"Steady" Eddie Genborg

By Zak Egan (@LGRWProspects) - WWP Contributor

Credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff

Eddie Genborg was drafted 44th overall in the 2nd round this past summer by the Detroit Red Wings. I had him ranked as the 45th best prospect in my personal draft rankings, noting him as a “high energy power forward who has some snarl to his game - easy to see him being able to have an impact in an NHL bottom six.” My opinion on his game after 15 SHL games has not completely changed. I still think he can be an effective bottom six player in the NHL or a utility winger that can do a job up and down the lineup. I find myself appreciating his game and what he brings to the table more than I did previously, and may even say there is more upside than I originally thought. Through 11 games played, Genborg has 6 goals and 3 assists in 16:44 TOI/GP. Eddie’s 9 points ranks 3rd in the SHL for U21 players, only behind presumed top-5 pick Ivar Stenberg and last year’s 3rd overall pick Anton Frondell. While this is an exciting statistic to look at, does it mean Genborg is as good of a prospect as either of those two players? In my opinion, no, but I'm still excited about Genborg, because when it comes to what Eddie is good at, he's very good at those parts of the game.

So let’s explore what makes Genborg an exciting prospect and why he’s producing at the level he is. Eddie is currently 14th in the SHL in hits with 18. At 6'2" & 198lbs, Genborg has no problem using his body to finish checks on the forecheck or finishing his check at the point.

He doesn’t just use his body to finish checks, though. Genborg’s size and physicality are integral to most aspects of his game, the next being his puck protection and puck retrievals. Eddie has a good base, doesn’t stand too upright, gets low and uses his body to protect pucks. He often finds himself racing to loose pucks from the net front, engaging physically with an opponent before winning a battle, then with one hand on the stick using his free arm to fight off opponents and shepherding pucks to teammates before getting back to the front of the net. 

Another aspect of Eddie’s game that is benefited by his size is his net front game. If his team is in possession of the puck in the offensive zone, you can likely find Genborg in the net front area. It’s simple on paper but something that few players are willing or able to do at a high-end level. Eddie uses his frame often to box out defensemen and take goalies eyes away with quality screens (which takes a certain type of mentality and will).

More importantly, Genborg has hands and finishing ability around the net - something the current Red Wings big men struggle with at times. Whether it is a point shot that Genborg tips or shovelling home a greasy rebound, Eddie has pretty good touch around the crease. 

These attributes have allowed Genborg to be in those production conversations with the more high profile, play-driving prospects. 

Similar to Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Genborg has a very north/south, physical, North American style of game. I think this will help him adapt quickly when he eventually comes over. However, there are some areas of his game that I think he can improve on while playing over in Sweden. Genborg is a decent skater who uses his length and size to generate a powerful stride, but his foot speed is a bit slow and the skates are a bit heavy which you can notice in short, quick races. It takes Eddie a bit of time to get up to speed, but hopefully his skating can improve a bit in the next few years. In transition, Genborg has been shown to be able to finish plays.

However, I would like to see him develop more of his puck carrying ability in transition and possibly show a bit more playmaking ability like he did at the junior level.

In the SHL right now, Genborg’s game can be boiled down to being heavy on the forecheck, forcing turnovers, passing the puck to a teammate, and getting to the net. Once there is a shot, he goes for the retrieval and starts the process over again. He has shown signs of playmaking ability, especially in transition, but you won’t see it every game. He’s similar to Brandsegg-Nygard in that he’s not necessarily the player you want carrying the puck through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone, but you do want him to be the one on the end of the play finishing at the net (but these junior clips show that there could potentially be more there to develop at the pro level).

Genborg is an exciting prospect because his best traits are super projectable to the NHL as a utility winger who could potentially play up and down the lineup, depending on what his expectations are. He’ll get in on the forecheck and finish checks. He’ll get to the net and play in the dirty areas. Eddie is a responsible player: you won’t see him cheating plays, he’s on the right side of puck battles, and doesn’t fly the zone. The real story to follow is if he can develop the parts of his game that I referenced earlier. If Genborg can develop his play away from the net and the boards, and start becoming a bit more of a puck carrier and playmaker, then that’s when to start getting really excited about Eddie.