With the Hlinka Gretzky Cup (HG) completed, we are getting closer and closer to the start of the new hockey season, and we are officially into a new draft year cycle with the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. This year promises to have a great amount of talent and skill available for all 32 teams, and the Nordic region will be a big part of that. This year’s cycle will see a much stronger Swedish contingency and a down year for the Finns, with the potential to see a few Norwegians getting into the mix as well.
This will be what I hope is the first of 3 rankings, which I will be putting together as the year goes along. This first ranking is my initial Nordic ranking based on both their performances last season and that of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. There will certainly be some juggling of this list as the year goes on, but for now, here are my top 10 prospects from the Nordic region to start this year’s 2025 NHL Draft season.
1. Anton Frondell
Position: C/W
Height/Weight: 6’0/196 lbs
Birthday: May 7th, 2007
Place of Birth: Trångsund, SWE
Club Team: Djurgårdens IF (Allsvenskan)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: DNP
Frondell remains the top prospect out of the Nordic region; however, his stronghold may be slipping. He missed a chance at the U18s due to injury and chose not to play at the Hlinka Gretzky to focus on making the Djurgårdens men’s team for this season. This absence has given players such as Filip Ekberg and Victor Eklund to close the gap further on him and will lead to some solid competition as we start the year.
Frondell can play both as a winger and centre, but I feel that he’ll be more successful at centre. He has a strong frame and plays well along the wall, protecting the puck with his frame. He’s a solid skater with a good stride that he uses well to fully extend. I did find that he lacks a quicker first step when trying to accelerate, which keeps him one step behind the play on occasion at the pro level. I think one aspect of his game that I’d like to see improved, along with a quicker step, is his puck control. There are moments where I find he will have the puck circling around the offensive zone, and then the next, he’s bobbled it, and the puck slides back out to the neutral zone, forcing his team to retreat.
In the games I saw him play up last year with the men, he looked comfortable, and I expect him to spend most of this season in the Allsvenskan.
2. Filip Ekberg
Position: C/RW
Height/Weight: 5’10/168 lbs
Birthday: April 14th, 2007
Place of Birth: Uppsala, SWE
Club Team: Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: 2G/1A/3P in 3 GP
Note: Ekberg remains on this list as my evaluation is currently based on what he accomplished last year in Sweden, which is why he is still being included in this region.
Filip Ekberg will be a very interesting prospect to follow this year, especially after he opted to cross the Atlantic and join the Ottawa 67’s this season. He had a good, not great, showing at the Hlinka Gretzky for Sweden, but I really liked what I saw from him in the 19 games he played in the Allsvenskan last year as a 16-year-old.
Ekberg is a strong skater with solid edges who can get in on the forecheck quickly to disrupt the breakout. He has a solid IQ level and I feel that he sees the ice really well. I want to see him use his stick more actively as I find he could have a healthy amount of turnovers thanks to his positioning defensively. Ekberg possesses some solid playmaking tools; for a 16-year-old playing pro, I found he was really comfortable with the puck on his stick, doing a good job of finding the open man and making the necessary plays. He also does an excellent job at finding open pockets around the ice where he can either take the shot or make a play.
Personally, would have liked to have seen Ekberg stay in Sweden for one more season; however, I don’t think a move to the OHL will hurt him at all, as I think it could help him round out his game a little more and push his playmaking capability to the next level. There may be some growing pains early on; however, I don’t think that will affect him long-term and should be ironed out by the second month of the season.
3. Victor Eklund
Position: LW
Height/Weight: 5’11/161 lbs
Birthday: October 3rd, 2006
Place of Birth: Stockholm, SWE
Club Team: Djurgårdens IF (Allsvenskan)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: 0G/4A/4P in 4 GP
The first of two late 06’s on this list; Victor Eklund looks to be another contender for the top Swede in this year’s draft. He had solid showings at the Hlinka Gretzky, as well as the U18s, while also performing well in the Allsvenskan playoffs for Djurgårdens this past season.
