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Golden Knights’ Prospect Check-In

By Ben Fisher

BASEL, SWITZERLAND - APRIL 29: David Edstrom of Sweden celebrating his goal during the semi final of U18 Ice Hockey World Championship match between Sweden and Canada at St. Jakob-Park on April 29, 2023 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
BASEL, SWITZERLAND - APRIL 29: David Edstrom of Sweden celebrating his goal during the semi final of U18 Ice Hockey World Championship match between Sweden and Canada at St. Jakob-Park on April 29, 2023 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) /
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From time to time, we will take a look at what’s going on down the Vegas Golden Knights’ pipeline. Today, we make our way to Sweden, where a pair of countrymen and recent Vegas draftees are making a name for themselves in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) as their stock continues to rise.

David Edstrom, C

In the first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, as most teams sought out high end skill, the Golden Knights instead doubled down on a major organizational strength over the years: big, smart, physical, defensive-minded forwards. Enter David Edstrom, who the club selected with the 32nd and final pick in the round.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 28: David Edstrom speaks to the media after being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights with the 32nd overall pick during round one of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 28, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JUNE 28: David Edstrom speaks to the media after being selected by the Vegas Golden Knights with the 32nd overall pick during round one of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena on June 28, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images) /

The 6’3″ center boasts the type of subtle, heady game that blends seamlessly into the pros and could see him arrive in the NHL sooner rather than later. Amidst a transition from the Frolunda junior team to its senior roster, the 18-year-old hasn’t looked out of place, recording four goals and 10 points in 24 games for a Frolunda team that currently occupies a playoff spot.

While skating remains an area of weakness for Edstrom, he has shown through roughly half of his SHL rookie season that he can hold his own and find his spots in the offensive zone against fully grown men, including some former NHLers.

Carl Lindbom, G

From a Vegas first-round pick, we move on to a seventh-round pick from the franchise. Of course, things have changed significantly from the time that Carl Lindbom was selected with the 222nd pick of the 2021 Draft.

HALIFAX, CANADA – DECEMBER 31: Carl Lindbom #35 of Team Sweden tends net during the second period against Team Canada in the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship at Scotiabank Centre on December 31, 2022 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Team Canada defeated Team Sweden 5-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
HALIFAX, CANADA – DECEMBER 31: Carl Lindbom #35 of Team Sweden tends net during the second period against Team Canada in the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship at Scotiabank Centre on December 31, 2022 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Team Canada defeated Team Sweden 5-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

First and foremost, the 20-year-old Lindbom has seen his stock skyrocket in the two years since. He earned Goaltender of the Year honors in Sweden’s first division in 2022-23 after going 25-11 with a .929 save percentage and 1.86 goals against average for a Djurgardens club that reached the final.

That performance put Lindbom on the fast track to the top tier SHL, where he has joined Farjestads BK Karlstad for the 2023-24 season. Despite moving up to a higher caliber of opponent, the Stockholm native hasn’t missed a beat. He’s responded to the new league by going 10-5 so far with a .915 save percentage and a 1.90 goals against average.

Considering Golden Knights goalies Adin Hill and Logan Thompson are 27 and 26, respectively, and 24-year-old Jiri Patera has shown some promise at the AHL level (just don’t look at his current stats), the spot between the pipes in Vegas may be set for many years to come.

As one might expect for the veteran-laden defending Stanley Cup champions, the Golden Knights’ farm system isn’t teeming with exciting prospects at the moment. But plenty of reason for optimism resides in Sweden right now, where Edstrom and Lindbom appear surprisingly close to being ready for the challenges of North American hockey.

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