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Get to know a draft pick -- Pontus Aberg

National Hockey League Combine 2012

TORONTO - CANADA - JUNE 2: *** poses for a portrait prior to testing at the NHL Combine June 2, 2012 at the International Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Graig Abel/NHLI via Getty Images) ***Local Caption***

Graig Abel

All week leading up to the 2012 NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh, we’ll be profiling top prospects who may hear their names called Friday in the first round. Nothing too in-depth. Just enough so you know who they are and what they’re about.

Pontus Aberg (LW)

Height: 5’11 Weight: 194 Shoots: Right

Team: Djurgarden (SEL)

Country: Sweden

NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 6 among European skaters

What kind of player is he?

Aberg already has experience playing with and against men much older than him. He’s an enthusiastic player, but he’s already ran into some injury problems that has probably caused his stock to drop.

He looks like a bit more of a long-term project and it’s worth noting that, as The Hockey Writers pointed out, he’s tied to Djurgarden through the 2013-14 season. Still, he could develop into a top-six forward for the club that ends up drafting him.

He ended up with eight goals and 15 points in 47 games in his rookie season in the Swedish Elite League. However, his club, Djurgarden, has been relegated to the second tier of Swedish teams for the 2012-13 campaign.

Quotable:

“Started the year with vengeance as he was the first player to be nominated for the Elitserien rookie-of-the-year award however a series of injuries took their toll on him and derailed his season. Aberg is a fearless competitor who willingly hurls his under-sized body at players regardless of size. He compliments his competitive streak with a set of nimble hands and a sizzling shot. He is more shifty than he is fast and he will need to address his acceleration moving forward. Aberg would also benefit from being more selective in his physical confrontations for self preservation purposes.” -- David Burstyn, McKeen’s Hockey

More draft profiles:

Nail Yakupov

Filip Forsberg

Malcolm Subban