| STORIES |
- Saturday, June 23, 2007: Nill: Smith and Andersson have legitimate NHL shot
- Thursday, June 28, 2007: No frills, all responsibility
- Monday, December 3, 2007: Three prospects to smile about (or not)
- Monday, January 7, 2008: Grigorenko stalls in Russia
- Monday, January 12, 2009: Not drafted, but no slouch
- Monday, March 9, 2009: Crunch time for contract hopefuls
- Tuesday, December 1, 2009: Andersson gets bumped in Sweden
- Tuesday, April 20, 2010: Time right for Andersson jump
- Tuesday, May 25, 2010: Johnston achieves rare feat
- Tuesday, September 14, 2010: Andersson going on the offensive
- Wednesday, November 17, 2010: Failure to launch
- Wednesday, January 5, 2011: Big Swede’s production no Joak
- Thursday, June 9, 2011: 2010-11 end-of-season: Smith rules the roost
- Tuesday, December 6, 2011: Andersson adding next dimension
- Tuesday, January 3, 2012: Red Wings prospects grab WJC spotlight
- Tuesday, May 29, 2012: Expect multiple grads from competitive top 11
- Wednesday, December 19, 2012: Paterson puts himself in the spotlight
- Wednesday, January 23, 2013: Productive Sproul shines brightly in CHL
- Wednesday, February 13, 2013: Pulkkinen lighting the lamp once again
|
| HISTORY |
2005-06:
- Performed well as 16-year-old with Frolunda at Sweden’s under-20 level (35-9-11-20).
- Helped Frolunda to within one game of Swedish under-20 title (7-2-5-7).
- Represented Sweden at world under-18 championship in limited role (6-0-0-0).
|
2006-07:
- Enjoyed productive year with Frolunda at Sweden’s under-20 level (41-20-26-46).
- Finished second in team scoring (8-0-7-7-) en route to Swedish under-20 title.
- Had a plus-34 rating, 131 shots on goal and 49.8 faceoff percentage (473-948) in 49 total games.
- Appeared in one Swedish Elite League game with Frolunda, going without a point.
- Helped Sweden win bronze at world under-18 championship in Finland in April (6-0-1-1).
- Ranked as high as 21st (The Hockey News) and as low as 66th (Red Line) for the NHL draft.
- Fell to the Red Wings in the third round (88th overall) in the NHL draft.
|
2007-08:
- Started season with Boras at Sweden’s second level and played well (33-6-17-23).
- Won a remarkable 55 percent of 578 faceoffs with Boras, taking 66 shots and finishing a minus-4.
- Dominated Sweden’s J-20 league in six-game stint (eight goals, 10 points).
- Won silver as second-liner with Sweden at world junior championship in Czech Republic (6-0-6-6).
- Placed fifth overall at world junior with a 64.5 percent faceoff percentage.
- Worked his way into Frolunda’s Swedish Elite League lineup by season’s end (9-1-0-1).
- Appeared in four playoff games in seven-game first-round loss to Farjestad (4-1-1-2).
|
2008-09:
- Broke into Swedish Elite League full-time on Frolunda’s third and fourth lines (49-6-6-12).
- Finished with a plus-3, 43 shots and 175 wins on 394 faceoffs (44 percent).
- Impressed as Sweden’s second-line centre (6-2-4-6) en route to silver at world junior championship.
- No points in 11 games as Frolunda lost in Swedish semifinals.
- Signed amateur tryout deal and joined AHL’s Grand Rapids to close out season.
- Appeared in all 10 AHL playoff games and scored first pro goal (10-1-2-3).
|
2009-10:
- Returned to Frolunda for a third full season in Swedish Elite League.
- Didn’t get the ice time the Red Wings hoped he would, despite strong play.
- Finished ninth in team scoring (55-6-12-18) in mostly a third- and fourth-line role.
- Posted 69 shots, a plus-5 and won 319 of 660 faceoffs (48 percent).
- Received an ice-time boost in the playoffs with injury to Joel Lundqvist.
- Finished post-season with good numbers (7-1-2-3, 54-of-103 faceoffs/52 percent).
- Signed three-year entry-level deal with the Red Wings in May.
|
2010-11:
- Appeared in three NHL pre-season games with the Red Wings (3-0-1-1, minus-2, two shots).
- Earned regular role with Grand Rapids as AHL rookie (79-7-15-22, even plus-minus, 107 shots).
- Struggled early (27-1-1-2 to start season) but improved later (52-6-14-20).
|
2011-12:
- Appeared in five NHL pre-season games with Red Wings (5-0-0-0, minus-3, two shots).
- Returned to Grand Rapids for second AHL season and enjoyed breakthrough success.
- More than doubled point production and tripled goal production (73-21-30-51, plus-5, 145 shots).
- Posted 26 points in 28-game late-season stretch from January to March (28-10-16-26).
- Served as assistant captain along with Doug Janik to captain Garnet Exelby.
- Appeared in five NHL games during two call-ups (5-0-0-0, plus-1, three shots, five hits, 6:40 TOI).
