The first European player for the draft takes center stage in today’s prospect profile
Welcome back to our feature on draft profiles for projected top picks in the upcoming 2025 NHL draft. Catch up with the previous one here:
No 1. Matthew Schaefer
No 2. Michael Misa
No. 3 Porter Martone
For the rankings, we have turned to the venerable Bob McKenzie from TSN for his listing of players. McKenzie’s list is typically in-tune with the NHL, because his rankings are an average that comes from surveying 10 active NHL scouts. As such, the list is set as follows for players we will look to profile in the coming weeks to spread some awareness and knowledge for Pittsburgh NHL fans to get to know some of the top prospects.
No. 4: Anton Frondell, 6’1” 198 pounds, C, Djurgardens (SHL)
He’s been compared to everyone from Sasha Barkov to Mika Zibanejad to Gabriel Landeskog. (He’s a Swedish forward, if you couldn’t tell). He’s not any of those guys but Anton Frondell will be looking out to carve out a legacy of his own just the same as he goes into the 2025 NHL draft as the commonly ranked top European player on the board. From Elite Prospects:
Frondell is a well-liked prospect because it’s easy to see a lot in him. He can play center, he can play wing. He can get in on the forecheck but he has skill in his hands too. He’s not especially big, but he’s not a small player either. He can move the puck as a playmaker, but his default even as a center revolves around shooting. He’s a great two-way player off the puck but he’s got legit offensive chops at the same time. As almost as a shape-shifter of a prospect, you won’t confuse him for an all-motor Carl Hagelin type of forward, but other than that Frondell can fit into just about whatever you would like to see in a talented young hockey player. That might be why he’s getting mention with a lot of disparate types of players to describe his playing style and potential comparables.
They said it
I am really unsure of exactly how high up a lineup Anton Frondell will find himself, but that’s only because I could see him adequately filling a role on almost any line complimenting almost any other player. He’s physical, he goes to the net, he forechecks well, and his puck touches through the neutral zone are strong. I question the puck carrying and handling ability and how it could limit his potential, but as an off-puck do-it-all type, there’s lots to love about Frondell. He finds gaps and seams well, grinds the game down and does the dirty work you need a player to do. I don’t know if he’s a centre in the NHL and I’ve found his HockeyAllsvenskan play was at it’s best while he was on the wing, but as a great 200-foot 3C down the road, I could see a future there, but as a winger he could compliment just about anyone and be a projectable and effective player able to chip in everywhere you need
Frondell has a ton of skill and a real smooth element when he’s around the puck. He makes difficult plays with consistency and can do so on the move. Frondell skates well and competes hard, often outmuscling others bigger than him so despite his average size, he has a translatable style of play to the NHL that appeals to scouts. Frondell is a great playmaker but he’s also a very dangerous shooter with a bullet shot that projects to beat NHL goalies from range. He has the potential to be very good all-around top two line center even if he’s often played wing this season.
Frondell plays a low-key all-around game. He’s also performed at a high level, playing second division pro in Sweden. Frondell does just about everything well, and while he didn’t have a great U18, he has shown he can play successfully with older, faster players.
Frondell is great at making himself a threat in the quiet areas on the ice as he opens himself up for an opportunity or can take the puck and drive to the middle, excelling with his hands and puck control in tight spaces. He can beat defenders one-on-one easily when he has the puck, using quick one-touch moves, cuts to the inside and drive to the open space. He’s a dual threat offensive producer as he has a powerful one-time shot and has a swift and accurate wrist shot. His playmaking is just as impressive, showing great deception, drawing players in and using his vision to spot his teammates and put the puck in the right spot.
While he can be a versatile and engaging threat offensively, Frondell’s ability to be a reliable defensive presence makes him a well-rounded player. Much like his ability to use his size in the offensive zone, he hounds pucks very well and converges on puck carriers to force them into making a mistake and create a turnover with his angling and positioning very well. Whether he has the puck or not, he has great attention to detail and does the little things right on the ice. He’s a player that you can rely on in any situation and can do it on a consistent basis.
“Frondell reminds me of Barkov and what does Barkov do? He controls the game from the centre ice position,” said Button. “He’s thick, big, assertive, and exceptionally smart. Like Barkov, he won’t be a 100-point guy, but he’ll be instrumental to helping you win.”
What a season for Frondell. Injuries derailed the early part of the season, but he finished with one of the most productive seasons by a U-18 player in Allsvenskan history – the second-tier Swedish league. Frondell has experience down the middle and on the wing, which makes him intriguing. Frondell has a fantastic shot release and he’s getting even better at attacking pucks, too. Frondell has had to make up for lost time, but he has put himself back on the map as a potential top-five pick.
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Frondell figures to be off the board long before the Pens are up at pick No. 11, but you never know how a draft might shake out. Craig Button had a mock draft with Frondell going eighth overall. That starts to become within a realistic range that a team like Pittsburgh might be able to trade up a few spots if he unexpectedly slides a little. The window for Frondell to get drafted likely opens around 3-4, and from there it just becomes which team picking in the top 5 or 10 of the draft believes in him as the best player available at that point.