Three of a kind: Back, Karlstrom and Peterson making gains in tournament

One of the great things about the NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan, is that it gives players a chance to dip their toes in the competitive water.

In addition to playing against peers who are somewhere near the same level of development, players also get to play with their franchise mates and get to establish a baseline with which their own coaches can work. And if you're coming over from Europe, the positive gains are multiplied.
That's been the case this week for three forwards from Sweden - Jacob Peterson, Fredrik Karlstrom and Oskar Back - who each are transitioning to the North American game with the focus of playing their first season in the AHL.
"All three have played well in terms of first impression," said Stars AHL head coach Neil Graham when asked about the transition from a bigger rink to a smaller rink, as well as the transition to life in North America.
"That's such a challenge for them, and that's really the purpose of a tournament like this. You want to give them reps in competitive situations and let these guys acclimate and adjust. You see it some people adjust very quickly and some guys take a little longer. There's no crystal ball on that, so you just have to work every day and every game and try to make progress. It's all about getting used to different spatial awareness."
Peterson has had the best performance so far, as he has three goals and eight shots on goal in three games, including a goal in a 7-3 loss to Toronto on Sunday.
"Petey has done a real good job on both sides of the puck," Graham said. "He's been dynamic offensively with some nice finish around the net, and he's really kind of grabbed it, to be honest. You talk about getting a chance in a situation like this and really grabbing it, and he's done just that. He's been noticeable."
The 22-year-old forward played last season with Farjestad BK and tallied 33 points (14 goals, 19 assists) in 46 games. He's a skilled player who can also check, and he's showing so far that he can do both.
Karlstrom, 23, is a big forward (6-3, 190) who protects the puck well and has great speed. He doesn't have any points in three games thus far, but has four shots on goal. Karlstrom had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in 14 playoff games for Vaxjo Lakers HC as he helped them win the SHL championship.
Back, meanwhile, is the youngest of the three at 21 and is the most defensive minded. He has no points and two shots on goal in three tournament games, but has been a solid checker and penalty killer.
"Oskar has been excellent on our PK. He's adjusted to a different kind of pressure that we use on our penalty kill than what he's used to on an Olympic size sheet, so that's been good," Graham said. "He's a smart player and he understands the defensive side of the game very well. Offensively, he's shown some good hands, some poise, and I think he'll only get better playing in a tighter area in terms of time and space."
That's the case for all three, it seems. The Stars have a history of bringing players from overseas and helping them transition to the NHL. Roope Hintz and Denis Gurianov are more recent examples who matured in the AHL. Esa Lindell and Radek Faksa did it a few years ago. Each is a great example of how this can work.
"You've heard it from my boss and you've heard it from me - every player is different," said Stars assistant general manager Scott White. "Every guy has their own path, and we have to look at these three the same way. Denis Gurianov, some people wanted to get rid of him four years ago, and we don't want to get rid of him now. You just have to be patient. You just have to put them in the right position with good support and you let them play. Their play will dictate where they end up."
Notes: The Stars lost to Toronto 7-3 in Game 3 at the Traverse City tournament Sunday. Peterson, Max Martin and Thomas Harley each had a goal. Riley Damiani had two assists, while Mavrik Bourque and Jordan Kawaguchi each had one assist. Adam Scheel continued to struggle in net, allowing six goals on 13 shots. For the tournament, Scheel has a 6.90 goals-against average and .686 save percentage. The Stars will finish the tournament Monday against St. Louis at 11 a.m. CT.
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This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.