The Top 25 Under 25 is a collaboration by members of the Die By The Blade community. six writers and 718 readers ranked players under the age of 25 as of September 1, 2018 in the Buffalo Sabres organization. Each participant used their own metric of current ability and production against future projection to rank each player. Now, we’ll count down each of the 25 players ranked.
Finishing just ahead of defender Brandon Hickey is forward Marcus Davidsson. The 19-year old Swedish prospect joins nearly a dozen countrymen on the Sabres’ extended roster, and though his name may not carry the weight of Alex Nylander or Rasmus Dahlin, his game speaks for itself.
Davidsson is a strong two-way forward whose greatest asset is his versatility. The young SHL standout had his best season in the Swedish professional league in 2017-18, scoring 21 points in 39 games for Djurgårdens IF. He has the ability to play in all situations – his responsible defensive play makes him perfect for short-handed situations, and his vision and scoring abilities make him dangerous on the power play.
Davidsson added three points in the IIHF World Junior Championships held at Buffalo’s HarborCenter. He and his Swedish teammates came up short in the gold medal game, losing 3-1 to Canada. In all international competitions last year, Davidsson had six points in 13 games.
For a player that is just over six feet tall and just under 200 pounds, fans can expect a lot of contact. His vision and hands are good, and this skill set, combined with an innate ability to be everywhere on the ice, is the perfect chaotic storm for a third-line NHL forward.
The 2017 second round pick is expected to return to his Swedish club for the season, where he will certainly continue to see increased minutes and responsibilities. If Davidsson fails to play in North America in 2018-19, he’ll certainly see some time on Sweden’s U20 team for the IIHF tournament in Western Canada.