Anton Frondell: NHL Draft – Top 3 Pick

That Frondell would go so early was expected – but he joins an exclusive crowd, only seven Swedes have been chosen as the top three before.

– Thank you for believing in me. I am shocked and expectant, he said as he thanked Chicago’s leadership afterwards.

The two 18-year-olds Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund play together in Djurgården. There they scored 11 and 19 goals in HockeyAllsvenskan during the past season.

Eklund’s big brother William is already established in the NHL, after four seasons in San Jose.

Thanked Mom

The pre -stipped Canadian slope Matthew Schaefer, 17, went as number one as expected – to the New York Islanders.

Schaefer, who plays in the junior team Erie Otters in Canada, has privately a tough year behind him after losing her mother in cancer.

“I miss her a lot and wish she could be here,” he said crying.

Michael Misa, 18-year-old forward from Canada, was elected number two by San Jose.

Sasha Boumedienne-son of former NHL player Josef Boumedienne, now general manager in Tre Kronor-went to Winnipeg as number 28. The 18-year-old slopes play college hockey in Boston University.

Draft in new form

Other Swedes who were previously chosen among the first three are Sweden’s two first elections, Mats Sundin (1989) and Rasmus Dahlin (2018), as well as the brothers Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

The draft took place in the PeaCock Theater in Los Angeles in some new form. The 32 teams are represented via link from their home towns, while 93 selected talents were in place.

Draft’s second to the seventh round takes place starting on Saturday night.