- Called up for Red Wings’ brief playoff run to serve as a Black Ace (spare who doesn’t play).
|
| SCOUT COMMENTS |
| “He’s a cross between Joel Lundqvist and Johan Franzen, but he’s got a better touch than Franzen at the same age.” — Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill (June 2007) … “He’s going to be a very dependable player. He might get 40 points in the NHL and give you very good defense and kill penalties.” — Red Wings director of European scouting Hakan Andersson (November 2007) … “I see him as a very good third-liner. He’s got the hockey sense to be even better than that. But the thing that holds him back a bit is his overall speed.” — Andersson (December 2009) … “The Andersson kid is going to play in the league. He’s big, he’s heavy, he knows how to play with and without the puck. They always said he couldn’t skate. I can’t tell that. He looks like a fine skater to me.” — Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock (September 2010, MLive.com) … “He’s a very, very good defensive player. Nothing bothers him on the physical side of the game. He’s good on draws, a strong penalty killer and blocks shots. He’s just got to develop a little better touch around the net and when he does that, he’ll be a complete player.” — Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Curt Fraser (February 2011, GriffinsHockey.com) … “You can’t say enough good things about what this kid does for this hockey team. He plays against all the other teams’ best lines every night, he produces offense, he’s our best defensive player, penalty killer … He’s just a real solid player.” — Grand Rapids head coach Curt Fraser (February 2012) … “He brings a big body, he can penalty kill, he’s a good defensive forward.” — Red Wings GM Ken Holland (February 2013). |
| STRENGTHS |
| Hard competitor with two-way smarts … Responsible in his own end and is a coach’s dream as far as paying attention to the little details of the game … Blocks shots, wins faceoffs and kills penalties … Strong on the puck … Capable offensive touch with the vision and passing ability to make plays … Hits and plays physical style … Works hard and wins battles along the boards. |
| WEAKNESSES |
|
Needs to improve his skating speed and power and get quicker off the mark … Needs to prove he can keep up with the fast-paced NHL game … Despite recent offensive breakthrough in minors, offensive skills are limited and that could prevent him from being more than a fourth-liner.
|
| PROJECTION |
|
Andersson tripled his goal production and more than doubled his point production in a breakthrough AHL campaign in 2011-12. Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock is a big fan of Andersson’s, noting after his mid-season call-up that he is “probably going to be a third- or fourth-line center” in the NHL but cautioning that he needs “more pace in his game.” Andersson will be in the mix for full-time NHL work in 2012-13 along with Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar and Riley Sheahan, although another season — or partial season — in the AHL with Grand Rapids isn’t out of the question.
|
Player statistics powered by www.eliteprospects.com
| Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
|
Playoffs |
GP |
G |
A |
TP |
PIM |
| 2003-2004 |
Bohuslän/Dal |
TV-Pucken |
5 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
6 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Munkedals BK |
Division 3 |
12 |
12 |
9 |
21 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2004-2005 |
Bohuslän/Dal |
TV-Pucken |
5 |
5 |
2 |
7 |
4 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Munkedals BK |
Division 3 |
14 |
16 |
9 |
25 |
14 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Sweden U16 (all) |
International-Jr |
8 |
6 |
2 |
8 |
12 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2005-2006 |
Göteborg 1 |
TV-Pucken |
5 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Frölunda J18 |
J18 Allsvenskan |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Playoffs |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| |
Frölunda J20 |
SuperElit |
35 |
9 |
11 |
20 |
10 |
| |
Playoffs |
7 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
4 |
| |
Sweden U17 (all) |
International-Jr |
6 |
3 |
4 |
7 |
4 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Sweden U18 |
WJC-18 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Sweden U18 (all) |
International-Jr |
12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2006-2007 |
Frölunda J18 |
J18 Allsvenskan |
2 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
| |
Playoffs |
6 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
28 |
| |
Frölunda J20 |
SuperElit |
41 |
20 |
26 |
46 |
60 |
| |
Playoffs |
8 |
0 |
7 |
7 |
4 |
| |
Frölunda |
Elitserien |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Kungälvs IK |
Division 1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Sweden U18 |
WJC-18 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Sweden U18 (all) |
International-Jr |
22 |
4 |
10 |
14 |
18 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2007-2008 |
Frölunda J20 |
SuperElit |
6 |
8 |
2 |
10 |
30 |
| |
Playoffs |
5 |
6 |
3 |
9 |
4 |
| |
Frölunda |
Elitserien |
9 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| |
Playoffs |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
| |
Borås HC |
Allsvenskan |
33 |
6 |
17 |
23 |
26 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Sweden U19 (all) |
International-Jr |
5 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
14 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Sweden U20 |
WJC-20 |
6 |
0 |
6 |
6 |
2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Sweden U20 (all) |
International-Jr |
11 |
1 |
7 |
8 |
10 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2008-2009 |
Frölunda |
Elitserien |
49 |
6 |
6 |
12 |
22 |
| |
Playoffs |
11 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
| |
Borås HC |
Allsvenskan |
4 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| |
Playoffs |
10 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
| |
Sweden U20 |
WJC-20 |
6 |
2 |
4 |
6 |
6 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Sweden U20 (all) |
International-Jr |
15 |
8 |
7 |
15 |
26 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2009-2010 |
Frölunda |
Elitserien |
55 |
6 |
12 |
18 |
42 |
| |
Playoffs |
7 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
| 2010-2011 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
79 |
7 |
15 |
22 |
30 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2011-2012 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
73 |
21 |
30 |
51 |
34 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Detroit Red Wings |
NHL |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
|
|
|
|
- |
- |
| 2012-2013 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
36 |
10 |
17 |
27 |
55 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Detroit Red Wings |
NHL |
38 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
8 |
| |
Playoffs |
9 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
Player statistics © www.eliteprospects.com
