Carl Grundstrom has represented Sweden on the international stage at various junior and international events in each of the last four years. In Sweden, he moved up the ranks of the MODO program and recently signed a two-year contract with Frolunda.
Grundstrom is seen as one of the top ten European skaters in this year’s NHL draft class. He has a good chance at being selected late in the first round. The team that drafts him will be getting a goal-scoring power forward. Grundstrom is not flashy and there are slight concerns about his skating ability, but he has a nose for the net. Some scouts have said he plays a “simple game” which not necessarily a criticism.
Position: LW
Current Team: Frolunda, SHL
Date of Birth: December 1, 1997
Place of Birth: Umea, Sweden
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 194 lbs
Catches: Left
What The Scouts Say
Carl Grundstrom plays a simple game, but a highly effective one. Grundstrom is a quick skater who has good acceleration and gets up and down the wing quickly. He gets in quickly on the forecheck and lays punishing hits on defenders who go back to retrieve the puck. Grundstrom has decent edgework and agility. His stride shows good power, and he has a strong lower body leading to good balance. Grundstrom is able to fight through checks and get to the front of the net. – Ben Kerr, Last Word on Sports
A Good Fit in Columbus?
Depending on who you talk to and trust, an issue for the Jackets is lack of high-end skill. Does the team more Alexander Wennberg type players and not more Scott Hartnells? Even if Grundstrom does happen to fall out of the first round, the Jackets need the most help at center, not left wing. All bets are off for the Jackets after that #3 pick, so anything is possible, but they seem to have plenty of power forward types on the wing in the pipeline at the moment.
Grundstrom in Action