Here is a quick update on the players selected in 2022 who are not currently in the NHL:
Jake Richard – F – 170th overall
A native of Jacksonville, FL, Richard made an impression at the prospect tournament in September 2023 with his offensive chops after scoring 62 points in the USHL. In his freshman season, he had 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists) in 36 games at the University of Connecticut.
The 20-year-old finished second in team scoring in his sophomore campaign, averaging over a point per game (15 goals, 27 assists) in 32 games. UConn earned its first NCAA tournament bid this season and will take on Quinnipiac on Wednesday.
Gustav Karlsson – C – 187th overall
Selected in the sixth round in 2022, Karlsson split time between the junior level and SHL in 2023, but last season played in the third-tier HockeyEttan pro league for Vimmerby HC and had 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 31 games.
The Sabres do not have any clock ticking on signing a European prospect like Karlsson, but would like to see some signs of progress over the next couple years. This season, with another HockeyEttan club (Falu IF), the 21-year-old started out slow, but finished with 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists) in 32 games and three points in the qualification round.
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Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson – LW - 202nd overall
A late-round overager out of Sweden, Ratkovic-Berndtsson averaged over a point per game as a junior with Frolunda in 2022 and scored 20 goals in 34 games in junior in 2023, with small stints in the SHL and second-level Allsvenskan. Last season, the 21-year-old shifted to the second-level Finnish Mestis league and has 11 points (4 goals, 7 assists) in 22 games with FPS Forssa, but then returned to Sweden and played for Kristianstads IK of the third-level HockeyEttan league and had 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) in 16 games.
This season, with another HockeyEttan club (Vasterviks IF), the 21-year-old has 29 points (16 goals, 13 assists) in 28 games, and has been loaned to the second-level Tingsryds AIF club, where he has one assist in 13 regular season and relegation games.
Linus Sjodin – RW – 211st overall
Sjodin was selected as an overager after playing most of 2022 in the SHL. He played all of 2023 and last season with Rogle, and in 104 games, the 22-year-old has just 15 points (4 goals, 11 assists). He had two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in 15 SHL playoff games, as Rogle went to the final before losing to Skelleftea in five games.
This season, Sjodin has five points (1 goal, 4 assists) in 51 games.
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