Prospect Watch: Forward Oskar Sundqvist
June 22, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins owner Mario Lemieux (left) and head coach Dan Bylsma on the stage as their first round draft pick is announced during the 2012 NHL Draft at CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Currently attending team Sweden’s camp attempting to make the roster for the 2014 World Junior Championships, Pens prospect center Oskar Sundqvist is someone to keep an eye on.
Drafted in the third-round (81st overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Sundqvist has been limited for team Sweden due to a sore neck, but has scored one goal in three exhibition games thus far.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 182-pounds, the towering Swede reportedly still thinks he needs to add size to match up with the NHL talent:
"“It’s a little bit tougher here. Â It’s going faster on this ice. Â There’s a lot more time in Sweden to think. Â That’s the big difference. Â The players also are bigger here."
Playing in 38 games for Skelleftea of the J20 SuperElit league last season, he registered 33 points (17G, 16A) and skated to an outstanding plus-13 rating.
In five playoff games for the squad, he scored five points (3G, 2A) and played with an overall minus-1 rating.
Performing in 14 contests for Skelleftea’s Swedish Hockey League (SHL) team as well, Sundqvist potted just one goal — but being that it was his first time skating in the SHL, he should vastly improve those statistics in the 2013-14 campaign.
The one issue he seems to have is committing too many penalties.
Collecting 78 penalty-minutes in 22 games for Skelleftea J18, Sundqvist totaled 129 sin-bin minutes in just 39 contests during the 2011-12 campaign — not good.
Compiling 56 penalty-minutes last season, Sundqvist might see that as an improvement from the year before, but it’s still an eye-popping statistic and he clearly needs to find a way to stay more disciplined.
And while Sundqvist may be implemented into the Pens blueprint for the future — he’s still at the young age of 19, so there’s time to polish out the rough edges of his game.
Sundqvist attended the Pens Development Camp this past July, and he also skated in the Pens prospect scrimmage the last day of the gathering.
Look for the Pens prodigy to make team Sweden, and stay tuned for the WJC December 26th.