Terriers have received a commitment for 2024 from Swedish right-shot forward Alexander Zetterberg, according to posts from Hockey Sweden and journalists Mark Divver and Chris Peters. The 5’8” right-shot center was ranked 18th among European skaters in the recent NHL Central Scouting midterms.
He’s the second Swedish-born skater to commit to BU in recent month. Highly-regarded Youngstown Phantoms defenseman Sascha Boumedienne gave his verbal to BU in December.
Zetterberg is a distant relative to Detroit legend Henrik Zetterberg, according to The Hockey News.
A 17-year-old (turns 18 next month) from Sundsvall, Sweden, Zetterberg has played for Örebro HK the past two seasons and currently has a 20-31-51 scoring line in 39 games with the organization’s J20 team.
Hockey Sweden’s post calls him “one of Sweden’s top ’06 forwards,” and “one of the best scorers in the J20 National,” adding, that he “has accounted for 33 points in [international] 19 games …this season and will be one of the key players when Sweden fights for a U18 World Cup gold later this spring”
At last month’s Five Nations U18 tournament in Plymouth, Mich., Zetterberg tied for the team lead with seven points (2G,5A) in four games, including a goal in the championship game in which Sweden edged the NTDP U18s, 4-3. His other goal in the tournament was a penalty shot in overtime that gave Sweden a 6-5 win against Switzerlandtw-align-centerAnd Sweden wins on penalty shot in overtime on goal by Alexander Zetterberg pic.twitter.com/vds39VAaXK
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) February 8, 2024
In last fall’s World Junior A Challenge, he led Team Sweden with six goals and four assists in six games, and had a 2-4-6 line in four games at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup this past summer.
While Zetterberg’s size will likely make him a mid- or late-round selection in the June draft, multiple draft profiles attest to his skill.
The Draft Analyst, following the Five Nations:
There were moments in each of the four games when Sweden was losing its grip on the initiative, but count Zetterberg as one of their few who were able to generate momentum swings virtually on his own. Playing on a deadly scoring line with Orebro teammate Melvin Fernstrom and multi-purpose center Lucas Pettersson, Zetterberg was the most puck-dominant of the three when it came to offensive-zone time, and he was a key player in erasing the 5-3 deficit against Finland. He would later produce a decisive result against Switzerland by drawing a penalty shot in overtime and scoring with a filthy forehand-backhand roof job. The slick, cerebral winger didn’t slow down from there, as he notched a pair of primary assists against the Czechs and a tying goal and an assist in the triumph over the Americans.
Last Word on Hockey, following the WJAC:
Zetterberg has shot up our 2024 NHL Draft Rankings early in the season He lit up the Swedish junior league this season, as the 17-year-old has 12 goals and 28 points in 26 games playing for his club at the J20 levelUndersized at just 5-foot-8, Zetterberg creates offence by pushing the pace. He is extremely quick. He also can control the puck and make plays while moving at top speed. Zetterberg also has extremely good agility. He can weave in and out of tight spaces both with and without the puck.
FC Hockey:
Zetterberg is an extremely talented center with a well-developed hockey IQ blended with silky hands that would make most players jealous. The playmaking ability that he possesses is fantastic. He sees openings as an opportunity to both skate into or to set up a pass if he spots an open teammate. He makes really difficult things look easy because he sees the developing play a second before other players.
DraftPros’s Andy Miller, following the WJAC tournament:
He has the ability to cover the opposition and can finish off the plays well. Zetterberg is likely going to develop into a second liner with some good offense. He will likely be a mid-second round selection and great selection for any team in the upcoming draft.”
Among draft ranking services, McKeen's has Zetterberg at #79, FC Hockey #53 and Draft Prospect Hockey #37 for the upcoming Entry Draft.
He joins five other forwards in BU's 2024 recruit class: Cole Eiserman, Kamil Bednarik, Jack Pridham, Brandon Svoboda and Nick Roukounakis.
►BU Hockey Writer Scott Weighart talked with Coach Jay Pandolfo, Nick Zabaneh and Cade Webber about the Terrier first extended break from games in months. They also discussed Jeremy Wilmer's exceptional season and how he, Zabaneh and Devin Kaplan have become a productive third line.
●GoTerriers.com Men's Hockey Enjoying Springbreak Staycation
Looking back
tw-align-centerJake Oettinger is just the 2nd Terrier Goalie to reach the 100 win milestone in the NHL and is just 30 wins behind Rick DiPietro for the all-time lead https://t.co/BeCsRjEZhp
— BU Hockey Stats (@BUHockeyStats) March 1, 2024
Jake Oettinger turned aside 25 of 26 shots in the Stars 4-1 win over Winnipeg. The victory was the 100th of Oettingers' NHL career. According to NHL Stats, Oettinger reached 100 wins in 177 games, third fewest for a U.S.-born goalie, behind only Frank Brimsek and Jimmy Howard. It's also two fewer than Oettinger's opposing goalie last night, Connor Hellebuyck, who achieved it in 179 games.
Kevin Shattenkirk assisted on a pair of goals, including the game-winner, as the Bruins edged Vegas, 5-4. Charlie Coyle and Matt Grzelcyk also had helpers for Boston.
Subscribers to The Athletic (and The New York Times) can check out Fluto Shinzawa's look at Grzelcyk's impending free agency and what the future might bring.
● The Athletic: Bruins’ Matt Grzelcyk, the NHL trade deadline and the stress of what’s to come
Women's Team
Terriers fell to Holy Cross, 4-2, in the quarterfinals of the Hockey East tournament at Walter Brown Arena. The loss ended first-year coach Tara Watchorn's season with a 14-18-3 record.
BU held a 2-1 late into the first period on goals by Tamara Giaquinto and Julia Shaunessy before the Crusaders added a late goal for a 2-2 tie. Holy Cross scored in the second period and added an insurance goal in the third. BU firing 29 shots over the last 40 minutes but couldn't solve goalie Madison Beck. Final shots were 37-12, BU.
“It's one of those 1 in 100 games that the bounces don't go your way, and this group deserved a lot better," Watchorn said, post-game. "I thought they stuck to our game plan. They played really well and just didn’t go our way.”
● GoTerriers.com recap and box score
● Post-game comments Watchorn and Madison Cardacci
● Boston Hockey Blog recap
.
No comments:
Post a Comment