Fisker Molgaard rises quickly in rankings ahead of 2023 NHL Draft

The 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The first round will be June 28 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 are June 29 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a look at center Oscar Fisker Molgaard with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

Oscar Fisker Molgaard has made tremendous strides this season ahead of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft. So much so, that he's in line to be the first player from Denmark selected in the draft since 2019.

"It's been amazing," Fisker Molgaard said. "It's happened fast. When the season is over, I can go home and that's when I think I'll realize what's really happened this year. I'm just humble to be here and be a part of this journey, playing for three national teams, getting the chance to play in the SHL, it's been amazing for me. I'm trying to learn as much as possible and get better every day and show and prove to people I belong here and there's a reason why I'm here."

Though he didn't turn 18 until Feb. 18, Fisker Molgaard (6-foot, 163 pounds) had seven points (four goals, three assists) in 41 games with HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League and 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in 21 games with HV71's junior club. He also represented Denmark in three international tournaments, including the 2023 IIHF World Championship.

Fisker Molgaard climbed to No. 18 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of International skaters presented by BioSteel, from No. 50 at the midterm in January.

"He's maybe one of the players in this year's draft who's developed the most during the season," Central Scouting chief European scout Janne Vuorinen said. "When you watch back to the early part of the season, he's just seemed to climb. Every month he's looked a little bit better. For him too, it's not easy to make an SHL lineup in the Swedish league and he played there quite a many games. He's on a good track."

One of the biggest highlights for Fisker Molgaard this season was the chance to play with Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers at the World Championship.

"It's amazing. It's unbelievable. He's a great guy too," Fisker Molgaard said. "You try to look at him as much as possible and be around him as much as possible to learn. Of course, you want to be like him. The way he works, how hard-working he is on the ice and off the ice, is everything."

There was plenty to absorb from Ehlers, who was the No. 9 pick by the Jets in the 2014 NHL Draft.

"He's one of the best players we've ever had come from Denmark," Fisker Molgaard said. "It's fun to watch him and learn from him."

Ehlers is the only Denmark-born skater selected in the first round in the past dozen years, and Fisker Molgaard hopes to be the first player from Denmark selected at the NHL Draft since two goalies in 2019 -- Mads Sogaard by the Ottawa Senators in the second round (No. 37) and Frederik Dichow in the fifth round (No. 138) by the Montreal Canadiens.

Ehlers has been impressed by Fisker Molgaard and sees an NHL future for him.

"The potential questions are always hard questions, but first of all he's a great kid, very, very humble kid," Ehlers said. "On the ice, he may not be the biggest kid but he's got a hockey sense that you can't teach. He's got some good speed, he reads the game really well, he's responsible defensively as well as offensively. I mean, the potential ... you never know. He's got the potential to be an NHL player. I don't doubt that at all. To make it there, there's a lot of different things that have to go right. But he's got the potential to get there for sure."

It's that potential that Fisker Molgaard hopes attracts NHL teams.

"I try not to think about it that much, try to focus on what I can make a difference on, focus on my own game and not think too much about the scouts or anything like that," Fisker Molgaard said. "I try to focus on myself and do my best out there and get better every day, and then we'll see about that this summer."

Photo credit: IIHF

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