The Buffalo Sabres announced today they claimed Axel Jonsson-Fjallby from the Washington Capitals and more specifically, the Hershey Bears.
After being drafted in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL draft, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby spent two and a half years in Sweden playing for Djurgårdens IF of the SHL. During his time in Sweden, he played alongside former Sabres draft picks Marcus Davidsson, Gustav Possler and former Sabres forward Jacob Josefson.
After spending 16 games in Hershey back in 2018-19, he was sent back to Sweden on loan. The next season in 2019-20, Jonsson-Fjallby played his “full” season until COVID-19 shutdown the season. So far in his AHL career, he’s produced 24 goals and 17 assists for 41 points in 108 games.
Jonsson-Fjallby has a tenacious motor and lots of speed in open ice, which was on full display at the 2018 WJC in Buffalo, where he was a teammate of Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.
The following chart maps out Jonsson-Fjallby’s NHL potential based on his point totals in his respective league or “PNHLe”, which is further defined below.
It takes into consideration point production (i.e., points-per-game), the league a prospect plays in, their age and the position they play. –DobberProspects
Over the summer, Jonsson-Fjallby alluded to the improvement of using his hockey IQ in combination with his skating ability to find the most effective spots to press.
The first two seasons, I did not think at all that I used what I should. I thought I was going and going, but never really got to any good locations…This season, it has felt like I have found good locations. When should I take it easy? When should I go? Then I also got quite a lot of free positions, much like when I played in Sweden.
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby to HockeySverige.Se (English Translation) via @NoVa_Caps
The added bonus to Axel Jonsson-Fjallby is his flow. If both Jonsson-Fjallby and Linus Weissbach end up on the same team, it will be is going to be a dangerous combo.
