As rosters for the upcoming 2023 World Junior Championship tournament are beginning to become solidified, a Calgary Flames prospect has been named to his country’s squad. Forward William Strömgren has been named to Sweden’s final roster for the event.
Strömgren was the Flames’ second-round selection, 45th overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft. A smart two-way winger, he’s previously represented Sweden at the Under-18 Worlds. He’s bounced around a little bit over the past two seasons: he failed to cement a clear SHL role with Rögle BK in 2021-22 and departed that organization early this fall in favour of a slot at Brynäs IF, where he’s become a regular bottom-six winger for the club as a 19-year-old.
His offensive output is modest – just four points in 24 SHL games – but he’s playing a key niche on the bottom six, in primarily defensive situations. While his stats aren’t wild, his play has evidently impressed enough of Sweden’s national team brass that he’s headed to Halifax and Moncton, where he’ll probably play a similar bottom-six role for the national junior team.
The World Juniors run Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Halifax and Moncton.
