Former General Manager Ron Hextall was a magician at drafting. Thanks to Head Scout Chris Pryor, as well, Hextall really nailed the latter portions of the draft, where, most teams crumble and shoot for the stars.
Yesterday, Linus Hogberg became the 8th player to sign an ELC with the Flyers from the 2016 NHL Draft. The only two players that did not sign are David Bernhardt (Still possible till June 1st), and Anthony Salinitri (The Flyers did not offer him an ELC, so he became a free agent two years ago). So just who is Hogberg, and what unique skills does he bring to the table?
Hogberg really established himself as a quality puck moving defenseman last season in 2019-20, while playing for the Vaxjo Lakers in the SHL. He became much better in transition, and Hogberg was able to exit the defensive zone cleanly, whether if it was by pushing the play up the ice, or looking for a quick pass to exit the defensive zone. For the season, he recorded five goals, and nine assists in 50 games played in arguably the third toughest league in the World.
Now these above offensive stats won’t blow people away, but Hogberg plays in a Men’s league in the SHL, so the competition is much fiercer. Hogberg could have better stats if he played in an easier league, but he likes stiff competition. He’s a competitor, one that can skate well, sees the ice well, and will pinch at the right time. Most of all, Hogberg plays a mistake free game, which is reminiscent of the game Mark Friedman plays. He could very well be compared to Friedman, the only difference is Hogberg plays the left side, as Friedman plays the right side.
This young prospect in Hogberg really showed his range by playing in any situation the coaching staff asked of him last season, and he did so well with puck protection. His skating appeared to be smoother than in prior years, and the young 21-year-old defenseman is on the rise folks. Hogberg is an excellent defenseman, who is really good at his craft.
“He helped Vaxjo win the 2018 Swedish national championship while playing alongside current Vancouver Canucks RW Elias Petterson. Hogberg has represented his country in several international tournaments, including the 2018 World Junior Championships,”– Flyers Press Release
Hogberg is a winner folks. He’s played on the big stage, and the Flyers can never have enough defenseman in their system. Hogberg earned this ELC, and Professional contracts do not grow on trees. It’s very hard to receive a Pro contract, so Hogberg us a defenseman worth watching next season for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. With all his great traits, and good hockey sense he leaves me no reason to believe he can’t excel for the Phantoms.
