Sens prospect Jakob Silfverberg: "I'm ready"

by SwedeTom on Feb 18, 2012 10:20 PM EST

This FanPost was written by a member of the Silver Seven community, and does not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of the site managers, editors, or Sports Blogs Nation, Inc.

Hi, I´m Tom. I´m a Swede with a true passion for hockey. I just love the game, everywere I can find it but most of all I love Brynäs. Some of you may have heard of them, it´s the SEL-team Jakob Silfverberg plays in and a team I follow on almost a daily basis. I thought you´re may be interested in a bit of update on him and his progress in Sweden.

If you follow me after the jump, I´ll try to enlighten you all.

With seven games left of the regular season Brynäs is involved in a figth to end up as #1 in the league, very much thanks to Silfverberg, but lets take it from the beginning.

Jakob had a bit of a slow start att the beginning of the season, partly due to an injury that kept him off ice for a few games but some of us thougth he looked tired from the very beginning of the matches. Then something happened, the team captain and former Ottawa forward Andreas Dackell got a long term injury and Silfverberg was appointed as the new captain. From that moment Silfverberg grew as a player and as a leader.

If we look at his stats he´s the scoring leader of his team with 19 goals and 43points total, 3rd in the league but with less games playd than #1 and 2. He averages just above one point a game wich is very good in the SEL. Several experts name him as the best Swedish winger outside of the NHL at the moment.

I know that many of you would have wanted for him to not go back to Sweden for this season. Jakob gave an explanation to why he chose to do so in an interwiew recently.

"It's a big step to take," he said, "and I didn't feel mature enough to take that step. I needed this year to make sure I'm ready for it and now I'm sure. I´m ready."

To the question if he would return to Sweden next season if he got sent to the AHL he answered, "No, my goal is to play in the NHL, if Ottawa thinks I need time in the AHL to reach that goal, thats what I'll do."

This FanPost was written by a member of the Silver Seven community, and does not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of the site managers, editors, or Sports Blogs Nation, Inc.

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Cool!

The way I understand it is if he is done(out of the SEL playoffs) he can come over here and join the team. I would be very much in favor of this.This news bodes well for the organizational depth. Thanks Swedetom.

GO SENS GO GO TEXANS GO

by SENSGUY1 on Feb 18, 2012 10:32 PM EST reply actions

Is this true???

If so we could get him for playoffs???

Or would he want to be at the world champs for Sweden…

by Beanster on Feb 19, 2012 10:21 AM EST up reply actions

It's unlikely though

His team is 2nd in the SEL, 2 points back of 1st with a game in hand. The playoffs start in mid-March and it’s likely his team goes 2+ rounds deep, which means he probably wouldn’t be here in time to get a regular season game in. Then there’s the whole big ice to small ice thing and the fact that the WC starts in early May.

by 80 on Feb 19, 2012 11:08 AM EST up reply actions

Let him ride out this season, then have him train with the intention of him starting here in October

I agree with you – Why rush things?

by The Tif on Feb 19, 2012 8:16 PM EST up reply actions

These are all great points

There’s no reason to rush the kid.

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by Mark Parisi on Feb 20, 2012 9:37 AM EST up reply actions

Thanks Swede Tom

It’s cool to hear from someone on site, as it were.

I’m surprised that he has been named Captain, given that it is a grown man’s league and he’s so young. I guess that speaks well of his maturity and what his coaches think about him. I’m excited about his future with us.

If he ends up in the AHL, don’t despair. The AHL is the second best league in the world and will help him develop further.

by OttawaWendy on Feb 18, 2012 11:11 PM EST reply actions

Awesome thanks

Anybody know when the playoffs end (approximately) in the SEL?

by fridgefullofmeat on Feb 19, 2012 1:02 AM EST reply actions

If the final goes to seven games, 21 april

by SwedeTom on Feb 19, 2012 1:18 AM EST up reply actions

THANKS!

This is great!

by CP1sens on Feb 19, 2012 7:54 AM EST reply actions

Great post, thanks

He seems to slip through the cracks when we talk about the Sens future but there is no doubt he is maturing well and is the most NHL ready of our young prospects. Looking forward to him suiting up with us ASAP.

