2025 NHL Draft Prospect Early Look: Anton Frondell

Montreal Canadiens fans wish the team will contend for a playoff spot this year. However, the early predictions say they are still two years away from being up there with those teams. If that's the case, the Canadiens could be in the running for Anton Frondell next season. James Hagens is the top prospect for next year's draft, but Frondell is in the running to contend for the top spot. This article is a series where we look at first-round prospects for Canadiens fans to monitor this upcoming season. Anton Frondell could play pro next season after playing nine games in HockeyAllsvenskan with Djurgardens IF last season.

Frondell staked his claim on the top European prospect spot when he played in the 2024 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament as a 16-year-old. He led Sweden in goals and also beat the USA to win gold. He also captained Sweden at the U17s, scoring six goals and an assist.

"Strong, two-way center. You watch him play and he’s got the well-rounded, two-way game like [Aleksander] Barkov. Good everywhere on the ice, no matter where – with or without the puck, offensively, defensively, playmaking, scoring, killing penalties. He’s the real deal."

- Craig Button

Frondell dominated at the J20 level in Sweden and didn't look out of place in HockeyAllsvenskan before getting hurt. He doesn't have the offensive upside of James Hagens, but he has plenty of pro qualities.

However, when he was a 15-year-old, Frondell flashed brilliance with his offensive skills. The team that drafts Frondell could be able to unlock it again. The Canadiens may need a second-line center of the future, and Frondell is the type of player who may drop in the draft with a bunch of players vying for spots after Hagens.

The Canadiens wouldn't go wrong by getting the chance to draft Frondell at the 2025 NHL Draft. Could he be ready for the NHL in 2024-25? The prospect of Frondell and Ivan Demidov coming to North America together is intriguing.