Filip Cederqvist admits he wasn’t strong enough to play in front of the net in junior hockey.
A Swedish winger, Cederqvist didn’t win enough puck battles and couldn’t outmuscle defenders to get to rebounds. He spent time with four different teams in the season after he was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 draft.
Like many prospects that age, Cederqvist was in limbo. He eventually became too good for junior hockey but couldn’t score against men. Through rigorous work off the ice, Cederqvist got bigger and stronger, and, gradually, he evolved into a physical power forward with a scoring touch.
The Sabres’ development staff, led by Adam Mair, pushed management to sign Cederqvist to an entry-level contract in June and his progress was on display at the Prospects Challenge, capped by a well-rounded performance Monday in the Sabres’ 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators.
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“I think I’ve grown,” said Cederqvist, who’s listed at 6-foot-3, 208 pounds after he weighed 187 at development camp in June 2018. “I’m a bigger guy. And I think when I was a junior, I had a tough time to crash the net. But I think that these last two years I’ve been working hard to like, do one cutback and then try to go to the net more. And I think that really has paid off and has helped me to produce points on the senior level.”
Cederqvist had the primary assist on Tyson Kozak’s first goal to give the Sabres a 3-2 lead in the second period. Cederqvist carried the puck down the right wing and, with only his right hand gripping his stick, made the centering pass to Kozak in the slot.
Matt Savoie scored two goals in the third period to break a 3-3 tie, Kozak finished with two and Tomas Suchanek made 16 saves in goal for Buffalo. Linus Weissbach and Lukas Rousek also had goals for the Sabres, who went 3-0 at the Prospects Challenge.
Cederqvist, now 22, has a skill set unlike any other prospect in the organization, aside from 6-foot-5 winger Brett Murray and 2021 draft choice Olivier Nadeau. Cederqvist brings a combination of skill and strength. He’s not a flashy player, though. His game is simple. Rather than trying to stickhandle around defenders, Cederqvist uses his vision to find a linemate in space in the offensive zone before getting to the net to screen the goal and get to a rebound.
The Sabres plan to have Cederqvist develop in Rochester, where his style of play will complement skill goal-scorers like Isak Rosen, Jiri Kulich, Aleksandr Kisakov and Lukas Rousek.
“He’s heavy,” said Rochester coach Seth Appert. “He’s a winning-type player. He wins puck battles, he’s honest, he tries to block shots. I think what’s going to be great, he’s really good below the goal line, below the hash marks. We like, even though we’re going to have a lot of young skill and we had a lot of young skill last year, we were a really good low-play team last year. That’s something I take a lot of pride in with our teams, because you’re going to have to do those things if you want to play in the NHL and want to play in the playoffs. So, I think he’s going to fit well into that. And I think that the way we practice and the style which we play is just going to force his skating to keep getting faster and quicker and quicker.”
Coaches and players boasted about Cederqvist’s performance on the bike test during fitness testing Thursday. He explained to reporters that, long ago, he decided that he never wanted to be ill-prepared for the start of a camp like this. Cederqvist spent his summer in his hometown, Skara, a small city in Sweden, attempting to add more muscle and strength to his frame. His acceleration will have to improve for him to eventually help the Sabres in Buffalo, but he’s quick enough to play the way Appert and Don Granato prefer.
Cederqvist’s approach also will help with the transition to the smaller ice surface in North America. He’s not a perimeter player. Last season in Sweden, when Cederqvist skated on a line with former NHLer Marcus Sorenson, the Sabres' prospect totaled 14 goals and 32 points in 49 games top rank second on his club, Djurgardens IF.
“He’s a monster,” beamed Rochester assistant coach Mike Weber. “An absolute monster. … For him, finding that special quality that can get you to the next level, get you to the NHL, I think he has that capability where he can carve out a niche this year and going forward.”
Here are other observations from the game:
1. Trending up
Of any invite in camp, Suchanek likely gained the most with his performance this week. Undrafted in July, Suchanek was a standout for Czechia at the IIHF World Junior Championship and performed well throughout the Prospects Challenge, including in practices. At 6-foot-2, Suchanek has size and athleticism. He likely was overlooked in the pre-draft process because his junior team, the Tri-City Americans, struggled. The Sabres, or any other team, can sign him before the start of the NHL season. If unsigned, Suchanek will be eligible for the 2023 draft.
Suchanek helped preserve the Sabres’ lead in the second period, robbing Angus Crookshank on a one-timer and making another big save on a point-blank chance in the final two minutes before Crookshank tied it with 45 seconds remaining.
2. Showing progress
Once the nerves subsided, and both forwards adjusted to the fast pace of play, Rosen and Kisakov showed progress in areas of the game that will help them have success in Rochester this season. Kisakov handled a forecheck brilliantly in the first period Monday when he made a centering pass to set up Weissbach for Buffalo’s opening goal. Kisakov finished with three primary assists, while Weissbach was one of the Sabres' best players this week.
There’s a night-and-day difference in Rosen’s game now compared to development camp. His speed was noticeable again all over the ice. He forechecked effectively, created separation with the puck and showed sound instincts in the offensive zone.
Savoie, meanwhile, was exceptional in every game and showed that he’s a well-rounded forward who simply needs to become stronger before making the jump to the NHL. He had three goals in the tournament, only one behind Kozak for the team lead.
3. Tracking invites
The Sabres’ roster featured a talented group of invites that will be considered for pro contracts in Buffalo or elsewhere. Defenseman Spencer Sova tops the list because of his steady play alongside Oskari Laaksonen. Sova, 18, plays for the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League and his progress has been tracked by Appert since the latter was at the USA Hockey National Team Development Program.
Lake View native Declan McDonnell also represented himself well in two games and practice. McDonnell, 20, is a physical, aggressive winger with a scoring touch. He’s played two seasons in the OHL and got drafted by Tampa Bay in 2020 but didn’t receive a contract.
“I have always liked Declan,” said Appert. “I've seen him play since he's probably 14 or 15. He's competitive, he's strong, he's thick. He's got a heavy shot, smart hockey player.”
Defenseman Ethan Ritchie and center Nolan Burke also played well this week.
4. Next
The Sabres will hold their first set of training camp practices Thursday in KeyBank Center, beginning at 10 a.m. Both are closed to the public, but the team will skate in LECOM Harborcenter Friday and Saturday, the latter of which will be an intrasquad scrimmage at 10 a.m. Preseason action begins Sunday in Washington against the Capitals at 2 p.m.
