Prospect round-up: ‘L-D-N’ does the J20 bounce

Via Red Wings Prospects on Twitter, we’re reminded that Wings 2021 draft pick Liam Dower Nilsson is going to be bouncing between the Swedish Under-20 league and the SHL as the 18-year-old prospect is slowly eased into the men’s team’s lineup:

#SweU20
– Dower Nilsson 0+0, +/- 0, 1 SOG, 4 PIM in a 4-2 win#LGRW— Red Wings Prospects (@DRWProspects) September 12, 2021

Dower Nilsson spent Saturday sitting on the bench as the 13th forward during Frolunda HC’s season-opening 4-2 loss to Brynas. He’s not likely to earn a lot of playing time with the men’s team, but he’s slated to practice with the men’s team and attempt to break into the lineup…mostly.

Because Frolunda’s J20 team is located in the same rink, Dower Nilsson skated as the 1st line center for Frolunda’s J20 team in their 4-2 win over Farjestads BK on Sunday, finishing even with a shot on goal and taking two penalties. He also went 7-and-3 in the faceoff circle.

When there are breaks in the SHL season, it’s highly likely that Dower Nilsson will end up bouncing back and forth between the SHL and J20 leagues, and if he doesn’t play a ton with the men’s team, the same is true for fellow Wings prospect and Frolunda HC teammate Theodor Niederbach.

Elmer Soderblom and Simon Edvinsson, the other Frolunda Wings, are more established on the men’s team, with Soderblom having spent a good chunk of last season as the 13th forward (Frolunda likes to ease their prospects into the men’s league lineup in that spot).

The Wings’ prospects are somewhat consolidated this season as the aforementioned quartet of Wings draftees are playing for Frolunda; Jesper Eliasson is slated to be the back-up for Farjestads BK, where Albert Johansson earns regular minutes on the blueline, and William Wallinder is going to play for Rogle BK, though he’s already played a game at the J20 level.

Only Albin Grewe is an outlier, skating for Ilves Tampere of the Finnish Liiga.

The Wings’ other Swedish prospects, Jonatan Berggren, Victor Brattstrom and Lucas Raymond have all come to North America to ply their trades here.