5 dynamic forward prospects for Blackhawks fans to know before the 2024 NHL Draft
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Linus Eriksson, C/Djurgardens
Many of these first-to-second-round prospects display decent size, and Linus Eriksson is no different, standing at 6’0, 185 lbs. Opinions regarding where he should fall vary, with Tankathon listing him at No. 73 while Corey Pronman of The Athletic has him slated at No. 24. So there is still a lot of mystery regarding where Eriksson will land on draft day, depending on where Kyle Davidson has him ranked on his board.
If you look at numbers only, Eriksson may not impress you, thanks to the 21 points and five goals he put up at the J20 Nationell level, which would align more with a No. 73-ranked prospect if we’re going by Tankathon’s take. But it’s also important to remember that Djurgardens was a good team, and that can sometimes mean fewer scoring opportunities if they’re spreading the puck around often.
He was also good enough for a stint with the big club in HockeyAllsvenskan, where he put up 11 points and three goals in 29 games before scoring another four in 12 postseason matchups.
In a worst-case scenario, Eriksson is someone the Blackhawks draft in the early-to-middle rounds should he freefall. But if the 18-year-old increases his stock, there is a good chance he hears his name called in the back-end of the first round.