
Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson
Birthday: 1996-10-31 | Position: C |
Eligible for draft: 2015 | Shoots: Right |
Drafted: 2015 | Height: 6-1 |
Acquired: 2nd Round (45th Overall), 2015 | Weight: 192 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- B
History
2011-12: Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson skated for Nacka HK in Stockholm, playing for the club’s U18 and U16 teams, and played for the Sweden U16 team. He scored 13 goals with 19 assists in 26 games with the Nacka U18 team. Forsbacka-Karlsson scored 2 goals with 3 assists in five international games for the Sweden U16 squad. He played for bronze medal-winning Stockholm 1 in the TV-Pucken tournament for high school players, scoring 4 goals with 7 assists and finishing +6 with 4 penalty minutes in eight games.
2012-13: Forsbacka-Karlsson played in Sweden’s U20 SuperElit league as a 16-year-old, skating for Linkoping, and represented Sweden at the U18 and U17 levels. He scored 9 goals with 7 assists and was +4 with 26 penalty minutes in 31 SuperElit regular season games and was +2 with 2 assists and 4 penalty minutes in five playoff games. In 19 games, including two playoff contests, with the Linkoping U18 team he scored 15 goals with 20 assists and was +27 with 16 penalty minutes. Forsbacka-Karlsson had 1 assist and was +3 with 10 penalty minutes in five games as Sweden finished fifth at the 2013 U18 World Junior Championship. He scored 2 goals with 3 assists and 2 penalty minutes in five games for the U17 squad as Sweden won its first gold medal at the World Hockey Challenge. He was selected by Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the fourth round (130th overall) in the 2013 KHL Draft.
2013-14: Forsbacka-Karlsson left Sweden to play for the Omaha Lancers in the USHL and played for the Sweden U18 team in the 2014 World Junior Championship. He scored 11 goals with 22 assists and was +11 with 26 penalty minutes in 60 regular season games. The Lancers finished second in the Western Conference, falling to third-place Sioux City in a first-round series. Forsbacka-Karlsson had 1 assist and was -5 with 4 penalty minutes in four playoff games. He was +2 with 2 assists and 6 penalty minutes in five games at the WJC. Sweden finished fourth, falling to Canada, 3-1, in the bronze medal game.
2014-15: Forsbacka-Karlsson returned to Omaha for his second season and in October 2014 announced his commitment to play college hockey at Boston University in 2015-16. He was the leading scorer for the Lancers in his second USHL season, scoring 15 goals with 38 assists and was +10 with 38 penalty minutes in 50 regular season games — missing time late in the year and the Lancers’ playoff series with the Tri-City Storm after suffering a concussion. Omaha finished third in the Western Conference. Forsbacka-Karlsson was ranked 31st amongst North American skaters in the Central Scouting final rankings and was selected by Boston in the second round (45th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Talent Analysis
Forsbacka-Karlsson is regarded as a player with a high hockey IQ. He’s a good passer who can take a broken play and turn it into a scoring chance. He’s a smooth skater and a good passer with lots of potential.
Future
Forsbacka-Karlsson is in his freshman season at Boston University in 2015-16 and skated for Sweden in the 2016 World Junior Championship. He has made a smooth transition from the USHL to college hockey as a 19-year-old and is one of the top playmakers for the Terriers. Forsbacka-Karlsson projects as an effective second line center with some scoring ability.