5 Things To Know About Axel Hurtig, Flames' Lone World Juniors Player

On Dec. 4, 2024, Sweden announced its 2025 World Juniors lineup, featuring Calgary Flames prospect Axel Hurtig. The 19-year-old left-handed defenseman plays with the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL and has two goals and seven points in 28 games.

This will be Hurtig's first appearance at the U20 tournament, having played with the U18 team two years ago in Switzerland. As the only Flames' prospect in this year's tournament, here are five things fans should know about the former seventh-round pick from the 2023 Draft.

Only Family Member Drafted Into NHL

Axel is the son of Bjarne Hurtig, an assistant coach with Västergötland in TV-Pucken, a national U-16 tournament for Sweden district teams. Before assuming his duties as coach in 2018, he played professionally with Grästorps IK in Sweden's Division 2 from 1992 to 1999, eventually getting a shot in the country's top league for two seasons from 2001 to 2003.

After spending a season in Denmark, Bjarne returned home to play 29 games with Borås HC in Division 1 before retiring. His other son, Arvid, is a 21-year-old defenseman playing with Karlmar HC in HockeyAllsvenskan. Unlike Axel, who has seven games of experience in the SHL, Arvid has played 18 games.

Multi-time Medalist

Hurtig's Elite Prospects profile begins in 2018-19, when he was 14. Since then, he's become a four-time medalist, winning three medals in 2022-23 alone.

Related: Ranking Flames' Backlund's Statistics Among NHL Captains

First, he was a J18 SM bronze medal winner in 2021-22 with Rögle BK. He followed that up with a J20 SM gold medal win in the next season, also with Rögle BK.

Internationally, Hurtig won a silver medal at the U18 World Juniors when the United States defeated Sweden in Switzerland. Finally, he capped off his special season with a WJAC-19 bronze medal.

Came Close to Scoring a Hat Trick in 2023

Hurtig registered his only two-goal game on Mar. 29, 2023, between Rögle BK and HV71 at the J20 Nationell level, coming close to scoring a hat trick in the 4-2 victory.

Related: Analyzing The Flames Christmas Break Records In Salary Cap Era

It was his fourth two-point game of the season, including contests at the J18 and J20 levels. Although that game remains the only time the defenseman scored two goals in a game, his best statistical performance came on Dec. 5, 2021, with a goal and two assists in a Rögle BK 6-2 win over Mariestad BoIS J18 at the J18 level.

Only Flames Prospect Playing for the Hitmen

The Flames drafted Hurtig in the seventh round (208th overall) of the 2023 Draft, their last of seven picks that year. Currently, he is the only Calgary prospect playing with the Hitmen.

Despite only seven points in 28 games, he's tied for 14th in team scoring with three other players, each one undrafted. However, Hurtig leads the Hitmen in plus/minus at plus-22, which ranks 12th best in the WHL and is the top mark for all rookies.

One of 25 Swedish-born Players Drafted in 2023

The 2023 Draft took place in Nashville and featured 224 selections; 25 were born in Sweden, the third-highest total from any country besides Canada (86) and the United States (50).

That night, Leo Carlsson (Anaheim Ducks) went second overall behind Connor Bedard (Chicago Blackhawks). Overall, six Swedish prospects went in the first round.

Although Hurtig was the top Swedish player selected in the seventh round, he wasn't the last one picked, as Dennis Good Bogg (New York Islanders) went right after him at 209th, followed by Casper Nassen (214th-Boston Bruins) and Kristian Kostandinski (220th-Boston).

In Ottawa for the 2025 World Juniors, Hurtig will be joined by fellow draft class members, including Melvin Strahl, Melker Thelin, Theo Lindstein, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Tom Willander, David Edstrom, Zeb Forsfjäll, Felix Nilsson, Otto Stenberg, Felix Unger Sörum, and Anton Wahlberg.

Sweden starts the World Juniors with a showdown against the Slovakia at 10 a.m. MT on TSN.