DETROIT, Ml – The 2008 Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings will once again look towards the “Land of the Midnight Sun” for their first round draft pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft.
Sweden, also know as “The Land of the Vikings”, has yielded a number of star players that contributed to the success of this years team. Vikings are know to be adventurous warriors, so look no further than the current
Photos courtesy of the NHL
Current Swedes include: Jonathan Ericsson (D), Johan Franzen (RW), Tomas Holstrom (LW), Niklas Kronwall (D), Nicklas Lidstrom (D), Andreas Lilja (D), Mikael Samuelsson (RW), and Henrik Zetterberg (LW). Need I say more?
This year, the Wings will chose Anton Gustafsson from Karlskoga, Sweden. He is a center who shoots left, stands at 6 foot 2 inches, 194 pounds, and is the son of Bengt Gustafsson, former Washington Capitals Forward and Swedish National Team Coach.
Gustafsson is currently a member of the Frolunda Junior Team that won the Super Elite Championship in 2006-07 and 2007-08. His one drawback is his lack of play at a higher level, having only played in one game in the SEL.
He is hailed to be highly skilled with strong puck handling skills and playmaking ability. A good passer through traffic and possesses a selection of shots in his bag of tricks. He is a two-way center with a serious and mature understanding of the game.
Photos courtesy of the NHL
He looks to be a very good match for the type of play the Wings are known for: Strong puck possession and versatile two-way players are the hallmark of the Red Wings. In other words, Detroit will once again look to Sweden for another quality draft pick at the end of the first round, so don’t be surprised to hear for the following at the draft in Ottawa this Friday night.
“With the 30th pick in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, the Detroit Red Wings select, Anton Gustafsson”.
Contact the author at: sharon.weatherhead@prohockeynews.com
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