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Fansided

A review of the Rangers’ 2019 draft class one year later

By Will Wright

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 27: Kaapo Kakko #24 of the New York Rangers skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at the Bell Centre on February 27, 2020 in Montreal, Canada. The New York Rangers defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 27: Kaapo Kakko #24 of the New York Rangers skates against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period at the Bell Centre on February 27, 2020 in Montreal, Canada. The New York Rangers defeated the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Sweden’s Karl Henriksson (Photo by Peter KovalevTASS via Getty Images) /

Round 2:  # 59 – Karl Henriksson, LHC, Frölunda (SHL)

Karl Henriksson was viewed as a third rounder in the eyes of McKenzie’s scouts, but his selection was widely praised by European based scouts. Henriksson is best known for playing on a line with 2020 superstar prospects Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz in international competitions. Henriksson is undersized, but plays a strong defensive game, and is an excellent playmaker.

He struggled for ice time with Frölunda in the men’s league this season but put up excellent numbers in the U20 Swedish League, with 41 points in 27 games and had a strong U20 World Junior performance centering a line with Raymond and Holtz.

He will be Sweden’s first line center at the 2021 U20 World Junior tournament and should get much more time at the professional level. Henriksson clearly looks like the best pick in the late second/early third round and looks like he could become a good third line center for the Rangers one day.

Thumbs up for Gorton.

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