The Canucks have three prospects at Sweden’s World Junior Camp
Jonathan Myrenberg, Lucas Forsell and Elias Pettersson are all on Sweden’s World Junior evaluation camp list.
The Vancouver Canucks’ 2022 prospect development camp felt a bit like a Team Sweden camp. Then it’s only fair Team Sweden’s World Junior evaluation camp feels a bit like a Canucks camp.
– It might be better to have the camp in Sweden next time, joked defender Filip Johansson at the Canucks camp.
There were ten Swedish prospects at the Canucks’ development camp, along with prominent Swedish collaborators Mikael Sameulsson and Daniel and Henrik Sedin. Three of those prospects were also invited to Sweden’s junior world camp: Jonathan Myrenberg, Lucas Forsell and Elias Pettersson – the defender, not the forward.
Jonathan Lekkerimäki, the Canucks’ first pick in the 2022 draft, is not on Sweden’s camp list, but that is no cause for concern. That’s actually a good sign. After all, this is an evaluation camp, and there is clearly nothing to evaluate for Lekkerimäki – he will be on the team.
In fact, Lekkerimäki will be on Sweden’s roster for the postponed 2022 World Juniors, which will take place August 9-20 in Edmonton, Alberta.
Myrenberg, Forsell and Pettersson have a tougher road to make Team Sweden for the 2023 World Junior Championships, which will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick starting on December 26. There are 46 players at the evaluation camp, all competing for the limited spots on the roster.
Still, it’s a good sign that Myrenberg, Forsell and Pettersson have even been invited to participate.
Myrenberg: “He always keeps his head up.”
A fifth-round pick in 2021, Myrenberg is arguably the best right-handed defenseman in the Canucks’ system, though that may speak more to the lack of depth in the prospect pool at that position than Myrenberg’s ability. That said, Myrenberg has quietly developed into a player with some legitimate NHL potential, with some smart offensive prowess for a strong defensive game.
With his size, smooth skating and spirited play, Myrenberg was a standout performer at the team’s development camp.
“He always keeps his head up, that’s definitely good,” Samuelsson said of Myrenberg to CanucksArmy’s Chris Faber. “I’m impressed with him, I knew he saw the game well and I think it’s because he keeps his head up.”
Myrenberg spent some time in the SHL last season but is moving to the Allsvenskan next season — Sweden’s men’s runner-up. That will allow him to get more ice time and play in more situations, which will help his development.
“I’ve already talked to him about it and he doesn’t see it as a drop-down,” Samuelsson said. “He’s thinking about his career and how he’s going to be the best he can be in three to four years. That’s going to be his focus.”
Playing a bigger role in the Allsvenskan could help him get more attention from Sweden’s talent evaluators for the world juniors.
Forsell: “I’ve been working really hard on my strength.”
A seventh pick like Forsell being invited to Sweden’s camp is fantastic to see. With a September birthday, Forsell was one of the youngest players in the 2021 draft and taking a chance on such a young player with more runway to develop seems to be paying off for the Canucks.
Forsell had a decent season in J20 Nationell, Sweden’s highest junior league, with 34 points in 35 games. More impressively, he spent 30 games with Färjestad in the SHL, Sweden’s top professional league. He may only have 6 points but playing 30 games in the SHL as an 18 year old is a positive sign.
Forsell even had some power play time and more than held his own at even strength with a 52.61% corsi.
At Canucks camp, Forsell did everything at a fast pace and was extremely enthusiastic about being in Vancouver, calling the Canucks jersey “the best colors in the NHL.” He was also realistic about where he needs to improve the most.
“I’m not the biggest guy, not the strongest,” Forsell said. “So, working on my strength, as a puck protector along the boards, that’s a big part of professional hockey. It’s something we work on every day in Färjestad. I’ve been working hard on my strength and I feel it’s paid off.”
Forsell said his goal for the upcoming season was to improve his consistency from game to game so he can be a reliable everyday player for Färjestad and work his way into one of the top three lines. Now he can also set the goal of making Sweden at the World Juniors.
Pettersson: “He’s tough to play against.”
As a third-round pick, it is perhaps a little less surprising that Pettersson was invited to Sweden’s evaluation camp. The smooth skating defenseman has already been on Team Sweden at the U-18 World Cup and was already on Sweden’s world junior radar before the Canucks selected him in this latest draft.
Pettersson is a two-way defenseman but his strengths lean more towards the defensive side of the ice, which is what got him to 17 games in the SHL with Örebro in his draft season.
When asked about the strengths of his game, Pettersson was quick to point to his skating, but his friend at the camp, Lekkerimäki, had a different review.
“He is a great defender,” said Lekkerimäki. “He’s hard to play against.”
When he talks to Pettersson, he’s so soft-spoken that it belies the heavy, physical game he brings to the defensive zone. He is far more confident with opposing forwards encroaching on his space than against members of the media doing the same in a scrum.
– I try to be tough and play hard out there, Pettersson said humbly. “I think that’s one of my strengths in the game as well.”
“I think last year when I was playing in the SHL with the big guys, my coach told me I have to be tough out there,” he added. “I learned so much last year [about how to] be tough and I will stand up for myself.”
When asked if he will play in the SHL next season, Pettersson began with humility.
“I don’t know. I’ll see,” Pettersson said, then smiled and said confidently, “Yes, I’ll play in Örebro next year.”
Jacob Truscott has also been invited to Team USA’s camp
There’s another Canucks prospect at a World Junior evaluation camp: Jacob Truscott with Team USA.
That’s nice to see from the 2020 fifth-round pick. Although he’s already 20 and ineligible for the 2023 World Juniors in December, there’s a chance he’ll make the team for the postponed 2022 World Juniors in August.
Truscott had a solid, if not spectacular, sophomore season at the University of Michigan, posting 17 points in 40 games. Along the way, he clearly added more of a physical element to his game, which he aptly demonstrated at Canucks development camp.
It’s a welcome development from Truscott, who had some question marks on the defensive side of his game when he was drafted. Adding more physicality to his defense definitely makes him more projectable as a prospect.
Truscott will likely play a much bigger role with Michigan as a junior and is aiming for a breakout season. At that point, it will be interesting to see if the Canucks look to sign him to an entry-level contract before his final year.