Buffalo Sabres: What does Filip Cederqvist bring to the franchise?

Filip Cederqvist became the latest intriguing prospect to sign with the Buffalo Sabres when he inked his entry-level contract on Monday. 

While Erik Portillo, Aaron Huglen, and Ryan Johnson are 2019 draft picks that have drawn the most attention among Buffalo Sabres fans, Filip Cederqvist’s signing lets him get the head start. The Sabres do have him as an option to join the Rochester Americans, where he can immediately start developing his game with forwards Alexandr Kiskov and Isak Rosen.

Cederqvist appears to be a little further along the pipeline than Rosen given his recent outing with the SHL’s Djurgardens, where he scored 32 points in 49 games. It was a gigantic leap for Cederqvist, whose first two seasons in the SHL did not go well, with the Swede having scored just ten times in his first 63 games.

What makes Filip Cederqvist an intriguing prospect for the Buffalo Sabres?

In 2019, a post-draft scouting report highlighted some of Cederqvist’s glaring flaws in his game. One of which included his skating ability. While he showed good balance, his overall acceleration was slow. His agility was also sketchy. But the report did say if Cederqvist improves his overall skating, he would become more productive. Given his recent breakout season in the SHL, it is safe to say he made strides in his skating.

At 6’2, 207, Cederqvist will be one of those forwards who can use his size in Rochester to win puck battles. He will also be a more physical forward. However, he wisely chooses when to hit and when to tone things down. This physical presence is something you can expect at the AHL level, but don’t think he will end up as physical as John Hayden was this past season.

Post-draft, the scouting report also noted that his skills with the puck were no better than average. While they have clearly improved, you can bet that he will need to continually hone his puck handling in Rochester against high-level AHL competition.

If he gets better with the puck, watch out, because Cederqvist is a prospect that displays excellent overall vision on the ice. Given his spectacular wrist shot and quick release, he can also score at will when he finds himself in ideal position.

(Statistics provided by Elite-Prospects)