Chicago Blackhawks 3rd overall pick refuses major opportunity to further his development
Photo credit: NHL.com
The Chicago Blackhawks third overall pick Anton Frondell has surprisingly withdrawn from Sweden's roster for the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Earlier this month, the NHL confirmed Frondell's place on the roster:
"Frondell, selected No. 3 by the Chicago Blackhawks last month, will be part of Sweden's 25-man roster along with forward Victor Eklund, selected by the Islanders with the No. 16 pick of the 2025 draft. Also at the camp for Sweden will be top 2026 NHL Draft prospects forwards Viggo Bjorck and Ivar Stenberg."
But with camp set to begin, Team Sweden unexpectedly announced that Frondell won't take part in the camp:
"Change in the lineup: Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund are out. They are replaced by Liam Danielsson and Alexander Zetterberg."
Later, the analyst Chris Peters stated that if Frondell had been to the camp, it would've been the eighth time he flew from Sweden to the U.S. in a four-month span:
American Fans Will Have To Wait Before Seeing Frondell In Action
It's a surprising development for both Frondell and the Blackhawks, as the Summer Showcase is considered a key stepping stone in a prospect's journey toward the World Junior Championship.
Swedish national coach Magnus Hävelid emphasized the importance of the tournament:
"This will be the kick-off for the season and the journey towards the Junior World Championships at the turn of the year. This year, the tournament will be held at the same place that we will be at during the World Championships, which gives us an opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the environments early on and work on details early on so that when the World Championships come, we have the best possible conditions."
This is a missed opportunity for Frondell to be with his peers and test himself against elite international talent-something both Chicago fans and Sweden's staff were eager to see. However, he will likely be on Sweden's team for the real tournament in a few months.
Although he signed his NHL Entry-Level contract earlier this summer, Frondell will spend the next season in Djurgårdens in the SHL. At best, he will join the Hawks at the end of the season, if his team is eliminated from the playoffs.
Previously on HawksInsider
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