Top 25 Under 25, no. 25: Marcus Hogberg
The Ottawa Senators' future Goalie of the Future hasn't received much attention yet, but he's got a good deal of potential.
When the Ottawa Senators drafted Marcus Hogberg in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the comparisons were obvious and immediate: Hogberg is a Swedish goalie who's 6'5" and 212 pounds, so he might remind you of someone who recently signed a contract extension.
Before being drafted by the Senators, Hogberg had already played a few high-level pro games in the SHL (then the SEL) for Linköping, going 1-1 in three appearances with a 2.57 GAA and a .884 SP--not great, but not bad for an 18 year old playing his first few games in one of the world's top leagues.
Progress was stalled this year by a reported concussion, but his games in the SEL afterwards were pretty spectacular: He won all four starts he had, posting a sparkling 1.08 GAA and a .960 SP, and then also appeared in nine of LHC's 12 playoff games, winning three of them (including one shutout). His playoff numbers were wildly variable, from stopping 45 of 48 shots in the first game against Frölunda to allowing six goals on 28 shots in game five of the same series; perhaps the type of inconsistency you'd expect from a teenage goalie in such a high-pressure situation. Overall, though, his performance was good for Linköping squad, and it earned Hogberg a one-year extension with the team--my guess, based on how many starts he had in the playoffs, is that he'll be the starter for the 2014-15 season.
So obviously Hogberg won't be coming to North America next year, but it's entirely possible for the 2015-16 season; that will really depend on the development of Andrew Hammond, the likely start for the Binghamton Senators whose contract is up after next season. He'll face competition from Chris Dreidger, who recently signed his entry-level deal and will suit up for Bingo this season.
Hogberg is still a bit of a wild card in the Senators organization, but he's shown that he can play well. This upcoming SHL season will offer us a clearer picture of just what he's capable of.
