
Anton Blidh
Birthday: 1995-03-14 | Position: LW |
Eligible for draft: 2013 | Shoots: Left |
Drafted: 2013 | Height: 6-0 |
Acquired: 6th round (180th overall), 2013 | Weight: 184 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- C
History
2010-11: Anton Blidh played for Frolunda’s U18 team and skated for Goteborg 1 in the 2011 TV-Pucken tournament for high school age players in Sweden. In 12 games with Frolunda he had 2 goals with 1 assist and had 8 penalty minutes. He made one playoff appearance and had no points with 25 penalty minutes. Blidh scored 2 goals with 4 assists and had 6 penalty minutes in eight TV-Pucken games.
2011-12: Blidh stepped into a full-time role for the Frolunda U18 team in his second season. Playing 38 games during the regular season, he scored 13 goals with 19 assists and was +11 with 28 penalty minutes. Frolunda was the top team in the South Division and reached the playoff semifinals, falling 4-3 to eventual champion Rogle BK. Blindh scored 2 goals with 4 penalty minutes and had an even plus/minus in four playoff games.
2012-13:Blidh played 49 games for Frolunda’s U20 team as a 17-year-old and represented Sweden at the 2013 U18 World Junior Championship. He scored 17 goals with 10 assists and was +13 with 80 penalty minutes in 43 regular season games as Frolunda was the SuperElit league’s top team. Frolunda reached the playoff semifinals and Blidh scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was +2 in six playoff games. Skating for Sweden, which finished fifth at the U18 WJC, he scored 1 goal and was +1 in five games. He also played 11 games for Frolunda’s U18 team (including three playoff games) and scored 6 goals with 5 assists and was +3 with 14 penalty minutes. Ranked 100th amongst European skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings, Blidh was selected by Boston in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.
2013-14: Blidh skated in 24 regular season games for Frolunda in his first pro season in Sweden — splitting the year between the SHL and Allsvenskan club Karlskrona — and was one of the top scorers for the Frolunda U20 team. He had 5 assists and and even plus/minus with 2 penalty minutes, averaging 11:15 minutes of ice time in SHL play. Frolunda finished second to league champion Skelleftea in the regular season before falling to Linkopings in a seven-game first round playoff series. Blidh scored 1 goal with 2 assists and was +2 in six playoff games. In 11 Allsvenskan games for Karlskrona he scored 1 goal with 1 assist and was -2 with 6 penalty minutes. Bildh scored 11 goals with 14 assists and was +15 with 20 penalty minutes in 27 SuperElit league games with the Frolunda U20 team.
2014-15: Blidh skated in the SHL with Frolunda and played for the Sweden U20 team in the 2015 World Junior Championship. Skating in 48 regular season games he scored 5 goals and was -11 with 26 penalty minutes, averaging 13 minutes of ice time. Frolunda finished second to defending champion Shelleftea and reached the playoff semifinals. Blidh scored 1 goal and was -2 with 4 penalty minutes in 13 playoff games. He signed a three-year entry-level contract with Boston in May 2015.
Talent Analysis
Blidh is a strong skater and has the projectable frame of a strong two-way forward. He has been a consistent scorer at the junior level but is viewed as more of a forechecking, three-zone type of player at the pro level. He plays an aggressive, responsible style defensively that is rare amongst young prospects.
Future
Blidh is playing for Bruins' AHL affiliate Providence as a 20-year-old in 2015-16 in his first season in North America. Steadily adjusting to the pace and style of play, he has provided both toughness and occasional scoring. Blidh projects as a physical, two-way lower line forward similar in style to former Bruin P.J. Axelsson.