By: Eamonn McLean | Follow me on Twitter/X @EamonnMcLean44
Twelve years ago, the Boston Bruins drafted a young, skilled winger out of Allsvenskan, the second tier of professional hockey in Sweden. David Pastrnak put up 8-16-24 in 36 games for Sodertalje in his draft year, eventually being selected 25th overall by the Bruins. Pastrnak flew under the radar a bit, with his teammate William Nylander putting up 19 points in 17 games for Sodertalje, being selected eighth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Now, there’s another young winger impressing in Allsvenskan. Elton Hermansson put up 11-10-21 in 38 games for MoDo Hockey this season, a pace not that far off from Pastrnak’s in 2014. He also added 4-8-12 in seven games at the U18 World Juniors, where he led Team Sweden to a Gold Medal. Similarly to Pastrnak in his draft year, Hermansson might be hiding in the shadows of two other Swedish talents, Ivar Stenberg, and Viggo Bjorck. Could he be a diamond in the rough?
Background
Position: Right-Wing/Left-Wing
Birthdate: February 5th, 2008
Hometown: Ornskoldsvik, Sweden
Height and Weight: 6’1″, 174lbs
2025-2026 Team: MoDo Hockey (HockeyAllsvenskan)
2025-2026 Stats: 38 games played, 11 goals, 10 assists, 22 penalty minutes, +9 rating.
Where is He Ranked?
EliteProspects.com: 25th
Craig Button/TSN: 49th
NHL Central Scouting (International Skaters): 5th
DailyFaceoff: 20th
Sportsnet/Cosentino: Not in Top 32
Sportsnet/Bukala: 19th
Profile and Highlights
When watching film on Hermansson, the first thing that stands out is that he sure isn’t afraid to shoot the puck, especially on the man advantage. He’s able to routinely beat goaltenders with both one-timers and snapshots, and is able to use the defenseman as a screen. A lot of his offensive production seems to come from his decisions to shoot, because even if he doesn’t score on the initial shot, he often shoots for rebounds, which can cause chaos for penalty killers and often finds a teammate open for a rebound opportunity. He’s definitely more of a sniper than a playmaker, but he does flash some vision and passing ability that should translate at the next level.
Hermansson might not be the fastest straight-ahead skater in this draft class, but he’s excellent at stick-handling in traffic. In overtime of the semifinal of the U18’s, Hermansson effortlessly dangled multiple Czech defenders before his teammate scored on a follow-up opportunity to send the Swedes to the Gold Medal Game. His ability to generate offense for both himself and his teammates off the rush is not something to scoff at.
Why Hermansson Makes Sense for the Bruins
Hermansson would inject more high-end skill into the Bruins’ prospect pool and would give them an heir apparent to Viktor Arvidsson on the team’s second line. He’s probably two or three years away from the NHL, but given how well Hermansson fared against grown men in Allsvenskan this season, he could make the transition a bit faster than expected in my opinion.
Why the Bruins Might Go Elsewhere
It’s hard to ignore that the Bruins’ biggest need in their prospect pool is on defense. Hermansson is not a defenseman, and if a high-end defensive prospect were to be available at #23, it’s hard to see the Bruins passing on one.
Leave a Reply