Senator draft picks Oskar Petterson and Kevin Reidler are both out to impress Team Sweden and their future NHL employer.
The 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase closed out Friday at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan and two Ottawa Senator prospects have been fully immersed in the action over the past week.
The Showcase was a four team event, featuring Sweden, Finland and a split Team USA squad, and served as a summer evaluation for players trying to make their national teams for the 2024 World Juniors. They begin Boxing Day in Gothenburg, Sweden – the hometown of some dude named Daniel Alfredsson.
Forward Oskar Pettersson and goaltender Kevin Reidler are both aiming at a shot to suit up for the host team this Boxing Day. Both are 2022 Ottawa Senator draft picks, with Pettersson going in the third round and Reidler in the fifth.
Pettersson checks in at a solid 6 feet, 190 pounds, and signed his entry-level NHL deal with the Senators this summer. He played for Sweden at last year's Worlds, posting two goals and four points in seven games. So he's a good bet to return for this year's tournament.
Unfortunately, in Monday's game against USA White, both Sens prospects had a case of the Mondays, with some unpleasant moments they'd like to forget.
Minnesota Wild first-rounder Charlie Stramel clobbered Pettersson in the neutral zone and, with his elbow getting up around Pettersson's head, was penalized for the collision. The Senators prospect then bounced off Stramel and collided with another American player. Pettersson left the ice after the hit.
As for Reidler, he's probably dealing with nightmares, getting lit up for all 10 goals in the 10-1 loss.
Swedish coach Magnus Havelid called it a tough game, obviously, and mentioned it was Reidler's first game with this Sweden team.
“Let’s see how he develops during the season,” Havelid said.
Reidler will play in Dubuque in the USHL. Havelid mentioned Kalle Larsson (Dubuque’s GM) as a reason the Fighting Saints have had so many Swedish goalies in recent years
As for Pettersson, Havelid says the 19-year-old was sick this week, so he only played in the first game.
“I know what I can get from him," Havelid said. "We (have) a lot of good leadership in the dressing room. So I hope he can have a good start of the season... Hopefully he's back in our line up again (for the World Juniors).”
Sam Stockton is on the Detroit Red Wings beat for The Hockey News and has been covering the tournament in Michigan. He kept a watchful eye on the two Senator prospects.
"Reidler wasn't nearly as bad as the scoreline in that blowout on Monday," Stockton said. "I was surprised that they left him in for that whole game, but the US was coming in waves, and he was under heavy pressure the whole time. Obviously, 10 goals are ugly any way you slice it, but it was a game in July that got out of hand quickly and the bleeding just never stopped."
Meanwhile, Pettersson's confidence with the puck was noticeable, as you'd expect from a returning veteran.
"I'd say his line with Filip Bystedt (San Jose's first rounder) and Alexander Suzdalev (Connor Bedard's linemate last season) still looked pretty dangerous in that 10-1 game," Stockton said. "They were really the only group that was able to make any type of inside plays into the slot.
"I think Pettersson also stands out as being a bit more eager to take people on one-on-one relative to the other Swedes, who at the risk of painting with a broad brush, tend to be more "pass and move" types in those moments."
Sweden closed out the showcase Friday afternoon with a 5-4 loss to USA Blue.
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