Tedenby believes he'll be ready to come to North America in 2010; Josefson scores winner in scrimmage (video added)

Left wing Mattias Tedenby still has a season remaining on his contrat with HV-71 of the Swedish Elite League, but the Devils' 2008 first-round draft pick believes he will be ready to come to North America to play in 2010-11.

"I want to," he said. "Whether they want me, that's the question. I don't know. I hope so."

Tedenby is in New Jersey this week to attend the Devils' rookie camp. He'll return home to Sweden afterward, however, to get ready to play another season there.

(Below is some video that I shot of Tedenby in today's scrimmage. Tedenby is No. 62. Sorry if it is a little shaky.)

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound native of Vetlanda, Sweden, believes he made strides as a player last season after being drafted 24th overall by the Devils a year ago. He struggled at the beginning of the season and was briefly demoted to a lower league, but was brought back up by HV-71 and had a strong playoff, putting up six goals and three assists in 15 games.

(To right: Tedenby warming up for this afternoon's scrimmage.)

"I think I developed a lot," he said. "I started kind of bad, but then I went straight up and ended the season well. So, I got better as the season went along last year. It was good."

Tedenby and fellow Swedes, Jacob Josefson and Alexander Urbom, flew to New Jersey together on Saturday and then did some sightseeing in Manhattan.

"We Swedish guys came a few days before the camp to get used to the time difference and went into New York to look around a little bit," he said. "It's nice."

Tedenby knows Josefson from playing with him on the national team in Sweden and was pleased to hear the Devils had drafted him with their first-round pick this year.

"I know him well," Tedenby said. "We've played a lot together. He's a real good player, a two-way player. I played with him a couple of times and he's real easy to play with. He reads the game well and makes good passes."

With Tedenby, Josefson, Urbom, 2005 first-round pick Nicklas Bergfors and defenseman Johnny Oduya, (plus assistant coach Tommy Albelin) the Devils are starting to get a lbit of a Swedish flavor.

"There's a lot of Swedish guys,": Tedenby said. "It's good. They're good players."

***

Tedenby is playing left wing on a line with Josefson at center and Matt Halischuk on the right wing for today's scrimmage. There is no score so far in the first period.

***

The White team won the scrimmage 2-1.

Jean-Sebastien Berube scored  with 1:37 left in the first period to give the Black team a 1-0 lead. Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond and Matt Corrente exhanged words and a few light shoves in front as the period was ending, but nothing came of it.

Vladimi Zharkov scored from the left circle for the White team 20 seconds into the second period to tie it at 1-1. Anthony Felice made a left pad save on Zharkov's shot, but the rebound went in off a defender in front.

Josefson scored the winner with 8:38 left in the second period.

They had a shootout afterward that ended in a 5-5 tie.

Here was the breakdown of teams today and the players' jersey numbers. All three goaltenders (Jeff Frazee, Anthoby Felice and Charles Long) rotated. The goaltenders do not have numbers. (There is little significance to the numbers other than Pelley having No. 10.)

White Team

Forwards: Tedenby (62)-Josefson (60)-Halischuk (50); Zharkov (56)-McIntyre (59)-Perkovich (53); Castonguay (46)-Swift (54)-Rodwell (66); Nagy (65)--(rotating center)-Bernard (49).

Defensemen: (all rotated) Fraser (37), Burlon (45), Corrente (34), Urbom (41), Gelinas (32), Miller (58), McPherson (39).

Black Team

Forwards: Berube (44)-Pelley (10)-Doug Clarkson (61); Leblond (51)-Henrique (64)-Palmieri (52); Hoeffel (57)-P, Cormier (48)-Vasyunov; K. Cormier (47) (extra forward).

Defensemen: (all rotated) Delahey (42), Magnan-Grenier (38); Eckford (36), Gedig (35), Pender (40), Helgeson (33), Young (43).

Comments

[JJ]

Probably looking at a year in Lowell in 2010-11 then a shot at the bigtime in 2011-2012 if all goes well for him.

[AK47]

I wish he could skip the Lowell,can not wait to see him on the team same goes for JJ.

[Pearl Jammed]

My thoughts as well JJ

[frankied]

Well, if he continues to improve this season, shows that he can be responsible defensively and has a good training camp, he has a shot at making the team next year. From recent memory, Gomez skipped the AHL and Zajac only played 2 games there.

[Jason]

5'9 167...no thanks.

[Barrett]

Is there a chance he skips Lowell? We might be hurting for a solid second line left winger if Rolston doesn't pan out this year. Plus a Swedish second line of Tedenby JJ and Bergfors sounds like it might work like the Capitals' European top line (not saying Tedenby is as good as AO but still)

[MoonDragn]

He's not gonna be going to Lowell. I believe playing in the SEL gives them more experience than Lowell and they will just keep playing in the SEL if they are not ready.

[Mark]

True, Oduya amd Rafalski both came right from the SEL but they were both also a bit older and I think had already played on the smaller ice surface. I guess it depends on our roster at the time. I'd say they're locks for 2011 through with an optimistic shot at 2010.

2010..a Swedish Odyssey...sounds like a movie!

[Number6]

A year in the AHL may help acclimate to North America, not just hockey-wise, but the language, the culture, etc.

[Xander Crews]

Yea he very well may have to go to Lowell to adjust to the NA game... Raflaski played his entire career over here until he went undrafted and went to Europe.

Its not just baout the experience since they game they play is pretty different then ours.

[Barrett]

Does anyone know when the SEL season ends? What's the chance he comes over to play for Lowell after its done? I'm sure MacLean wouldn't mind having him

[Pat]

Is it just a cost reason why preseason games are not on tv?

[HF]

is it sad to get excited about our prospects scoring goals in scrimmages?

[Sohl]

haha not at all HF, im the same way. Waiting forr October to come around will do that to ya.

[NJSwampdragon]

Can NJ buy out the Swedes' contracts if they wanted to and get them to Lowell, or no? Not sure why a team would want young players who are leaving in a year.

[Brendan]

Berube a sniper? Unlike his uncle Craig.

[Maxwell]

Did Frazee let up any of the goals?

[FOTC]

I wish I could watch this. Ugh, the Devils = fail. They're not even posting pictures like they did last year!

[Bill]

FOTC = Fail. Devils are putting up pictures like they did last year. Your just being lazy and not looking for them. They have pictures of yesterday up and soon will be posting today's up.

[Hot Dogs]

Best game by far last season was Doc's appreciation night against the Penguins.

Jamie scored two clutch goals to win it! I almost pooped my pants when we won.

If anyone thinks Jamie shouldnt get the "C" this year...you are crazy!

[AK47]

The game against Boston was before that game or right after? When Elias tied the game in last minute and Jamie with a huge OT winner.

[Robbie]

How about Jamie getting surgery after game 2? And coming back to play in game 6.

[njosh]

the devils should buy out the country of Sweden. That way, when all these awesome swedes come along, we will automatically have their rights and be able to pick them up.

[NickyG]

lol I'd chip in 10 bucks to buy Sweden.

[adamhmelchor@optonline.net]

Hey TG, what were the players' numbers? Specifically Tedenby, Cormier, Halischuk, Pelley, Zharkov and Josefson