Tobias Björnfot just captained Sweden's Under-18 team to a gold medal at the IIHF U-18 World Championships. He has been a staple on Swedish international squads and has found himself taking leadership roles on most of those rosters. He also captained Sweden at the Hlinka-Gretzky tournament, where he helped his team win the silver medal, and was apart of the Under-18 Swedish team that won bronze in the 2018 IIHF World Championships.
While his statistics may not top the leaderboards, it's his defensive presence that has been vital to the success of any team he has been a part of. Scouts say Björnfot defends very well against the rush and is constantly blocking shots, showing excellent positioning and control in the defensive zone. His intelligence and hockey IQ allows him to break up plays and intercept passes quickly and transition the puck out of his own end.
"He was captain of the (Hlinka-Gretzky tournament) under-18 team, strong character, does everything well," says a scout, per The Hockey News. "He puts the team first, puts the forwards in good positions and consistently makes the right decisions with or without the puck."
Björnfot was able to get some experience at the professional level playing seven regular-season games and four playoff games in the Swedish Hockey League for Djurgårdens. Prior to the SHL, he was a key factor for the Djurgårdens junior team, recording 11 goals and 11 assists in 39 games along with three points in seven playoff games. Djurgårdens finished third in the league and Björnfot was awarded the league's best defenseman award.
Björnfot is seen as one of the safest picks in the draft. He's a reliable two-way defender with excellent speed, high hockey IQ, and proven leadership skills.
