Islanders Simon Holmstrom makes shortlist for Sweden WJC squad

Team Sweden listed New York Islanders prospect Simon Holmstrom as one of 30 players they’re considering for their World Junior Championship squad.

New York Islanders first-round pick from 2019 Simon Holmstrom is back in his native Sweden skating with Allsvenskan side Vita Hasten. Through four games, Holmstrom is averaging 14:04 of ice time and has yet to register a point for the White Horse.

Today, Sweden’s under-20 team released a list of 30 players that are in consideration for the World Junior Championship that’s to take place later this year.

Simon Holmstrom was listed amongst those 30 players

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Still Young

We forget that this was a big year for Simon Holmstrom. After getting drafted in the first round of the 2019 draft, he left Sweden to join the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for his first pro-season in North America. He was only 18 years old at the time. He had just turned 18 in May of 2019, making him the youngest professional player in North America that year.

That’s a huge change for a kid who had played his entire hockey career in Sweden. Not only was he going to have to learn a new system with Bridgeport, but he’d have to adapt to smaller ice, a different game, and even a different culture.

Now with the North American hockey season on hold, Holmstrom is back in Sweden where he has to re-adapt yet again. That’s a lot of change for a kid who just turned 19 five months ago.

Sure, Holmstrom hasn’t scored or put up a point for Vita Hasten, but he’s a good player and his quality should eventually come out. He’s a creative and crafty winger and will eventually find his way to the score sheet.

Sweden knows Holmstrom can be a good player for their squad. The young forward had an impressive U18 World Junior Championship in 2019 putting up five points in six games as Sweden captured the gold.

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This isn’t the final roster for Sweden as they prepare for the 2021 tournament that just released it’s scheduled a few days ago. Sweden begins its tournament with a date against the Czech Republic on December 26. The 2021 WJC will be held in Edmonton from December 25 to January 5, 2021, in a bubble similar to that of the NHL’s playoff bubble.