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by kdlishus on Feb 19, 2012 9:51 AM EST reply actions

The reality of him taking extra time in Sweden could result in an Alfredsson type situation where he comes over here a little more experienced and challenges for the Calder. Alfie was 23 when he came over, same age as Silfverberg will be when he comes to play next year.

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by modsuperstar on Feb 19, 2012 9:56 AM EST reply actions

Alfie 2.0?

We can only hope.

by The Tif on Feb 19, 2012 8:17 PM EST up reply actions

This is such an awesome post

Thanks a lot for coming by and posting it, it’s tough for us to find news on the Sens’ Swedish prospects.

Added to the front page (and made some slight edits).

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by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 19, 2012 10:22 AM EST reply actions

Fantastic Stuff - thanks for thinking of us!

Any further updates you can provide or perhaps some specific thoughts you have on his style of play would also be greatly appreciated.

I also wonder what your thoughts are on Rundblad…if you think he has what it takes to be an impact player in the NHL.

Thanks again, great to read stuff from another hockey fan in Sweden!

by OD99 on Feb 19, 2012 1:01 PM EST reply actions

I´ll try to share some of my thougts with further on.

About Rundblad, I´ll have to say no. I belive he is a kind of player that needs the bigger ice and the extra time it give you to reach his full potential. Also, I´m not sure that the more physical North American game fits him.

by SwedeTom on Feb 21, 2012 2:14 AM EST up reply actions

Um, drool.

by sensory_experience on Feb 19, 2012 1:53 PM EST reply actions

On a distantly related note

From a Leafs fan:

It’s especially frustrating to see other sucky teams get their rebuild going and overachieve in a year, especially those with lippy fanbases (cough cough Ottawa)

I had no idea we were lippy. Lippy? Really?

by Geodetic on Feb 19, 2012 2:38 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, I don't know about that

I know that Leafs fans are trolling ’round these parts a lot more often than we are at PPP.

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by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 19, 2012 4:34 PM EST up reply actions

Lots of Sens fans can be annoying and aggravating

Especially with regards to Toronto.

Likewise, lots of Toronto fans are condescending/arrogant. It’s just part of the wider internet dickery.

by TheGuineaPig on Feb 19, 2012 9:10 PM EST up reply actions

Personally I dont actively troll leafs fans,

however, its not hard for them to get an opinion out of me…as a loyal sens fan, i think thats just good form :)

by alfie4PM on Feb 19, 2012 9:22 PM EST up reply actions

Personally find it very frustrating to hear/read fans of Leafs & Sens arguing

and putting each other down. What’s the point ! You can’t possibly tell me it’s fun to argue who’s the bigger dick as the discussion goes downhill. I find it more interesting to have rational discussions with fans of the other teams, find out what they think of the Sens & their insights to their teams on SBN GDTs.

by whatsinaname on Feb 19, 2012 10:02 PM EST up reply actions

Typical Sens fan response.

Why don’t you just guarantee that you have the bigger dick, then we’ll know that you’re a liar. Stay classy, Ottawa.

by Spezzal Teams Playa on Feb 19, 2012 10:38 PM EST up reply actions

Your sarcasm is heavy, even by Internet standards.

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by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 19, 2012 10:40 PM EST up reply actions

You calling me fat?

by Spezzal Teams Playa on Feb 19, 2012 10:40 PM EST up reply actions

I wish I had kept it as a single paragraph. To me, it now looks like a colon after the first phrase. Time to clean my monitor.

by Spezzal Teams Playa on Feb 19, 2012 10:46 PM EST up reply actions

me too

and actually, I find the best way to get under a Leafs fan’s skin is to be level-headed, honest, and just stick to the facts. You can’t ignore the blunders and the black marks on the franchises history, you have to acknowledge them and laugh them off for what they are. But reactionary insults based on emotion and not facts will just make you look like a fool.

by HaBla on Feb 20, 2012 8:54 PM EST up reply actions

It's funny how well this works.

I speak from the experience of living with Leafs fans.

