Anton Frodell is widely regarded as the top European skater in this year's draft. He is consistently ranked in the top 10 NHL prospects in this draft, with at least half of the models and mock drafts having him with the third to seventh overall selections, right in the Flyers' zone.
Now, Frondell doesn't have a lot of stats to back up this hype. Playing for Djurgardens IF of the Swedish League, he scored 11 goals with 14 assists. This also comes a year after scoring 18 goals with 21 assists for Djurgardens IF junior team.
However, we have to take that with a grain of salt. He struggled with nagging injuries this year. Frondell also just turned 18 years old in early May and played as a 17-year-old with injuries in Sweden's version of the AHL.
The Hockey Writers say of him:
"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."
FC Hockey's Jocke Andersson chimed in saying:
"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."
Frondell is also widely considered to be the second-best center in the draft, after Michael Misa. He has drawn comparisons to Aleksander Barkov, not in his overall ability, but in his ability to play two ways. He can assist with a play and set it up. Likewise, he can also be counted on in the transition game to intercept a pass, break up a play, or set someone up for a breakaway. Barkov has just earned his third Selke Trophy. The Flyers' own Sean Couturier owns one himself. A center like that would be great to have.
As we know, the Flyers could use a highly quality center. Frondell looks like he could slide into a second-line center role easily. If he develops into a scoring threat, he might even become a solid top-line center. Perhaps having someone like Matvei Mickhov playing alongside him could help unlock his full potential.
Frondell may be gone by the time the Flyers select. However, if he is available, depending on who else is also available, he might be a great selection for Daniel Briere to make. Frondell is someone that the hockey scouts are all raving about. He could make a lot of sense for the Flyers.