of issues in his game. He's probably going in the third round.' Scout 5: 'Schmidt. He's not special enough of a scorer for where people have him rated. He's skilled and can shoot, but he slowed down a lot in the second half, and his hockey sense is questionable. I'm not even sure I would draft him.' Executive 1: 'Ivan Ryabkin. We wouldn't even draft him. His compete and habits are pretty bad, and he's not a great skater for his size.' Scout 6: 'Radim Mrtka. He's not that smart or competitive. I get he's big and skates well, but he's nothing special other than that. More of a teens pick than a top-10 type.' Advertisement Scout 7: 'Kashawn Aitcheson has major questions for us in terms of his hockey sense and decisions. You love how hard he plays, but he's not that big either. He's good but nothing special.' Executive 2: 'People need to slow down on the Brady Martin hype because he had a good U18s. He's super likable because he hits a lot of guys and has skill, but he's not a smart player and probably a middle-six wing in the NHL.' Executive 3: 'Desnoyers and Frondell are both being oversold a bit. They're good players who compete but don't have high-end hockey sense. They are second-line centers at best in the NHL. I would much rather bet on guys like Hagens, Martone or O'Brien.' On the other side of the coin, who does the league feel is not getting enough love? Scout 1: 'Cameron Reid. He's an elite skating defenseman with good enough skill and sense. He's not a big points guy in the NHL, but he can be successful in the NHL.' Scout 2: 'Caleb Desnoyers. See him listed often as a 6-10 guy, would say he's a lot closer to top five. He's a well-rounded center with very good puck play and size — he will go in the first few picks.' Scout 3: 'Cole McKinney. Don't see him talked about a lot. He was very good the last few months of the season, helped turn that NTDP team around.' Executive 1: 'Blake Fiddler has a lot more of an identity than some of the other top-ranked defensemen. He's not flashy, but he's hard and can skate and has enough skill. I bet NHL coaches will love him even if he's not a big points type.' Scout 4: 'People are underrating how high (Justin) Carbonneau in Blainville will go. He does a lot of things NHL teams will love and will translate to the playoffs. He's a handful to contain, he hits guys, skates well and has legit offense.' Scout 5: 'Jack Nesbitt had a bad U18s, but before that, I thought he had a chance to be a top 10-12 pick. I bet he still goes top 20. He's a big, heavy center with a lot of skill who did a lot of important things for that Windsor team.' One of the more fascinating prospects in this year's draft is Mason West. He is a 6-foot-6 center who played high school hockey in Minnesota. He's a projected late first/high second-round pick by NHL teams. However, he also has offers to play college football as a quarterback. Scout 1: 'He's a fantastic athlete. Go look up highlights of the way he can throw a football. He's just so talented. If he commits to hockey and can iron out some details, he has a lot of NHL potential. He's a first-round talent if he's a hockey player.' Executive 1: 'We're just not in love with the hockey player. He's tall and fast, but he plays on the outside a lot, and he's not overly physical. He's at best a second-round talent who you're now not sure if he's playing hockey or not. He's telling everyone he intends to play football in the fall, then go to the USHL.' Advertisement Scout 2: 'He didn't have a great overall season, but the way he ended it was very convincing between his high school playoffs and in the USHL. He looks like an NHL player.' Executive 2: 'It seems he's trending towards being a hockey player. He doesn't have QB offers from major schools. But that could change. My biggest concern is you use a high pick on him and then Minnesota offers him a scholarship to be their QB, and then I think he would go that way.' Executive 3: 'It doesn't seem like he's a premier quarterback recruit. His combine interview will be critical. If he switches positions in football, he could be a higher-tier recruit. What sport is he truly invested in?' We are near the end of the survey by quickly hitting on the goalie crop. Almost everybody agrees Joshua Ravensbergen is the top goaltender this year. We asked where teams would be comfortable taking him, and who would be their next name. Executive 1: 'Ravensbergen is a late one/high two type of goalie. The two Russian goalies, Semyon Frolov and Pyotr Andreyanov, look so good on video. If we felt comfortable taking Russians, we would have them as second-round picks.' Executive 2: 'We don't love Ravensbergen like some others. He's a maybe first-rounder for us. The London guy, Alexei Medvedev, would be our next guy. He's very athletic. I wouldn't say he's truly elite at anything but very good at everything.' Scout 1: 'Ravensbergen is a late first type of goalie. He's so big and athletic. Then there's a drop to Frolov, then a drop to everyone else.' Executive 3: 'Ravensbergen is a mid-first. We think he has starting goalie potential. Then it's Frolov, who I love. If we got live views I could see us talk him into a first-rounder. He has a ton of talent and structure in his game.' Executive 4: 'I'm a little hesitant on the Ravensbergen hype. He had a lot of tough stretches this season. We don't have any goalie rated in the first, but the closest would be one of the Russian goalies, and we would lean towards Frolov.' Finally, we end on a flash poll, where I ask evaluators who are the best prospects in the class at various traits. • Matthew Schaefer (Unanimous vote) • James Hagens (Unanimous vote) • Jake O'Brien (Majority votes) • Matthew Schaefer (Multiple votes) • Brady Martin (Majority votes) • Kashawn Aitcheson (Multiple votes) Best shot • Anton Frondell (Majority votes) • Kashawn Aitcheson • Victor Eklund • Cameron Schmidt (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; photos of Radim Mrtka, Matthew Schaefer, Joshua Ravensbergen: Michael Miller / Getty, Leila Devlin / Getty)