Eklund skates well and has a good level of acceleration. His overall speed is around average, but I think with some more added quickness to his first step, he could be very dangerous. He has strong edges and moves well with the puck. I love his comfort with the puck on his stick, and he does a good job finding the open man when needed. He is good positionally in his own end and is willing to get back on the backcheck. In my viewings, I felt Eklund demonstrated a very strong level of comfort at the pro level and was also one of the better players on the ice when he played at the U18s against his own age group.
Like the other two ahead of him, I expect Eklund to play the majority of this season up with the big club at Djurgårdens or, at worst, split time between both pro and J20. I also think he will have a strong chance at making the World Junior team for Sweden in December. If he continues to get stronger and add some more speed to his skating, I believe that Eklund could be a strong candidate to be taken in the middle of the first round.
4. Milton Gästrin
Position: C/LW
Height/Weight: 6’1/183 lbs
Birthday: June 2nd, 2007
Place of Birth: Örnsköldsvik, SWE
Club Team: MoDo Hockey (J20 Nationell)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: 3G/7A/10P in 5 GP
Milton Gästrin is a player who opened a lot of eyes at the Hlinka Gretzky, where he was one of Sweden’s leading scorers alongside linemates Ivar Stenberg and Viktor Klingsell. Gästrin played the whole J20 season as a 16-year-old (as he’s a June birthday) and he looked extremely confident.
The biggest thing about Gästrin that is obvious right off the bat is that this kid has speed to burn. He gets up the ice quickly thanks to his acceleration and always seems to be moving around the ice. He also has solid edge work, which he demonstrates often when spinning away from opponents. I think Gästrin could succeed as either a winger or centre, which he demonstrated at the HG, as he’s willing to support his defenseman and gets into good defensive positioning to cover the passing lanes. He also protects the puck well; however, I want to see him improve his puck-control ability this season.
Gästrin will be someone I will be watching closely this season, as I think he could definitely climb into the discussion as a guy who could go in the top half of the draft; however, I think, as of now, I’d project him to go more in the late-first. With a solid year at the J20 level and some good showings across a few SHL games, which I expect him to get, he could climb as the year goes on.
5. Viggo Nordlund
Position: LW/RW
Height/Weight: 5’9/165 lbs
Birthday: September 22nd, 2006
Place of Birth: Ingarö, SWE
Club Team: Skellefteå AIK (J20 Nationell)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: 2G/1A/3P in 4 GP
Viggo Nordlund is a player who I have liked since the beginning of last year when he looked like the better of the 5 2025 draft eligibles on Sweden’s 2023 HG roster. A full year later, though, and he’s slowly starting to fall more or less where I think he will end up.
Nordlund is a player who has always seemed to be moving. He has solid acceleration out of his stop-and-start and he has a great set of hands. I feel that Nordlund could be a very intriguing playmaking prospect, as he has solid playmaking tendencies with a good passing ability and solid vision. With a bit more refining, this could make him a very interesting playmaker at the next level. I also love his confidence with the puck on his stick when he’s skating up ice. He does need to get stronger, however, and I would like to see him use his body more to get underneath his opponent to get the puck.
At 5’9″, Nordlund is on the shorter end of the height spectrum. However, he has the skill set to be a late first in my eyes. I think with another solid season for Skellefteå, he could solidify himself in that spot. I would like to see him play the majority of this season in the SHL as well as compete for a spot on Sweden’s World Junior roster at this year’s World Junior Championships.
6. Jakob Ihs-Wozniak
Position: C/W
Height/Weight: 6’3/183 lbs
Birthday: February 1st, 2007
Place of Birth: Adelaide, Australia
Club Team: Luleå HF (J20 Nationell)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: 4G/0A/4P in 5 GP
Ihs-Wozniak will be someone I feel that people will have differing opinions on as we head into the season. On one hand, you have his outstanding numbers as a 16-year-old J20 player. On the other, you have his subpar performance at the HG and begin to wonder if he’ll slowly slip in rankings. For me, the reason for having him at 6 is that I see his numbers and just can’t put it together in my mind with what I’m seeing in his play on the ice; the HG performance was more of a confirmation to my current opinion on Ihs-Wozniak.
