143RD OVERALL
SAMUEL ERSSON (G)
TEAM/LEAGUE: Brynäs IF Gävle J20 - SuperElit (Swedish Jnrs).
VITALS: 6'2" | 180 lbs
BORN: Oct. 20, 1999 | Falun, Sweden
* A product of the same Swedish club from whom the Flyers previously drafted current prospect Felix Sandström and past prospect Joacim Eriksson, the left-catching Ersson was the backup goalie for Team Sweden at the 2017 Under-18 World Championships. As a late-birthday player, he was ineligible for the tournament this year.
* Ersson was a workhorse for the Brynäs J20 team this season, appearing in 40 games, and posting a .920 save percentage. Also had a cup of coffee with the men's team while Sandström was out with an injury.
NHL Draft Black Book
"Ersson is a modern-day butterfly goalie, who possesses a calm demeanour and fluid movement. His fluidity allowed him to come out of his reverse V-H or drop into it before most short-side shot attempts could get through. His ability to transition from a butterfly to a standing position and visa-versa is impressive. Furthermore, his butterfly is technically refined and this allows him to seal it shut on most shot attempts, as well as being able to absorb rebounds at a high-rate. It works in combination with his plus puck-tracking skills, giving him the ability to square up and stop the initial shot. It's rare to see Ersson have to scramble since he doesn't over-commit on most shot attempts and his rebound control reduces his need to make recovery saves."
Bill Meltzer
"The Brynäs system has typically done a good job at developing young goalies. Ersson fits their usual mold; a good natural athlete with an economy of motion in the net. He will play against pros next season, albeit at the minor league level, on loan to Västerås IK. It will be a good test for him."
Joakim Grundstrom on Samuel Ersson:
"Good size, really good feet, very competitive. You see a lot of upside there, he's in a good spot in Sweden too and we're excited about getting him."