E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Max Friberg #67

By Eldon MacDonald

67. Max Friberg - “Mr. Energy” - LW - Sweden

Vitals: Size - 5’11”, 185 lb.; Shoots right; Born 20-Nov-92
Team: Skövde, SWE Div 1
2010-11 Stats: 34-13-27-40-6 + U20 - 6-2-0-2-4-(+1)

Rankings:
55 - ISS per TSN
58 - hfboards Readers’ Poll
67 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
68 - The Scouting Report's Top 100
HM - Bob MacKenzie's June Poll of Scouts (HM’s = 61 to 85)
72 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
72 - The Hockey News per TSN
77 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
78 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (13th European skater)
Draft result:
143 - Anaheim Ducks

Max Friberg is like the Energizer Bunny, you put him out on the ice and he just turns it on. He is the type of guy who lights up smiles on the face of his teammates, his coaches and the fans in the stands alike. He is an aggressive little rink rat who likes to engage the opposition by taking the puck to the net, pesky forechecking and driving through opposition defensemen. He also has a good, quick shot, decent but not high end puck handling skills and is willing to work at all parts of the ice. Some people may call him a tweener but I see him more as a versatile player who can be a low-end second liner who helps to generate chances and keep the opposition off-balance as well as providing the energy guy on a bottom six line along with good defense. He will need to work on his strength to be able to migrate his current level of success to the pros but he already plays with a low center of gravity so that part should come without too much difficulty. Max is probably a little short of having solid second round skills but brings decent value in the third for a team needing a little extra energy.