There is no argument that Swedish forwards Anton Frondell (1st ranked international skater per central scouting) & Victor Eklund (2nd ranked international skater) are high-end players and first round picks. However, there is no overwhelming consensus as to who will be the first one chosen (mock drafts are fairly evenly split), and what spots in the draft they will occupy. What is certain is that the best friends and teammates for Swedish pro team Djurgarden are difficult to evaluate absent comparing them to one another. At their request, they even performed their physical testing together at the NHL Scouting Combine. As is their way, each took turns besting the other at the testing in Buffalo.
Eklund is a winger lauded for his fearless style of play despite being on the lighter side (5’11”, 169 lbs.). His skill set matches his intensity, as he amassed 31 points (19G 12A) in 42 games in HockeyAllsvenskan, the most by a teenager in the last 5 seasons in Sweden’s 2nd-highest pro league.
Eklund’s Djurgarden line mate and center Frondell produced nearly a point per game, tallying 25 points (11G 14A) in 29 games in 2024-25. The Swedish pivot has a stout frame (6’1″, 205 LBS.), and has garnered much praise for his 200-foot game.
As with every draft, a player’s ultimate draft position usually comes down to a team’s biggest needs. Always in demand, two-way centers with elite skill such as Frondell nicely serve the wish list of all organizations. Also, draft gurus Craig Button & Bob McKenzie of TSN each have Frondell in their top 5 ahead of Eklund. Given that backdrop, it appears to me that Frondell will be the first Swede off the board in LA.