SHL: Utah Mammoth Prospect Melker Thelin Shines

Yesterday’s SHL action featured a matchup loaded with prospects. Utah Mammoth goalie prospect Melker Thelin delivered a brilliant performance in Färjestad’s net. Among Djurgården’s many young talents, it was draft-eligible Viggo Björck who shone the brightest. Read more about it in today’s SHL prospect roundup.

Mammoth goalie prospect Melker Thelin shines
Utah Mammoth goalie prospect Melker Thelin continues to impress in the SHL. Thelin got the start for potential title contender Färjestad in Tuesday’s rivalry matchup against Djurgården. Even though he allowed only one goal, he still came out on the losing end. The 2023 fifth-round pick, however, made several difficult saves and kept his team in the game when Djurgården applied heavy pressure on the power play. His numbers further improved after yesterday’s strong performance, and he now carries a .937 save percentage through eight games.

Thelin moved from his childhood club Björklöven to SHL team Färjestad ahead of the season, where he has served as the backup behind the more established Emil Larmi. But when given the opportunity, Thelin has performed well and shown that Arizona/Utah had good reason to draft him.

Flyers prospect Jack Berglund stays involved
Flyers prospect Jack Berglund entered Tuesday’s game with two strong performances behind him. In those outings he produced three goals and five points. That stretch included a two-goal effort in Saturday’s game against Djurgården, the same team Färjestad faced again on Tuesday. Berglund continued to show his strength and aggressiveness on the forecheck and looked well suited for the rivalry matchup. His team generally lacks heavy power forwards and Berglund showed he can drive that part of the game for Färjestad. It’s impressive to see a nineteen-year-old take on that kind of responsibility for his team.

Up-and-down night for Djurgården’s prospects
Djurgården is one of the world’s top developers of hockey talent, and this year’s roster is no exception. The team features Blackhawks prospect Anton Frondell, Islanders prospect Victor Eklund, and draft-eligible forward Viggo Björck.

Over the course of the season, Anton Frondell has been the one standing out the most, but Djurgården has still had an odd way of managing his ice time. In yesterday’s game he was listed as the thirteenth forward and finished the night with only 8:40 of ice time. Frondell threatened around the opposing net the few times he actually got a chance to play. Djurgården’s explanation is that they don’t want to wear out the young talent after a demanding summer of draft combines and camps. Still, it would undeniably be fun to see more of him in the SHL.

Of the three Djurgården prospects, it was Viggo Björck who stood out the most in yesterday’s game. With his strong hockey sense and crisp passing, he shows that he belongs at this level. He also showed the kind of aggressiveness that’s become a new part of his game this season. Despite that, Björck has slipped on many draft boards, partly because of his limited size and the uncertainty around how his game will translate to higher levels.

Theodor Knights: Hlinka Lessons and Five Nations Mindset The Hockey News’ Jacob Smeds speaks with 2026 NHL Draft prospect Theodor Knights. After starring for Team Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, he now prepares for next week’s U18 Five Nations Tournament.