Now, Ihs-Wozniak is a solid skater; he gets up the ice rather well, and I sometimes feel he looks effortless in his stride. What he showed at the HG was that his skating has massively improved. I like the vision he’s shown in my viewings and I think he has some solid playmaking traits. However, there is still some work to be done on his accuracy. He’s willing to get back defensively and, at times, also willing to be physical, which, for a player who stands 6’3″, is a good thing to see creeping into his game.
I believe he does need to get stronger, and I think adding maybe 10 lbs could benefit him greatly. One aspect of his game I really want to see him improve is the ability to take control of a shift when needed. He has his moments here and there, but it’s not as often as I feel a player with his size and the numbers he’s putting up should be.
I think Ihs-Wozniak is going to be an interesting watch for me this year, as he could either skyrocket up this list by year’s end or remain in the same spot. If his numbers at the J20 are any indication, however, I would say he should bounce back from his disappointing HG. I expect him to get some time with the SHL team this season, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he splits most of the season between the pros and J20.
7. Jasu Mensonen
Position: C
Height/Weight: 5’10/174 lbs
Birthday: January 12th, 2007
Place of Birth: Imarta, Finland
Club Team: Lukko (U20 SM-sarja)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: 0G/1A/1P in 4 GP
Mensonen was supposed to be higher on this list. I was extremely impressed with how he played at the U20 level. However, he was extremely disappointing at the HG. He looked slow and almost seemed as if he could not keep up with the pace of the game. I will say no one on that Finnish team looked good overall; however, I was expecting him to at least be one of the better players for Finland, which I would have to say that I’m not sure he was.
Based on my viewings of Mensonen in Finland, I feel that he is a solid skater with good acceleration and good edgework. He does a good job turning away from defenders in tight and has a solid pair of hands. He is a real wizard with the puck and he loves having the puck on his stick. Defensively, he does a good job of being in a good position. However, I want to see Mensonen work on his defensive support. One part of his game I really want to see improvement in will be his spatial awareness, as I found there were times when he held onto the puck for too long and didn’t realize he had a defender closing in on him who would then strip him of the puck.
It’s going to be a rough year for the Finns this year; however, time will tell how things shape out. For now, I think Mensonen is the best Finn available this year. He has the skill and the skating to be a solid middle-six scorer, in my opinion. I would like to see him get some time in the Liiga to see how he fares against men, but if he remains solely in U20, I’d expect him to dominate.
8. Viktor Klingsell
Position: LW
Height/Weight: 5’10/183 lbs
Birthday: February 10th, 2007
Place of Birth: Järfälla, Sweden
Club Team: Skellefteå AIK (J20 Nationell)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: 4G/8A/12P in 5 GP
Viktor Klingsell was the 2nd piece of the best line for Sweden at the HG this summer. He was also the leading scorer of the tournament, notching 12 points in 5 games. Klingsell additionally dominated the J18 level this year while also getting into a handful of games for Skellefteå at the J20 level.
Klingsell is overall a good skater with solid edgework and a good long stride. He’s got decent acceleration; however, there is still a need to add a bit more quickness to his stride. Klingsell is a solid defensive player, demonstrating a willingness to get back and be in good positioning, however, his defensive stick still needs some work. One thing that Klingsell does really well is getting his shot off quickly while also doing a good job using his 5’10” frame underneath his opponent to separate them from the puck. I also like the potential he has shown as a playmaker; however, he will need to clean up his passing accuracy somewhat.
There is a lot of potential with Klingsell. He is capable of being a scorer or playmaker, but either way, he can put points up. It will be interesting to see how he fares at the J20 level, as I feel he should manage to put up a good amount of points this season. With his skill set, I would currently project him to go from the late first round to the mid-second round.
9. Luka Radivojevič
Position: RHD
Height/Weight: 5’10/165 lbs
Birthday: January 3rd, 2007
Place of Birth: Edina, MN, USA
Club Team: Örebro HK (J20 Nationell)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: DNP (0G/5A/5P in 4 GP in 2023)
Luka Radivojevič has been a name many have known for a while, having represented Slovakia at multiple international tournaments already. Despite still being eligible to play at this year’s HG, Radivojevič opted to stay put to focus on making the Örebro men’s roster for the upcoming season which could vault him up this list if he performs well.
