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Coming up through the Djurgardens system it has been tough for Albin Grewe to find ice time at the SHL level. He played in 15 regular season games and one playoff game but did not record any points. He also played in one Champions Hockey League game, recording an assist. Djurgardens would go on to make it to the SHL final, before falling to Frolunda. Grewe was a featured part of the club’s J20 team. He put up 13 goals and 34 points in 25 games. He also racked up 102 penalty minutes. The J20 team would end up finishing third in that league.
Grewe has also been a long-time member of Swedish national teams for his age group. He put up two assists in five games at last year’s Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. Grewe would then play as an underage player at the 2018 IIHF Under-18 World Championship, coming home with a bronze medal. Last summer he put up two points in three games at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, helping Sweden to a Silver Medal. This spring he finally reached the top of the mountain. Grewe was part of the Swedish squad that won the 2019 IIHF Under-18s, scoring two goals in the tournament.
Albin Grewe Scouting Report
Right Wing/Centre — shoots Left
Born March 22nd, 2001 — Marsta, Sweden
Height 6’0″ — Weight 187 lbs [182 cm/85 kg]
Skating
Albin Grewe has a short, choppy stride but this doesn’t hold him back at all. He is very fast and reaches top speed quickly with excellent acceleration. This allows him to get in quickly on the forecheck and create real problems for opposing defenders. He also has very good agility and edgework, allowing him to slip past opponents both with and without the puck. Grewe is very strong for his age. While this will improve as he matures, he is already ahead of most other prospects. This gives him a powerful stride and makes him tough to knock off the puck. He is also very good in battles along the boards and in front of the net.
Offensive Game
Grewe plays a power forward style. He absolutely loves to throw his weight around. As mentioned, he gets in quickly on the forecheck and creates havoc for opposing defenders. Once he gets the puck, Grewe controls it well down below the hash marks. He cycles the puck well, using his body and good stickhandling to protect it. He moves the puck to an open man and gets open for the give and go. Grewe extends possession, waiting for teammates to get open. He has the vision to find them when they do, as well as the ability to pass the puck through tight areas and create a scoring chance. He isn’t the most creative player though, as he doesn’t look to deke past players, preferring to keep the puck moving through passes.
Grewe also has a very good wrist shot with a quick release. He can score from inside the faceoff dots. He loves to get to the front of the net, both with and without the puck, creating chaos for opposing goaltenders and defencemen. Grewe doesn’t always seem to process the play well. He sometimes forces his pass or shot, leading to a turnover or lower percentage pass than could otherwise have been possible.
Defensive Game
Grewe is a strong defensive player. He is willing to bring his physical game in all three zones. He supports the defence down low and backchecks effectively. Grewe is able to contain his man in the cycle and keep him to the outside. He is not afraid to put his body on the line to block shots or make plays. Grewe needs to be a bit more disciplined though. He needs to be physical without taking penalties that put his team in a bad position at the wrong time.
Projection and Comparison
There is some question about Albin Grewe’s offensive potential at the next level. While he has been a dominant scorer in the domestic junior league, he has struggled to find his offensive game on the national team. He will need to become more of a consistent threat against better competition going forward. Grewe projects as a physical player who could become a second or third line winger if he develops properly. Even if he doesn’t, his skating, physical play, and his defensive ability could still see him earn a role in the NHL. Grewe’s game is reminiscent of Jamie Benn. This is a stylistic comparison only though, and not one based on talent level.
Highlights
The following is a compilation of some of the highlight packages and features of Albin Grewe that are available on youtube.
Check back tomorrow for the next prospect in our NHL Draft series.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