New York Times
06-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Do the Blackhawks need to make a big move this offseason? GM Kyle Davidson answers
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson answered a variety of NHL Draft questions Thursday, being that he was at the NHL scouting combine, but there wasn't much intel he was divulging. Davidson did clear up why some of the top prospects who you'd expect the Blackhawks to draft with the third-overall pick hadn't met with the organization over dinner in Buffalo. Advertisement 'We didn't do any dinners this year,' Davidson said. 'It was much more doing it in the room. I think it's probably born out of, we don't learn anything. We haven't learned much new in those interviews in the past. … It's funny because there's no place to hide here either, right? There's only so many (restaurant) options, and everyone's bopping around to the same spot. I don't know if I've ever really drawn any connection between dinners to list/ranking or anything like that. So I don't really pay attention to it. And this year we didn't take anyone out, not for any other reason than we just feel comfortable with everyone.' Outside of that, Davidson pretty much said what you'd expect about the draft. Basically, the Blackhawks are going to draft the best player available and believe there are plenty of forwards who can play center or wing if taken. Davidson didn't mention specific players on Thursday. But my educated guess is the Blackhawks look at Anton Frondell and Caleb Desnoyers with the third pick if Michael Misa is gone, or choose Misa if he's available. What was of note Thursday from what Davidson said during his media availability was everything else about the offseason and next season. That's where most Blackhawks fans are interested right now, too. What can they expect from the Blackhawks in the coming months? Davidson got into that. We'll break this up into the three big questions. 'I feel like that's been the consensus every single year I've been GM, other than the first. I feel like every summer, it's like, 'Well, they've got to go do something now.' Look, we're always open to exploring these things, but it's got to be right. It's got to make sense. We can't do something that's going to be counter to the path that we've set out on. If there is a big move that presents itself, that makes sense, then I'm all for exploring that and pursuing something that does make sense. But to say we're going to do something just to say we did something, and then it doesn't make sense with where we're at or where we're going, then I don't think we can do that. That would be irresponsible. Advertisement 'The other thing, too, is the idea of a big splash, that's so hard to do, right? That's so hard to find. Especially with the salary cap going up, there's a lot of teams that have access to space and money that wasn't in the system before. That's either going to probably hold players in their current place or create new teams that are in the mix on a few players that do become available. So it creates more competition for a smaller number of players and just makes things harder, right? 'I think the fortunate thing for us is we've got some really exciting young players. We've got some young players on the way. We've got a lot of assets, both in the system with our draft capital and in the future. And so it's something that we can explore, and we've got the ammo to access if something comes available. And so we're open to it, but it's really hard. Everyone wants good players, and then when they get them, they don't want to give them up. That's why a lot of these players are either acquired via the draft or using their assets that they've gotten from the draft or draft capital. Everything stems back to the draft. It's very rare — expansion teams are different — but a lot of core teams are developed through the draft. Once you're at a point to leverage either players, pick capital or prospects, then you can jump at opportunities. We feel like we've got a lot of capital to do something if we wanted to, but wanting it is different than being able to do it. And so it's something we're always exploring, but it's got to be available.' 'Yeah, of course. That's something we're very open to. Very murky and not clear to me if that's even available. Something that the rising salary cap did is give people, in the majority of the cases, the flexibility to keep their players. Normally, the No. 1 motivator of movement is salary cap constraint, and a lot of teams have been relieved of that this year. There seems to be a little more comfort, I'd say, around the league. That's something that feels a little more new this year. But yes, we would be very open and comfortable exploring that if it arose. 