There’s a plethora of centers in the 2025 NHL Draft class. Aside from Michael Misa, who will most likely be taken in the top two, Anton Frondell looks to be the second-best center in the draft class.
Anton Frondell
Playing for Djurgårdens IF in HockeyAllsvenskan in 2024-25, Frondell posted 25 points (11G, 14A) in 29 games played. Playing alongside another top prospect in this year’s draft, Victor Eklund, both players helped Djurgårdens win the Allsvenskan Playoffs, promoting them back to the SHL for the 2025-26 season.
Looking at his frame, Frondell stands at 6’1″ and weighs in at around 205 lbs. He has the perfect frame for a potential elite NHL center.
Frondell’s 29 points in the regular season were the most by a U18 player in the league this past season. During the playoffs, he scored four points (3G, 1A) in 11 games. He was also part of Sweden’s U18 World Championship team, helping them to a silver medal.
Frondell is a center, but is not your traditional center. Caleb Desnoyers plays the full 200-foot game that many coaches appreciate, but Frondell may look like a winger at times. Whether he is better suited as a center or winger at the NHL level is part of the discussion around his ceiling. Nonetheless, he warrants top-six potential in an NHL lineup, whether that’s at center or on the wing.
Strengths
One of Frondell’s clear strengths is his playmaking. His excellent stickhandling allows him to possess the vision and passing ability to find open teammates and set up scoring chances. His puck control will enable him to pick up the pace or slow the game down when entering the offensive zone. He always seems to know where his teammates are on the ice without having to scan for them.
Apart from playmaking, what makes Frondell special is his shooting ability. He’s a pure goalscorer. His release his quick and sharp, with his wrist shot and snap shot acting as his bread and butter. HockeyAllsvenskan is not an easy league at all, but Frondell made some games look like child’s play.
On the opposite side of the puck, Frondell is a strong defensive player. He uses his stick to cut off passing planes and intercept passes. He’s also strong at the faceoff dot and is an effective penalty killer.
Weaknesses
One of the weaknesses in Frondell’s game is his skating. He’s not the strongest on his feet considering his size, but he does have some good edge work and agility. He would be able to keep up with the pace in the NHL if he stepped in tomorrow, but more explosiveness will be beneficial.
Another weakness in his game that was evident during the season was his strength. Playing against grown men as a 17-year-old is not simple, and he was overpowered at times when playing along the boards. Frondell doesn’t have a problem with throwing his body around, but sometimes he can be overpowered, especially against bigger opponents.
NHL comparisons
When looking at Frondell’s game, an easy NHL comparison for him is Aleksander Barkov. Barkov is one of, if not the most complete, center in the NHL today. He has size, playmaking ability, and high hockey sense. At the NHL Draft Combine this past weekend, Frondell mentioned that Barkov is a player he tries to emulate.
A fit in Philadelphia?
Anton Frondell would be a no-brainer fit with the Philadelphia Flyers. The only questions are if Frondell falls to pick #6 and if the team views him more as a center or winger in the NHL. Some mock drafts have Frondell falling to the Flyers, while some have him being picked as early as third overall.
If Frondell does escape the top-5, Flyers general manager Daniel Briere should jump on Frondell. He possesses the talent to be a 1C in the NHL, and that’s exactly what the Flyers need for the future.
Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