Radivojevič is just an overall solid defenseman. He’s mobile and moves the puck up ice well, using both his feet and passing ability. Radivojevič has solid edges and has a good pivoting ability. He makes a solid first pass, making the safe play more often than not, and has a good level of patience, which helps him when in a bind. He is willing to be physical and has good gap control, but I want to see him close it quicker, as his lack of size gives his opponent that extra step to get by Radivojevič before he can close his man out.
In general, Radivojevič is a solid defensive prospect who plays a good two-way game. I’ll be interested to see how he plays at the SHL level this year. I think he has slipped in my mind compared to where I might have had him a few months ago, so I’ll be interested to see his game grow this season. He has all the tools to be a mid-first-round pick, but for now, I’d project him more towards the end of the first.
10. Jesper Kotajärvi
Position: LHD
Height/Weight: 5’11/157 lbs
Birthday: July 24th, 2007
Place of Birth: Kokkola, Finland
Club Team: Tappara (U20 SM-sarja)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: 0G/1A/1P in 4 GP
The second Finn on this list, Kotajärvi is a player who I’d say has the safest potential amongst the Finns available this year. He represented Finland at the HG but was not the best defenseman in my eyes and will need to step up his game a little more this season.
Kotajärvi is a solid defender who moves the puck up ice and is willing to skate the puck up ice when he has to. Overall, he skates well with the puck, but I find his acceleration is lacking both with and without the puck. He’s got a good IQ and makes the right play when needed. I don’t mind Kotajärvi’s passing ability, but it’s an area where I’d like to see him improve – specifically, his accuracy. Defensively, he does a solid job being where he needs to be, and his gap control is solid; however, he needs to close the gap quicker as he can get beat against quicker opponents.
Kotajärvi plays a safe style and isn’t by any means a fancy player, but he gets the job done, which is what teams look for in a defenseman. He’s already playing 20+ minutes a game in the U20 SM-sarja, so I wouldn’t expect that to change much. I do hope he gets some Liiga minutes this year as well. I’d project him for now as a 2nd rounder, but as the year goes on, he could fall into the 3rd.
Honorable Mentions
Lasse Boelius
Position: LHD
Height/Weight: 6’0/179 lbs
Birthday: March 16th, 2007
Place of Birth: Pori, Finland
Club Team: Ässät (U20 SM-sarja)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: 0G/1A/1P in 4 GP
The best player for Finland at the HG, Boelius is an excellent skater who moves the puck well and does a good job defending in 1-on-1 situations. He does a very good job turning away from pressure and is willing to be physical, which I noticed was much more prominent in his U20 games vs U18. He’s one of my dark horses to start the season and it will be interesting to watch his game grow as the year progresses.
Dominik Pavlík
Position: C
Height/Weight: 6’1/194 lbs
Birthday: March 27th, 2007
Place of Birth: Trutnov, Czechia
Club Team: Kärpät (U20 SM-sarja)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: 1G/2A/3P in 5 GP
Another player who impressed at the HG, Pavlík was Czechia’s dominant two-way centre who raised some eyebrows with his performance at the tournament. Pavelík’s defensive game is very mature and he moves extremely well around the ice, which, when he’s going, makes him very hard to stop. He’s a player who I can definitely picture as a middle-six centre on an NHL team. I think that, as the season progresses, we will see more of what he is capable of, and I believe he will be climbing rankings rather quickly.
Max Hultdin
Position: RHD
Height/Weight: 6’0/185 lbs
Birthday: September 30th, 2006
Place of Birth: Arboga, Sweden
Club Team: Örebro HK (J20 Nationell)
2024 Hlinka Gretzky Stats: DNP
Max Hultdin is a player who I want to highlight ahead of the season, as he was injured for the majority of last year and never really got the development he needed. From my viewings that I was able to get, I feel that there is an offensive two-way defenseman in his game. He skates well both ways and can get the puck up ice himself. I really like his man-to-man coverage in the defensive zone and he closes the gap well. If he can get a full, healthy year in and grow his game defensively, I think he will be an intriguing player on draft night.
Overall, we are in for an exciting year in this region. Check back at RecruitScouting.com for more coverage of the 2025 NHL Draft and be sure to look out for my updated Nordic rankings later in the year.
