Penguins 2016 second-round pick Kasper Bjorkqvist is frequently compared to Patric Hornqvist.
No, they're not countrymen -- despite the Swedish-heritage surname, the 21-year-old Bjorkqvist hails from Espoo, Finland.
Like Hornqvist, Bjorkqvist is at his best down low. Of his six goals through Providence College's first 11 games of the season, nearly all have them have come within feet of the opponents net, either through redirects or picking up his teammates' rebounds. The left wing has also contributed to other Friars goals through his goalie screens, although he won't always show up on the scoresheet that way.
“He’s really good at screening,” Providence coach Nate Leaman told DKPittsburghSports.com last season. “If you want to compare him to a guy on the Penguins, it’s Hornqvist. He’s an excellent penalty killer. He’s very good at getting to the net. … He’s got a good stick. I think he can make plays, but he can make a lot of strong plays low."
This goal from Bjorkqvist (No. 20), a rebound chance, came three weeks ago:
Another goal just a week ago was a redirect:
Bjorkqvist is coming off of his most productive week of the season. In two games against Merrimack, Bjorkqvist recorded three more goals, and added his third assist of the season.
Bjorkqvist is also an incredibly hard worker and is skilled in his ability to drive to the net. In this play against Boston University earlier in the season, he entered the Terriers' zone with speed and protected the puck until a teammate was in scoring position:
Providence Journal hockey writer Mark Divver made an appearance on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's intermission show during a game in Providence on Nov. 11 to talk about Bjorkqvist, and gave a glowing scouting report.
"I see a player that's constantly getting better," Divver said. "He's definitely trending in the right direction. He's a leader, he's a captain this year. You can see him in practice asserting that leadership role, and in the games as well. He's a very effective player all over the ice, but particularly in the offensive zone along the boards and around the net."
At 6-feet-1 and 200 pounds, and with his physical play and shot-blocking abilities, Bjorkqvist projects to be an option for the Penguins' bottom-6 in the coming years. He averages over 3.5 shots per game, a facet of his game which should translate well when he makes the transition to professional hockey.
Penguins scouts already believe that Bjorkqvist plays a pro-style of hockey. Penguins Director of Player Development Scott Young particularly likes Bjorkqvist's size and strength, as he mentioned during this past summer's player development camp.
“He’s a specimen,” Young said. “I mean, you guys have seen him in his T-shirt, right? He’s ripped.”
Bjorkqvist, a junior, will have a decision to make this summer. He could return to the Friars for his senior season as captain, or he could forgo his final year of college eligibility and make the jump to professional hockey for 2019-20. Bjorkqvist was reportedly considering making that jump last summer, which bodes well for those odds this year.
If all goes well, Bjorkqvist should be in Wilkes-Barre next fall.
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FORWARDS
Justin Almeida
Position: Center/Wing
Size: 5-9/158
Drafted: 2018, fifth round
Team: Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
Season totals: 15 games, 3 goals, 20 assists
Almeida remains week-to-week with an upper-body injury sustained playing for Team WHL in the CIBC Canada-Russia series two weeks ago.
Jordy Bellerive
Position: Center
Size: 5-10/195
Drafted: Undrafted
Team: Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
Season totals: 20 games, 9 goals, 15 assists
In two games this week, Bellerive recorded one assist.
Kasper Bjorkqvist
Position: Wing
Size: 6-1/198
Drafted: 2016, second round
Team: Providence College (NCAA)
Season totals: 11 games, 6 goals, 3 assists
Bjorkqvist had his biggest week of the year, scoring three goals and one assist in two games.
Jan Drozg
Position: Wing
Size: 6-0/174
Drafted: 2017, fifth round
Team: Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
Season totals: 21 games, 7 goals, 15 assists
Drozg recorded one assist in two games this week.
Liam Gorman
Position: Center
Size: 6-2/188
Drafted: 2018, sixth round
Team: St. Sebastian’s School (USHS-Prep)
Season totals: None
Gorman remains in high school after previously repeating a grade. St. Sebastian's school played in two scrimmages this week. Neither Gorman's school or the opponents posted box scores for the scrimmages, but St. Sebastian's school reportedly did not play their stars. They'll play in another scrimmage on Nov. 24. Real games begin on Nov. 28.