Karlsson's flow is underrated.

by Too Clutch on Feb 21, 2012 3:14 PM EST up reply actions

Are you in T.O? May we ask how you become a Sens fan?

by whatsinaname on Feb 21, 2012 8:18 PM EST up reply actions

The scenario I’m so hoping happens is that the Leafs don’t make the playoffs this year. It’ll be so amusing because Burke will then be on the hot seat and have signed his formerly lame duck coach for another 3 years for a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since before the lockout.

Then we can look at the Sens situation, where this club clearly views losing as unacceptable. The Sens cleaned house last year both on the ice and behind the bench, yet here they are right in the thick of things. Sure this team may have overachieved this year, but it also speaks to the pride this bunch has, something the Leafs haven’t been able to emulate under Burke’s leadership.

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by modsuperstar on Feb 19, 2012 10:39 PM EST up reply actions

I think Wilson was re-upped for one more year, not three.

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by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 19, 2012 10:40 PM EST up reply actions

And most Leafs fans see that as reason to believe that he’ll likely be fired before the contract even kicks in.

Man, those bastards have money to burn.

by Spezzal Teams Playa on Feb 19, 2012 10:44 PM EST up reply actions

I thought I heard 3 year initially, but weirdly cannot find 100% confirmation of the length of the deal. Speculation seems to be that it was a 1 year, but it still seems to be unconfirmed. Either way it’ll be funny when Burke has to axe Wilson before he even gets to use his extension.

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by modsuperstar on Feb 19, 2012 10:45 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks for the post!

by The Tif on Feb 19, 2012 8:17 PM EST reply actions

Is the question about what his intentions would be if he got sent down to the AHL a common question asked of players?

by Spezzal Teams Playa on Feb 19, 2012 10:40 PM EST reply actions

Yes

Especially considering Petersson’s recent comments.

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by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 19, 2012 10:41 PM EST up reply actions

What was his position?

If it were me, I’d say the right things, but of course I’d prefer to play in the SEL over the AHL.

by Spezzal Teams Playa on Feb 19, 2012 10:43 PM EST up reply actions

Is this what happens when there are no games on the weekend? Everyone just jumps on S7S and comments on whatever the latest thread was? I know I’ve been kinda jonesin for some hockey given it’s a long weekend and the Sens didn’t even play.

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by modsuperstar on Feb 19, 2012 10:47 PM EST reply actions

It's pretty awesome

We need some Sens content to talk about!

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by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 20, 2012 3:34 PM EST up reply actions

I like his attitude!

by spatial.taxes on Feb 20, 2012 12:30 AM EST reply actions

So do I!

Seems down-to-earth and sounds like he has a team-first attitude. Lets hope he sticks to his word!

by Pirateninjabot on Feb 20, 2012 12:48 AM EST up reply actions

So what happened to old spackle-faced Dackell, anyway?

I hope it wasn’t his face. Was it his face? It wasn’t his face was it?

by Spezzal Teams Playa on Feb 20, 2012 3:25 AM EST reply actions

Fucking Lindros

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by Peter Raaymakers on Feb 20, 2012 3:35 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks

Thanks for the update. It’s wonderful to hear from someone who is on site watching our beloved Swedes, as opposed to trying to follow how they’re doing via their stats alone. Please report in every once in a while and let us know how Silfverberg and Zibanejad (assuming you’ll see him in the playoffs) are doing.

I was one of those fans that thought Silfverberg should have stayed in North America last year.

by Marvellous on Feb 20, 2012 7:16 AM EST reply actions

You´ll probably hear more from me further on.

Zibanejad recently did a comeback after injury so I have not seen that much of him lately, and his team Djurgårdens IF will most likely not reach the playoffs. I wouldn´t be suprised if you´ll see him in North America at the end of March.

by SwedeTom on Feb 21, 2012 2:31 AM EST up reply actions

Any info is welcome

I would very much welcome any or all information you could send about any or all of our prospects from across the pond. It is really hard to get more information than just goals and assists which only gives a general idea of how they are doing.

Since the style of play over there seldom lends itself to high level scoring, we have to content ourselves with just stat watching.

How about doing a weekly or bimonthly post about the Swedish players? … also which dark horse Swedish players to watch for in the upcoming draft, if you see any of them.

by Marvellous on Feb 21, 2012 7:12 AM EST up reply actions