DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills profiles big Charlie Forslund this morning. The 6’3,” 212-pound forward was drafted 176th overall by the Red Wings this past June.
Forslund will graduate from the Swedish 3rd division to the HockeyAllsvenskan with Mora IK’s J20 team this season, which everyone seems to agree will be good for the raw player’s development:
Forslund spent part of the 2023-24 season with Falu IF in Sweden’s third division, recording 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 19 games. He also had 16 points (13 goals, three assists) in seven games with Falu IF’s U-20 team.
Red Wings Assistant Manager and Director of Amateur Scouting Kris Draper said he believes the ceiling is high for Forslund.
“Playing against those men at a lower level, Charlie stood out,” Draper said. “He has good size, can skate and can really shoot the puck…We did a lot of background checking and you sit there, this could be somebody that could be really good for us down the road.”
At 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, and still growing, Forslund said he’s learning how to use his size to his advantage.
“I play every game with my big body,” Forslund said. “I try to get into situations where it’s a bit tough, like in front of the net. Last year, my game was very good on the power play.”
Continued; Falu IF could only provide so much in the way of resources for Forslund to train and improve his physical conditioning, so the Wings believe that moving to Mora IK might jump-start his development.
