2025 NHL Draft: Top 8 Swedish Prospects

With the 2024-25 NHL regular season concluded, it is time to begin taking a look at prospects for this year’s draft class. While this year’s draft class does not appear to have the same level of elite talent as previous ones did, there is no shortage of solid picks for teams to keep an eye on this season. Sweden has not produced a number-one draft pick since 2019, when defenseman Rasmus Dahlin was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres first overall. Once again, the country will likely not dole out the top draft pick this year, but there is still some top talent taking shape out of Scandinavia.

1. Anton Frondell – Djurgardens IF J20 (J20 Nationell)

2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Anton Frondell

Anton Frondell finds himself among the top prospects in this year’s draft class overall and is a definite contender for the top prospect out of Sweden. The 17-year-old center plays for the Djurgardens IF J20 team and, while his career is only just beginning, his statistics are already highly impressive. Last season, Frondell tallied 39 points (18 goals, 21 assists) in just 29 games with the team. Anton Frondell was briefly out with injury earlier this season; however, he returned and continued to perform at the level expected from him. He played 39 games with Djurgardens IF, tallying 32 points. He also represented Sweden internationally, totaling 23 points at that level. He is widely considered a two-way forward, fast, offensively-minded, and a playmaker on the ice.

2. Jakob Ihs-Wozniak – Lulea HF (J20 Nationell)

2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Jakob Ihs-Wozniak

Jakob Ihs-Wozniak stands out among Swedish forwards due to his extremely high production in the offensive zone. In the 2023-24 season, the winger netted 22 goals and tallied 28 assists for a total of 50 points across 36 games. In the 2024-25 season, he averaged over a point-per-game (57 points in 40 games) and shone on the international stage as well, with 36 points in 34 games. Ihs-Wozniak is a playmaker, particularly when grouped alongside other elite talent like Anton Frondell– the pair’s success was noticeable on the international stage in 2023-24. Though the six-foot-three forward can look a little awkward in his skating ability at times, he is still decently fast and improving over time–something scouts are going to keep a close eye on. His puck control and stick-handling are top-tier, making him a standout choice for this year’s draft.

3. Victor Eklund – Djurgardens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)

2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Victor Eklund

Another Swedish winger to watch is Victor Eklund. The Stockholm native is the younger brother of San Jose Sharks left winger William Eklund, and his play thus far is remarkably similar to a younger William. Victor Eklund has a high hockey IQ and the ability to win board battles due to his quickness. With his J20 Nationell team in 2023-24, the forward notched 25 points in 30 games. In 2024-25, he tallied 48 total points across both Djurgardens games and international games–not bad for the 18-year-old. At 5’11, he does stand a little smaller than other men on the ice, so he will need to continue to work on his physical engagement in the game to make it to an elite level. He held up well in the World Junior Summer Showcase this season, possibly pushing his name higher up in the minds of scouts.

4. Milton Gastrin – MoDo Hockey J20 (J20 Nationell)

2025 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Milton Gastrin

Milton Gastrin, a 17-year-old center, is another Swedish contender for this year’s NHL Draft. Milton Gastrin is known as a leader on and off the ice and, even at a young age, could be a valuable pickup for any team solely based on his character, playmaking abilities, and size. At six-foot-two and 179 pounds with plenty of room left to grow, Gastrin has the opportunity to become a powerhouse on the ice. He averaged two points per game in the recent Hlinka Gretzky Cup and continuously proves himself over and over to be clutch on the assist. He played 50 games with MoDo this past season, tallying 45 points (18g, 27a). Internationally, he outshone many others on the ice, notching a massive 42 points across 24 games. Alongside some more seasoned NHL superstars on his line, he could be a real asset when it comes to making offensive moves.

5. Karl Annborn – HV71 J18, J20

2025 NHL Draft Player Profile: Karl Annborn

Karl Annborn stands out as the first defenseman on our list, quickly making a case for himself and standing out among many other Swedish defensemen. The right-handed defenseman is known as a two-way D who plays with a calmness and consistency that also translates to his time off the ice. His skating ability is his biggest asset. He carries himself with an explosiveness and a powerful stride, which makes him highly valuable during offensive rushes and breakouts. He had a standout season with HV71’s J20 team, tallying 24 points in 39 games. He is a playmaker, with 21 of those points coming from assists. He will need to continue to work on building his muscle and size to be effective at an NHL level, but that will all come as he continues to age. His physicality, leadership, and puck-moving skills make him an easy top prospect out of Sweden.

6. Sascha Boumedienne – Boston University

Sascha Boumedienne represents Sweden by nationality but has committed to Boston University, which got even more eyes on his game through the most recent college hockey season. In his first season with BU, he totaled 13 points. While that is not a staggering statistic, he has lots of potential and plenty of room to grow. The offensive defenseman’s biggest asset thus far is his size. At only 18, he already stands at six-foot-two and 183 pounds, making him a physical presence on the ice. He comes by his hockey talent honestly, as his father, Josef Boumedienne, played professional hockey across both North America and Europe and is currently the Assistant General Manager for the Swedish National Team. While playing with the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms in 2023-24,, Boumedienne was named to the All-Rookie Team after finishing second among first-year defensemen with 27 points (3g, 24a). His stats show he is a playmaker and team player, skills highly valued among NHL scouts.

7. Filip Ekberg – Ottawa 67s (OHL)

Filip Ekberg’s stellar start in the OHL has put lots of eyes on him and skyrocketed his draft rankings as we get closer and closer to the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old left winger had 45 points (16g, 29a) in 45 games with the 67s. In the 2023-2024 season with Sweden’s Almtuna IS, he notched 29 points in 33 games. Ekberg consistently tallies more of his points on the assist, making him a highly valued teammate and playmaker. He plays with agility and explosiveness and is able to find open lanes and make impressive breakaways. He is in tough company among his fellow Swedes this draft year, but with continued physical development off the ice and plenty of time to grow, Filip Ekberg will be a high-powered offensive player and a valuable member of any NHL team.

8. Victor Klingsell – Skelleftea AIK

Victor Klingsell is an 18-year-old left winger out of Jarfalla who plays with Skelleftea AIK J20. He is known for his puck-handling skills and ability to create passing and shooting lanes before his opponents can even register his moves. He has registered 39 points in 43 games with the team last season, a standout number for the forward. He also represented Sweden at this year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, helping them secure bronze with an impressive 12 points in just 5 games. He has an impressive spatial awareness and playmaking ability, getting his name on the stat sheet often with an assist (or two, or three). Being so young, he obviously has room to grow–consistency, strength, and speed will be his biggest areas of improvement, but given time in the minor leagues, he will make a fast and highly intelligent forward for an NHL team working on their rebuild.

The 2025 Swedish NHL draft class continues to impress and move up the power rankings as their respective seasons continue. There is no doubt that we will see a handful of Swedish players taken in the first round of play, with many more to begin their professional careers in subsequent rounds.