Anton Frondell 2025 NHL Draft Profile

Frondell’s on-ice production

Currently playing for Djurgardens IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan, Frondell has put up a promising 25 points in 29 games. Playing in the second-tier Swedish pro league as an underager is no easy task, but Frondell has battled through countless injuries and adversity to build himself back up into a promising NHL prospect.

Frondell was first seen as a consensus top-five pick. However, throughout his journey in Swedish pro hockey, he has dealt with a variety of injuries. These setbacks also prevented him from getting chosen for Team Sweden at this year’s World Juniors. As a result, his draft stock plummeted, but it has since been increasing once again.

His amazing second half of the season saw him making history. Frondell tied David Pastrnak for the second most points in a U18 season in HockeyAllsvenskan at 24. He has since passed him and was close to breaking the record, which was at 27. That record is currently held by fellow Swede William Nylander.

Frondell’s strengths and weaknesses

Frondell’s bounce-back second-half has resulted in many scouts once again penciling him as a top pick. While there are no guarantees, Frondell has certainly made a case for why NHL teams should take a run at him.

Regarding his strengths and weaknesses, one of Frondell’s biggest attributes is his hockey IQ. Despite being on the younger side, Frondell plays the game like a veteran, showcasing amazing vision and strength as he carries the puck. He’s been both a centre and winger, and this allows him to fully utilize his skillset, consisting of reading plays effectively, playmaking, and finding areas with less defensive coverage to become an easier offensive option.

Frondell possesses quite the shot, and it’s said that his one-timer is one of his biggest strengths. He’s also great at using his size to his advantage, as he uses his frame to engage in battles in front of the net and along the boards, ensuring he maintains puck possession. Frondell’s physicality doesn’t take away from his great edgework and mobility. It also greatly aids in his defensive game, which is also quite strong. Frondell is great at disrupting opposition plays while backchecking using good anticipation and transition maneuvers. He’s also seen using an active stick, resulting in opposition turnovers.

As for Frondell’s weaknesses, injuries are a concern as he develops. There’s also his speed, as Frondell isn’t the fastest skater despite having great edgework. Additionally, his consistency in play can also be a weakness, as it affects his overall presence and dominance in some games. The main things for Frondell are staying healthy and workload accumulation.

Fit with the Flames

Frondell would be another intriguing option in the scenario where the Calgary Flames were able to select him. He’s been a winger more than he’s been a centre, so the question is if he’s able to develop into a centreman at the NHL level.

Assuming he does, the Flames would happily add a young centre with Frondell’s pedigree to their lineup. He would be a versatile forward who could play both forward positions, and the Flames also love physical players, which Frondell can provide, referring back to his skillset.

Frondell’s NHL projection

Frondell has all the skills to become a versatile, elite centre in today’s NHL. There’s no doubt a learning curve is in store for him, and Frondell has so much potential that’s yet to be unlocked.

An NHL comparable that has been tossed around is Gabriel Landeskog. He’s a physical forward who’s packed with skill and possesses obvious leadership qualities. He excels in all areas of the game, and with more development, Frondell could very well fit into this mold. There’s also the leadership aspect. Frondell has already been seen expressing leadership qualities that have only aided in his game.

Summary on Frondell

Frondell’s injury issues have no doubt taken a hit at his draft potential, but he’s been building up his stock through the second half of his season in Sweden. The consensus now is that Frondell is going top-ten, and top-five is still in the cards. He’s shown that he can be an elite offensive threat with a strong defensive game. He excels in the offensive zone while being a physical presence, which contributes to his success as a player. There’s every reason to believe that Frondell can be an elite first-line forward with a strong two-way game in the NHL.

Risk: 1.5/5

Reward: 4.5/5

NHL comparable: Gabriel Landeskog

Projection: Elite top-six centre/first-line winger

Check out all of The Win Column’s individual player profiles of selected 2025 NHL Draft prospects:

Matthew Schaefer | Micheal Misa | James Hagens | Porter Martone