Robin Norell

History

2010-11: Robin Norell skated for the Djurgarden U18 and U16 teams and played for the gold medal-winning Stockholm 1 team in the TV-Pucken tournament for high school-age players in Sweden. He had no points and two penalty minutes in ten games between the two Djurgarden squads. Norell scored 1 goal with 4 assists and had 4 penalty minutes in eight TV-Pucken games.

2011-12: Norell made his debut in Sweden’s SuperElit U20 league as a 17-year-old, appearing in one playoff game for Djurgarden, and skated for the club’s U18 team. He was scoreless in his only U20 game. Norell scored 2 goals with 9 assists in 37 regular season games and was +17 with 24 penalty minutes for Djurgarden’s U18 team. He had no points and 2 penalty minutes in four U18 playoff games.

2012-13: Norell split the season between the Djurgarden U20 and U18 teams and represented Sweden at the 2013 U18 World Junior Championship. In 35 games with Djurgarden U20, including two playoff games, he scored 1 goal with 4 assists and was -5 with 6 penalty minutes. In 30 regular season games for Djurgarden U18 he scored 10 goals with 7 assists and was +21 with 16 penalty minutes. After finishing fifth in the South Division, Djurgarden reached the AllSvenskan U18 semifinals. Norell scored 2 goals with 1 assist and was +9 with 6 penalty minutes in nine playoff games. In five games at the U18 WJC in Sochi he was +2 with no points and 2 penalty minutes. Sweden finished fifth in the tournament. Norell was ranked 58th amongst European skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings and was selected by Chicago in the fourth round (111th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.

2013-14: Norell played for the Djurgarden men’s team in AllSvenskan, the Sweden second division, and was a member of the silver medal-winning Sweden U20 team at the 2014 World Juniors. Missing much of the season due to injury, he had 5 assists and was plus-10 with 10 penalty minutes in 22 regular season games for Djurgarden. Djurgarden finished third in the regular season and earned elevation to the SHL for 2014-15 after finishing second in the six-team Kval playoff series. Norell had 1 assist and was minus-4 with no penalties in 10 Kval series games. In seven games at the WJC he scored 1 goal and was plus-3 with 2 penalty minutes. Sweden lost to Finland, 3-2, in overtime in the gold medal game in Stockholm.

 

Talent Analysis

Norell does not have the prototypical size of an NHL defenseman, but he makes up for it with mobility and moxie. He is a smooth-skater that can cover a lot of the ice. There is no hesitation when it comes to sacrificing his body to block a shot or take a hit against the forecheck.  

 

Future

Norell is skating for Djurgarden in the SHL as a 19-year-old in 2014-15 and is also a candidate to represent Sweden in the 2015 World Juniors. He has yet to sign an NHL contract with Chicago and faces strong competition in an organization with several defense prospects. This season will go a long way towards determining his long-term potential.