Nordberg is in his first NCAA season at Merrimack, where seven assists in a depth role is entirely in line with his profile. A better representation of his skill set is that he sits fourth on the team in blocked shots and second in penalty minutes, leading the squad in major penalties. Still unsigned by Ottawa, he looks to be a long-term depth option at best for a Senators organization that has more dynamic defensive prospects ahead of him.

Nordberg skated in his second USHL season since coming over from Sweden. He potted six goals and added 18 assists across 55 games, and most notably, provided 105 penalty minutes, good for 12th by that measure. Nordberg turned 21 this season, and was one of the oldest players in the USHL. He currently sits unsigned by Ottawa, and we will need to watch over the summer to see where he commits to for the 2025-2026 campaign.

Nordberg played in three different leagues for four different teams during the 2022-2023 season. He played nine games in the SHL, 33 in HockeyAllsvenskan and 18 in the Swedish J20. Although he might have been a little inconsistent, he still played 42 professional games and progressed. The hope for next season is the SHL as North America is probably not an option at this point for the 19-year old.

Nordberg had six goals and 21 assists in the Swedish J20 with Sodertalje SK last season to go along with his 88 PIM. There is a chance that he could come over to North America next season and play junior hockey. Sodertalje is in the HockeyAllsvenskan and that level might be ideal for Nordberg at this stage as well. He will not turn 19 until March of 2023.

DRAFTPRO – 2022 MID-SEASON ‘DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH’

FILIP NORDBERG | D | SÖDERTÄLJE SK | HOCKEYALLSVENSKAN | 6’4” | 207 | L | DOB 03.05.04“Bursting onto the international scene, Nordberg has sure made an impact. The big Swede is excellent at using his frame and reach to make it difficult for opponents to manufacture much of anything. This is also a testament of his great positioning defensively. He knows when to apply pressure and is exceptional at getting the puck out of his own zone. The main criticism on Nordberg is his conservative offensive zone play. He sticks to his blue line like glue. However, when playing the puck, he is good at getting it in deep and has hard shot that gets through traffic. In an era that sees a lot of puck moving defensemen coming through the ranks, Nordberg brings a different type of game that still has its place in the NHL. In a draft class that is chalk full of top tier Swedish defensemen, Nordberg is going under the radar. With a bit of work on his offensive play, Nordberg could see himself playing in the NHL in the next few years.” – Andrew LeBlanc

DRAFTPRO – NOVEMBER 2021 U18 5-NATIONS REVIEW

Team Sweden:While they didn’t score a lot of goals, 14 total, they were dominant through most of their games. In the loss to the USA, they seemed a little defeated when the score got away from them, but they never really quit. Finland gave them a run for their money, but they prevailed there and looked good doing so against their international rival. Defenseman Filip Nordberg stood out for me (not just because he’s 6’4″) but because he was able to play so smart with the puck and was so strong defensively. His puck control was a little lacking at times, but he still showed that he has that ability and he also used his reach so well. He could either poke the puck away from an attacker or move the puck farther away and shield it well when he had it. His defensive game was also pretty strong and was one of the surprises for me. Calle Odelius was impressive with his puck moving, skating ability and his consistent play. Then there was Tim Almgren. He stood out for me on this team. His two-way play and his hockey sense were impressive. He played well on both sides of the puck and never quit. While I think this team didn’t have the depth like the Americans, and no one did, they still showed some really solid skill and there are quite a few players on this roster that are going to be called out in the first three rounds of the NHL draft.