Anton Frondell is unanimously the best international prospect in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old Swedish center offers a sturdy frame at 6'1" and 204 lb, with tremendous conditioning and endurance that was on display in his impressive stationary bike test performance at the NHL Scouting Combine.
He has already gathered experience in Hockey Allsvenskan, the country's second-highest pro league. With 25 points in 29 games during Djurgårdens IF's championship-winning season, Frondell was the highest-scoring U18 skater in the league and tallied the second-most points of all time by a player that young, behind only William Nylander in 2013-14.
There were some questions looming about Frondell due to a variety of factors, including an injury last season that lingered early in the 2024-25 campaign. But his shooting, puck posession, and physicality make him an asset that would transition to the NHL with ease.
Offensive instincts and laser-accurate shot
Frondell's playing style is marked first and foremost by his ability to find open shooting lanes where he can blast the puck. Scouts consistently rank him as having the best shot of the draft class due to his versatility: Frondell's one-timers are particuarly strong, but he has a mean wrister and can snap the puck on net from nearly any spot on the ice.
He is able to get to those open areas by using his frame to shield the puck. Scouts have said he protects the puck well because he is not afraid to play the body even when he's carrying it in the zone. In fact, TSLH's scouting report described Frondell as the "reverse-hit King of this draft class."
That effectiveness in playing the body also extends to battles along the boards. Because of his willingness to apply heavy pressure to the opponents, he more often than not comes out of those tough areas with possession of the puck.
Two minutes of Anton Frondell's (#2025NHLDraft) best offensive moments from this season.
— Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) June 5, 2025
Blistering one-timers from the half wall, angle-changing releases from mid-range, strong off-puck instincts around the slot, creative finishing solutions from close range. pic.twitter.com/Psm7A0x29X
One area that will still need some improvement is his passing. As a center, it's crucial to be able to distribute the puck accurately to teammates and because Frondell posesses a strong shoot-first mentality, that skill still needs some polishing.
Frondell continues to improve his skating as well, which is another area that still needs to develop more. It's by no means a limiting factor, as he's still able to effectively beat defenders to rebounds and loose pucks in the offensive zone. But better skating would help Frondell lock down his transitional and defensive play, something that he himself has said he places a great deal of importance in.
"[I model my game after Aleksander] Barkov in Florida. Captain, good size, strong. Good hockey sense. A smart player that likes to compete. "Frondell, to NHL.com
His play is inspired by guys like Aleksander Barkov, who is the reigning Selke winner as best defensive forward in the NHL. With that type of skater as his framework, Frondell's head is in the right place and it shows. NHL's Director of European Scouting, Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen, also highlightedFrondell's play on both sides of the puck as something that sets him apart as a skilled center.
NHL readiness and role in the lineup
As an 18-year-old, Frondell brings a lot of talent to the table that will only continue to develop as he grows and gains more experience. He has the base skills that any competitive center needs, including very strong physical conditioning which is the perfect base to build his game around.
All he needs now is to fine-tune his passing and skating, and he can very well become a high-level center in the NHL with a couple of tweaks during this next season.
There's a high likelihood that Frondell returns to Sweden for another year with Djurgården, which has been relegated to the country's top league, the SHL, for the upcoming season. That would give him another opportunity to develop his game in a competitive league against established skaters like Jakob Silfverberg and Johan Larsson.
He may still be a year off from making his NHL debut, but Frondell is poised to step into the position of a highly dangerous offensive threat that can still get back to defend well and win those loose pucks using his physicality.
With a little bit more refinery in one of the world's most elite leagues, Frondell has the strong potential to become a difference-maker in the NHL. With a killer shot, solid instincts and willingness to dig the puck out of the dirty areas, Frondell's style of play is wonderfully suited to the big league.