Zeb Forsfjall is hungry for more after the Seattle Kraken center prospect played a significant role in helping Skelleftea win the Swedish Hockey League championship last season.
Selected by Seattle in the sixth round (No. 180) at the 2023 NHL Draft, the 19-year-old had five points (three goals, two assists) in 41 games. But Forsfjall’s most significant contributions came on the penalty kill and as a defensive-minded center who helped Skelleftea allow 111 goals, the second-fewest in the league.
Now, he wants to expand his game.
"When I was a little bit younger, it was my offensive game that I was better on," Forsfjall said. "Then when I [took] the step up to the men's team in Skelleftea, I [took] the role they gave me and I did it well. Now, I want to build my offense."
The Kraken certainly would welcome that aspect, but director of player development Jeff Tambellini said Forsfjall’s ability to find a consistent role on a championship team at his age is a giant step in his development.
"We liked that he was able to find a role," Tambellini said. "That's the hardest thing for young players in these pro leagues, is being able to come in and gain the trust of a coaching staff. When we go to watch his games in person, especially on video, he's first over the boards on the penalty kill, he's playing the last minute of games. He's relied on heavily in defensive situations.
“As a young player, we just love that he's getting the trust of the coaching staff. As you get on to more power plays and more offensive situations, of course the numbers will rise, but we just love that he's finding trust early on as a [19]-year-old, which is fantastic."
Forsfjall had an opportunity to play a two-way game during the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase, an evaluation camp held July 26-Aug. 3 in Plymouth, Michigan, that featured practices and games against the United States, Canada and Finland, and was an evaluation camp for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be played in Ottawa from Dec. 26-Jan. 5.
Forsfjall had one assist in three games and saw time on the top line with Otto Stenberg (St. Louis Blues) and Lucas Pettersson (Anaheim Ducks).
"I want to be a two-way centerman," he said. "I want to be good in the defense and good in the offense. I want Coach to put me everywhere."
Sweden coach Magnus Havelid used Forsfjall in a defensive role at the 2024 WJC but is hoping to use him in more offensive situations for the 2025 tournament.
"I know he has more offensive skill maybe that he could use last year," Havelid said. "I know I can use him probably on the power play as well. He's a smart player. I know he has more tools than he maybe showed before."
Forsfjall has gotten help rounding out his game from Frans Nielsen, who works in player development for the Kraken. Nielsen was a defensive-minded center who provided solid secondary scoring during his 15 NHL seasons with the New York Islanders and Detroit Red Wings, making him an ideal choice to help with Forsfjall's development.
"He's a great guy," Forsfjall said. "He'd talk with me after every game and give me some tips. I watched some highlights of him, and I think I'm a little bit the same player as him. I want to be a two-way [center] like him."
To eventually find a role in Seattle, Forsfjall (5-foot-9, 167 pounds) knows he has to get stronger to handle the more physical play on smaller rinks in North America. He also must show he deserves more of an offensive role with Skelleftea while remaining defensively reliable.
"Zeb is an extremely tough player to play against," Tambellini said. "He works, he skates, he can check hard, he can make great plays coming out of the defensive zone. He's a tough player to match up against. We don't need all of our prospects to run a power play or play huge offensive minutes.
“We love that he's different from a lot of our guys. He has a niche, and we think what he does, if he wants to add more offense, that's fantastic. But we love what he's brought so far. And the progress he's made so far is putting him on a really good projection, hopefully to the National Hockey League one day."
