Capitals’ Magnusson Selected By Teams As Sweden’s Best Player In World Juniors Opener

Washington Capitals prospect Oskar Magnusson is the only player from the organization playing at the 2022 World Junior Championships, and he’s already putting himself on the radar in Alberta.

After Sweden’s dominant 6-3 victory over Russia in their World Juniors opener on Boxing Day, both Russia and Sweden voted on the standout players from the prelim game. Magnusson was named Sweden’s player of the game. For Russia, it was Matvei Michkov.

The 19-year-old skated primarily on the fourth line and logged 12:23 minutes for the Swedes in the victory. He didn’t find the scoresheet, but generated a lot of speed and got quite a few good looks. He also hit a goal post early on. Overall, Magnusson fit right in and skated well overall alongside his teammates, who halted Russia’s late comeback effort.

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Magnusson went to Washington in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Draft (No. 211 pick) and attended his first rookie camp with the Capitals in September. He had spent the start of his career with the Malmö Redhawks at the SHL and J20 SuperElit levels. But for this season, he chose to play with the AIK IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan, the second-highest tier of hockey in Sweden. He’s been solid so far this season with two goals, four assists and a +/- of plus-6 in 21 games.

Known for his high-energy play, quick release, speed and awareness at both ends of the ice, Magnusson is a promising two-way prospect who can generate a lot of scoring opportunities and also backcheck effectively. The 5-10, 165-pound forward plays a smart game and is capable of winning 1-on-1 battles, and he doesn’t have a problem making himself noticeable.

Expect Magnusson to continue to grow confidence and evolve his overall game as he works toward earning an NHL contract.