Joonas Nättinen, JYP, Liiga
This week belongs to Joonas Nättinen, who managed four points in two games: three assists against SaiPa and a goal against Ässet.
While Joonas said it is tough to get another shot at the NHL in the podcast I had with him, there might be other leagues that can be of interest when his contract with his hometown team, JYP, runs out.
Lukas Vejdemo, Djurgården, SHL
As Mitch Brown pointed out, Vejdemo has been leap-frogged on the depth chart in Djurgården, and there are a few reasons for it.
Djurgården was a surprise team last year and performed much better than expected. This year, though, they’re aren’t having nearly the success projected. New coach Robert Ohlsson has changed the style of the team, and the team has struggled. In this new system, Vejdemo has been moved to his natural centre position and has struggled more in that role compared to his position on the wing last season.
Vejdemo has been in the lineup for every game he’s been able, and even that shows that he is progressing. Normally he has had two players from his under-20 days as linemates, and that is a tough position to excel in at the top level.
We can only hope that Djurgården starts to pick up their game with a push to safer grounds in the table, and that Vejdemo progresses with that push.
Arvid Henrikson, AIK U-20, SuperElit
Henrikson’s AIK is still at the bottom of the standings, and still gives up goals by the dozen. The only good thing is that most of the goals are coming when Henrikson is not on the ice. While I haven’t had the chance to watch a game with Henrikson, I have a feeling he is very secure defensively.
Magnus Nygren, Färjestad, SHL
Nygren added two assists this week, and Färjestad has climbed through the ranks in the SHL and is currently in fifth place in the league. Färjestad also got a huge boost this week when Minnesota prospect Joel Eriksson-Ek returned to the team, and he scored in his first game to make a direct impact.
This week’s player to keep your eye on plays in the SHL, and there’s a high probability that it will be his last season there before making the trip across the Atlantic.
Timothy Liljegren
The highly touted draft prospect made his return to the ice this week after a tough bout with mononucleosis. In his first SHL game of the season, he registered an assist in 7:36 of ice time. In his second game, he played over 18 minutes, but was a -2.
I will watch Thursday’s Rögle game to get a better understanding of his play, and hopefully take in a game in person later on to get a better feel for the player that was ranked in the top five of the 2017 Draft class before the season began. The question that lingers is: how much has the mononucleosis damaged his chances for the top-three position that he was projected for?
Rögle has granted me credentials, and I will try to make it down to a game shortly to bring more news about this interesting player.
