Roughly translated: Rakapuckar’s Henrik Lehman speaks with Niklas Kronwall about the Frolunda Trio

Lars Thorsell on Twitter brought this to my attention: Red Wings player development specialist Niklas Kronwall spoke with Rakapuckar’s Henrik Lehman this morning, addressing all things Frolunda Trio-related.

According to Lehman, Kronwall drove to Gothenburg on Wednesday to visit with Frolunda’s three Red Wings players–Simon Edvinsson, Theodor Niederbach, and Elmer Soderblom, and here’s what he had to say, roughly translated from Swedish:

With three games for Frolunda this week, there was no time for a longer extr practice with Simon Edvinsson, Theodor Niederbach or Elmer Soderblom.

But Niklas Kronwall, the legendary Detroit defender, who works a lot with the team’s prospects on Swedish soil, of course takes care when he is able to. Talks, checks with the situations, gives feedback, looks at details. In addition to all the phone calls with accompanying video reviews, of course.

Before he went down onto the ice, Kronwall said this about Theodor Niederbach, 19, the goal-scorer in Frolunda’s 5-2 win over Timra:

“I think we’re just scratching the surface a bit here, he’s an incredibly smart player. I have high expectations about Theo in the long run.”

The feeling is that Niederbach has toughened himself up, become more solid in close games, and is doing what’s necessary to get more out of his playing style, his technique.

“He competes. Takes on more and more. He’s taken steps here in Frolunda.”

The same wording is used about Elmer Soderblom, 20, who’s been followed in his development by Kronwall:

“He’s growing (in terms of his play), the last few weeks have been better and better. He realizes more and more the size and power he has, and makes better use of them. They’ve done well here in Frolunda. I think there are a few more gears, but it’s great to see him. The strength of his puck-carrying has become much better, just to be able to keep away (from opponents) so the game doesn’t die with him, so to speak.”

The hottest Detroit talent in Frolunda, and in the whole hockey world–it is, of course, a certain Simon Edvinsson, 18.

It’s hard not to want to dig a little into Kronwall’s brain here.

“Quite impressive considering his young age, that he looks like he does. He’s got a certain charisma, a certain weight to his game, quite unusual,” Kronwall pointed out.

I had the text below about Simon Edvinsson last Saturday, when he was in the most fascinating, namely maturity, his ability to get so many more decisions right than wrong.

It’s a monster breakthrough in the SHL that we are witnessing; It was not Simon Edvinsson’s goal that stood out to me last Saturday; it was everything else he did. Again; When was the time we last saw a monster breakthrough like this in the SHL? The 18-year-old is almost ridiculously good; Frolunda’s turn in Linkoping (down 1-0 to 4-1) was quite decent, too…READ MORE

Kronwall had an interesting input on the subject:

“Simon seems to be the kind of guy that…When he gets something explained to him, then he can apply it relatively quickly.”

The ability and willingness to learn.

Playful.

A hockey brain.

Here is probably the explanation for Edvinsson catapulting his start to his senior career with Frolunda in the SHL.

“It’s early in the season, you shouldn’t pull too big gears, but he’s understandably looked very impressive,” Kronwall said.

The feeling here [in Gothenburg] is of course that Simon Edvinsson is making his first and last (at least in many years) SHL season, but quite a bit suggests that he won’t be playing in Detroit or the NHL next fall.

But Niklas Kronwall did no want to steer the conversation in that direction at all, and he said, diplomatically:

“It’s too early to say. It’s all about…all players are different individuals, you have to do what’s best for the individual. If it’s another year here at home, then that’s the way to go. It can be the other way around–then we drive [in that direction].”

The Detroit Red Wings organization is not one that’s in a hurry. Albert Johansson is a good example, as he’s gotten his SHL start this season with Farjestad.

So there are reasons for Frolunda’s supporters to believe that Theodor Niederbach and Elmer Soderblom will also play here in 2022-2023. No, it’s not a given in any way. But if it’s considered best for them, then Detroit won’t stress anything out about playing in North America [instead].