2016 NHL Draft Profile: Axel Jonsson Fjallby

Swedish forward Axel Jonsson Fjallby played on Sweden's fourth line at the World U18 Championships and was absolutely perfect in that role. It's rare that a fourth liner is all that noticeable, but Jonsson Fjallby was because he made things happen every time he was on the ice. He was active and disruptive, creating opportunities with his fast skating and heavy hitting, and as a result, may have put himself on the radar for this year's Draft.

Player: Axel Jonsson Fjallby

Team: Djurgarden U20

Position: Left Wing

Height: 6'0' Weight: 170 lbs.

Shoots: Left

Stats: 39 games, 13 goals 16 assists, 29 points, +11

Final NHL Central Scouting rank: 92nd among European skaters

What I Like:

-High-energy, heavy game

I had to double and triple check Jonsson Fjallby's listed height and weight with a couple different sources because watching live, it feels like he plays a way heavier game than his listed 170 lbs. He skates with a low center of gravity and flies around the ice like a wrecking ball, using his size and speed to be a disruptive force. He knocks opponents off the puck and makes offensive plays by out-hustling the other team.

-Plays in traffic

Jonsson Fjallby loves going into the tough areas of the ice to make plays. He's always in the middle of the action and doing the dirty work to help create space for teammates.

What I Don't Like:

-Not a finisher

Jonsson Fjallby has a little bit of skill, but he's never likely to be a big scorer. He's more of an energy guy that is going to set up teammates than a guy that finishes off a lot of plays. As a result, his offensive upside doesn't appear to be all that high.

Draft Projection:

There's a lot to like about Jonsson Fjallby's game. He's a really effective player, but I think that lack of big-time offensive potential really hurts him when it comes to the Draft. Central Scouting has him in the 7th round range, as do I, but I could see jumping up slightly before that if they fall in love with his ability to compete and play a specific role.

Pro Projection:

Jonsson Fjallby is definitely a third or fourth line grinder at the NHL level. Given another few years to develop, he could be a very valuable piece as a guy that could fill one of those roles on an entry-level contract, a huge plus in the modern NHL. He'll need to play high-energy, good defensive hockey in order to stick in the big leagues, but has shown the ability to do that.