Samuel Fagemo Scouting Report: 2019 NHL Draft #55

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Samuel Fagemo was eligible but was not drafted last year. Given his success as a teenager in a top European league, scouts must pay attention to the Frolunda forward this year. He put up 14 goals and 25 points in 41 games this year. He also added six goals and 10 points in 16 playoff games as well as four goals and 10 points in 11 Champions Hockey League Games. Fagemo helped Frolunda to the rare double, winning the SHL and the Champions Hockey League. He also spent some time in the Swedish Junior League showing that he had surpassed that group with 10 goals and 14 points in just eight games.

Fagemo has plenty of international experience. He played for Sweden’s entry at this year’s World Junior Championships. He also played at the 2018 IIHF Under-18 World Championship winning a bronze medal. Fagemo scored five goals in five games at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka tournament and again brought home a bronze medal. In 2016, he helped the Swedish team win gold at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge, scoring seven points in six games and being named to the tournament all-star team. His father, Louis, had a long professional hockey career in Sweden.

Samuel Fagemo Scouting Report

Right Wing — shoots Right
Born March 14th, 2000 — Goteborg, Sweden
Height 5’11” — Weight 194 lbs [180 cm / 88 kg]

Skating

Fagemo has a very unorthodox skating stride, however, it does not hold him back. He shows very good speed and can put pressure on the defence by taking them wide and cutting to the net. He reaches that speed quickly with decent acceleration. Fagemo also has good edgework and agility. This allows him to make quick cuts and avoid defenders both with and without the puck. Fagemo shows good core strength. This allows him to generate power in his stride and fight through checks, hooks and holds. When he is not moving at top speed though, he can have issues. This is seen as he can be overpowered battling for pucks in the corners and establishing his position in front of the net.

Offensive Game

Fagemo loves to shoot the puck and will do so at any opportunity. He has a powerful wrist shot and a quick release. His accuracy is also decent. He has a knack for finding open space in the offensive end and putting his body in a position to take a pass from a teammate and immediately fire the puck on the net. Fagemo also has a very good one-timer. He is a good stick handler. Fagemo combines a number of quick moves with his speed and agility in order to get past defenders or simply to make a small move and create space to get his shot off.

When his feet are moving he is good at controlling the puck down low on the cycle. He is willing to get to the front of the net, driving it there with the puck and looking to get open and make a play without it. Fagemo is not known as a playmaker but has underrated skills in this area. He can make passes through tight areas and find a teammate for a scoring chance. His ability to control the puck in the cycle can help him extend plays, giving his linemates a chance to find an opening. His agility, edgework, and stick handling can also combine to open up passing lanes. However, Fagemo is a shoot first player and does not always utilize these skills as well as he could.

Defensive Game

Fagemo’s defensive game is a bit of a work in progress. He gets caught cheating to try and create offence, leaving his man and looking to get up the ice on a breakout. He also does not really play a physical game in the defensive end, shying away from contact or from helping to control his opponent on the cycle. Fagemo needs to continue to work on being engaged, keeping his feet moving, and being in strong positions in his own end.

Projection and Comparison

Fagemo has shown strong development in the past year, going from draft afterthought to legitimate prospect. His improved skating is the biggest difference in his game. It makes him a much better prospect one year after being passed over in the draft. It can still be improved further but is no longer a liability in his game. Combined with an excellent shot and good size he could become a top-six NHL player with time. He needs to show the improvements in the defensive end of the ice that he has shown offensively. Fagemo’s game is comparable to Tyler Toffoli. However, this is a stylistic comparison only and not one based on skill or ability.