Filip Hallander
Position: Center/Wing
Size: 6-1/190
Drafted: 2018, second round
Team: Timrå IK (SHL)
Season totals: 17 games, 3 goals, 6 assists
Hallander registered one goal and one assist in five games. Analyst Evan Oppenheimer put together a look at Timra's "betweenness" scores, which rates players based on how often they score or register assists, assist on many different players' goals, and how many players tend to only score with Hallander involved in the play. Hallander has the highest rating on his team, which means he's a big factor in many of his teams' goals.
Here are some early season betweenness scores for Timra in the SHL.
Filip Hallander comes out on top for all situations and 3rd for even strength. Jacob Olofsson isn't so bad himself, landing at 6th for all situations and 4th for even strength.
Good stuff for pro-leaguers. pic.twitter.com/tJHG6xwC8F
— Evan Oppenheimer (@OppenheimerEvan) November 15, 2018
Nikita Pavlychev
Position: Center
Size: 6-8/225
Drafted: 2015, seventh round
Team: Penn State (NCAA)
Season totals: 11 games, 7 goals, 10 assists
Pavlychev recorded one assist in two games. He just plows through anyone in his way to make the play:
WE. ARE. OUT. OF. BREATH
[FINAL] No. 5 Penn State 7, No. 16 Michigan 6#WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/d2dqXIwETP
— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) November 18, 2018
DEFENSEMEN
Calen Addison
Size: 5-10/180
Drafted: 2018, second round
Team: Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
Season totals: 20 games, 4 goals, 16 assists
Addison played two scoreless games this week.
Niclas Almari
Size: 6-1/167
Drafted: 2016, fifth round
Team: HPK (Liiga), HPK U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga)
Season totals: 8 games, 1 assist with HPK; 2 games, 1 assist with HPK U20
Almari returned from injury, his first games since Oct. 5. He played in three games with the main HPK team and was held scoreless.
Ryan Jones
Size: 6-2/186
Drafted: 2016, fourth round
Team: Nebraska-Omaha (NCAA)
Season totals: 10 games, 4 assists
Jones did not play this week, as Nebraska-Omaha was on a bye. Here's a look at a move he made last week, though::
Omaha's 3rd goal - 4x4 hockey so dz coverage is man-on-man. Jones pastes his man, creating the turnover. Goal reviewed for potential goalie interference. Good goal as WMU D pushed UNO F into goalie. pic.twitter.com/oL0wYgd6XE
— RecoveringOps (@RecoveringOps) November 11, 2018
Zachary Lauzon
Size: 6-1/187
Drafted: 2017, second round
Team: Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)
Season totals: None
Lauzon is still rehabbing from the neck injury he sustained last season. He has resumed training on his own and is expected to return to practice in late November, and is forecast to return to game action some time in December.
Antti Palojarvi
Size: 6-1/176
Drafted: 2017, sixth round
Team: Lukko (Liiga), Lukko U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga)
Season totals: 5 games, 1 assist with Lukko; 17 games, 3 goals, 6 assists with Lukko U20
Palojarvi played in one scoreless game with the main Lukko team. He played in three games with the U20 team and registered one assist. Here he is with the U20 team:
A-nuorten SM-liigan turnauksen ensimmäisen viikonlopun 12 ottelua on nyt pelattu. Turnaus jatkuu ensi viikonloppuna Kivikylän Areenalla ja Äijänsuon harjoitushallissa 15 ottelulla.
Lopputulokset, tilastot ja otteluohjelma ? https://t.co/omgLrKRv1D#ASMliiga #Lukko #Jokapäivä pic.twitter.com/9Rg0ojFZSW
— Rauman Lukko (@TeamRaumanLukko) November 18, 2018
Clayton Phillips
Size: 5-11/182
Drafted: 2017, third round
Team: Minnesota (NCAA)
Season totals: 9 games, 5 assists
Phillips played two scoreless games this week.
William Reilly
Size: 6-2/197
Drafted: 2017, seventh round
Team: Rensselaer Polytech (NCAA)
Season totals: 6 games, 1 goal, 2 assists
Reilly was out of RPI’s lineup for the second week in a row.
GOALTENDERS
Alex D’Orio
Size: 6-2/209
Drafted: Undrafted
Team: Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
Season totals: 17 games, 4.87 goals against average, .876 save percentage
D’Orio's Saint John Sea Dogs did not play this week after their game was postponed due to severe storms.