by JHabs, AllHabs.net

MONTREAL, QC. — Imagine yourself as a netminder, shuffling from post-to-post, tracking the puck with each movement. Now imagine an abrupt buzzing sound passing over your shoulder.  As you wonder what in the world just happened you see Sebastian Collberg giving a passionate fist-pump to the crowd.

Sebastian Collberg, a native of Mariestad, Sweden has seen his draft-stock rise steadily throughout the season, and it is the belief of many scouts that he will go in the top-15 of this year’s NHL Entry draft.  Collberg is not a large player, clocking in at five foot eleven, one hundred and seventy-five pounds, however he plays a physical game.

He is aggressive on the puck, has fairly high hockey-IQ, and his skating is better than most, but what makes Collberg such an offensive threat is his gut-wrenching shot that many scouts believe might be the best in this year’s draft. To accompany Collberg’s top notch shot, is his uncanny ability to pursue the puck like moth to a flame — he is relentless, and has been touted as an offensive wizard.  Collberg reeks of offensive talent: his mix of speed, desire to score, and his cannon of a wrist shot make him a very dangerous player. Collberg also possesses incredible patience with the puck, which is rare for players his age, and it is often that attribute that leads to flashy moves, and superb plays.

While boasting all the assets to be a dangerous player in the NHL, Collberg will have to prove he can take it to the next level — he already turned some heads at the World Junior Championships. Collberg will also have to bulk up to continue to play his aggressive brand of hockey.  By bulking up he can develop into a much more effective player and a major scoring threat in the NHL.

It has been murmured that in a perfect world, Collberg can develop into a fringe first line winger, with a good center for support, but will most likely develop into a solid second line scoring threat that keeps defenders honest, and forces goaltenders to be at their very best.  One thing is certain, Collberg’s package is very tantalizing to many teams, and history has shown us that players given the right conditions can develop passed expectations and become diamonds in the rough. It is the belief of some scouts that Collberg has the potential, and will be a treat to watch for many years to come.