'I think with each year you get from our draft process, you get more and more willing. The first couple years of our process, if you were to ask me that I was willing to move first-round picks or second-round picks for players, you know, I would have, but it was probably less likely. As we go, it's more and more likely to acquire people that fit where we're going and maybe some gaps that we need to fill. As we go, I think it's something we're always really exploring, exploring hard, but you can't manifest that out of nothing. There's a supply and demand there and the supply in the NHL with good players that become available is just limited. It's just the way it goes.' 'It's all about the trajectory. You hope that through the improvement of your young players and the development of your young players that continues to elevate the improvement of your group and your team and your spot in the standings. That's always what you're shooting for. 'I think we are going to be younger. We are going to be way younger than where we started the season last year. I think that's exciting. That also brings a much more volatile ebb and flow of what you get. Youth goes through growing pains at different times and for different reasons. That's something we're likely to see just based on youth. But you hope that keeps ticking upwards, and the development of those talented young players will break into the NHL full time this year, elevates your group and continues that upward trajectory. Advertisement 'It's going to be a totally different look this year. There's going to be a lot of excitement in that and a lot of exciting moments from young players where you can see what's coming, you can see what this is going to look like and you can see how they're all going to impact the team at the NHL level. There's excitement in that. And that's what we expect. We expect our players to continue to improve and that improvement to improve the team and the results. 'What that looks like you never really know. Youth is unpredictable, especially at the NHL level, but we feel they're ready. It doesn't mean there's going to be players that struggle and they need the instruction, need the education, need the information to continue to improve, kind of dig themselves out of little ruts as they figure out the NHL grind and the NHL schedule and how you need to be successful and the way you need to play at the NHL level. But with the new coaching staff, really excited for them to get their hands on this group and to dig in and see all these players taking steps and getting to know some of these players even better because some of them were here for just a very short time at the end. I think that's something that's exciting, something that we need to continue to see improvement out of this young group and through that we should see improvement not only in our style of play but hopefully results-wise too. But I think there is excitement that we ended the year with.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ex-Hab Signs Two-Year Deal In Sweden
American-born Finnish right winger Jesse Ylönen, 25, has signed a two-year contract with Djurgården IF, the Stockholm-based SHL club announced on Tuesday. 'It's an honor to get the chance in such a legendary team,' said Ylönen. 'I know how much hockey means in Stockholm. I've heard that they have the best fans and the loudest arena in the league.' 'This is a really exciting player who has played a number of seasons in North America and a number of games with Montreal,' said Djurgården sports director Niklas Wikegård. 'Jesse is only 25 years old and, like the entire club, is in a phase where he wants to get better. We do not see him as a finished product, but as a player who we believe can take his game to the next level with good training and under good leadership.' Ylönen was born in Scottsdale, Ariz. in 1999 while his father, Juha Ylönen, was a player for the Phoenix Coyotes. He was raised in the Helsinki suburb of Espoo, where he played for the local Blues club, before playing three Liiga seasons for the Lahti Pelicans, recording 57 points in 130 regular-season and playoff games. Ylönen was chosen in the second round, 58th overall, by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Between 2021 and 2024, he played in 111 NHL games for the Habs, recording 29 points and 14 penalty minutes, but spent the majority of the time with the AHL's Laval Rocket. Ylönen split the 2024-25 season between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators organizations, but did not play any NHL games with either team. Ylönen joins a Djurgården team that just earned a promotion from the HockeyAllsvenskan and is in the process of building a competitive SHL roster. The team will have the consensus top-two ranked European draft prospects in 18-year-olds Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund, as well as veteran center Marcus Krüger, who was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks. 'Exciting times await Djurgården and I look forward to being a part of it,' said Ylönen. Photo © David Kirouac-Imagn Images Djurgarden Pair Leads NHL Central Scouting 2025 Final European Skater Rankings NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings for the 2025 NHL Entry Draft on Tuesday and, among the international skaters, to no one's surprise, the Djurgården pair of center Anton Frondell and right winger Victor Eklund top the list.
