Milton Gästrin

[billybaseball]

Not just a throw in. He was an early 2nd last draft. Wore the C and was looked at as the top leader of his age group. He's a does everything well but nothing special type of player. Centered Ivar Stenberg in tournament play and they had really good chemistry together. Two way 2nd line center ceiling but probably not a high ceiling offensively. Hard to play against type of player

[Army's Mom]

Not just a throw in. He was an early 2nd last draft. Wore the C and was looked at as the top leader of his age group. He's a does everything well but nothing special type of player. Centered Ivar Stenberg in tournament play and they had really good chemistry together. Two way 2nd line center ceiling but probably not a high ceiling offensively. Hard to play against type of player

Agreed. Likely middle six center with good 2 way play.

[Harry S Deals]

He got a sip with Hersey this year does he go to Springfield next season? Yea he has a nice resume he isnt a throw in prospect Steen got another good player here

[UMR-alum-05]

So with acquiring a player like this is there still a driving need to acquire a player like Command?

Not saying Command can't be as good or better than Gastrin but doesn't this create at least a bit of redundancy?

[kimzey59]

So with acquiring a player like this is there still a driving need to acquire a player like Command?

Not saying Command can't be as good or better than Gastrin but doesn't this create at least a bit of redundancy?

A slight bit of redundancy, yes.
But it's the kind of redundancy that you want. You want these prospects fighting to earn NHL ice. Ideally, you want 3 or 4 guys fighting for the same spot.

[UMR-alum-05]

So with acquiring a player like this is there still a driving need to acquire a player like Command?

Not saying Command can't be as good or better than Gastrin but doesn't this create at least a bit of redundancy?

A slight bit of redundancy, yes.
But it's the kind of redundancy that you want. You want these prospects fighting to earn NHL ice. Ideally, you want 3 or 4 guys fighting for the same spot.

Yeah. I get that aspect of competition. I'm probably over thinking it.

Here are two swedes the same size the same shot hand with seemingly the same ceiling.

I was more saying that instead of taking Command maybe the move is to take a player that doesn't match up so closely to Gastrin. Could still be a 3C/2C type. Maybe smaller and faster or larger and more physical, maybe a right hand shot, etc.

[Lets_Clinch]

Both great points-HOF Boards think we won this pretty handily.

[Pierre McGuire]

Bukala was pimping Command again today…

[Frank Barone]

Does anyone know for sure where Gastrin will play this coming season? I know he has signed an NHL contract and played a game in the AHL, but does that mean he can't go back to Sweden for the year? It looks like he will be eligible for the WJC this coming year.

[TBone]

So with acquiring a player like this is there still a driving need to acquire a player like Command?

Not saying Command can't be as good or better than Gastrin but doesn't this create at least a bit of redundancy?

I think it frees them up a little to not feel compelled to take a center if they like another player better. BPA in full effect.

I've run a couple of mocks through a generator and good lawd do I love the four I come away with!

BPA at 11, second value with someone who slipped at 15, center if needed at 16, BPA at 29.

You could get all your favorite players PLUS a complete swing from the heels player like Max Sokolovsky.

[STL fan in MN]

I recall liking Gastrin last year - had him ranked 25th. He ended up going 37th. He’s a solid prospect. Absolutely a center. Not a winger. Bottom-6 guy though. 3C sort of ceiling with 4C being a reasonable outcome as well.

He was Sweden’s 2C and Captain at the U18s last season and he performed much better than their 1C Anton Frondell (no, he’s not better than Frondell. Frondell was injured and exhausted but just noting Gastrin stepped up to the plate and played well). 10 pts in 7 games. Was Captain and had 10 pts in 5 games for the Swedes at the beginning of the season at the Hlinka tourney too.

This season, he played for MoDo in the Allsvenskan and put up 24 pts in 39 games. Not amazing but that’s actually pretty darn good for an 18 yr old in a pro league. 16th best point production by a U19 player ever actually (you’ll recognize #1 on the list):
https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/ ... 9&sort=tp

I recall seeing a good amount of Gastrin as I watched tape on Hermansson this season. He was absolutely solid.

That said, he then made Sweden’s WJC team this season and was the 4C for the first 6 games. 0 pts. Largely ineffective. He was then benched for the gold medal game and Sweden won the gold. Not sure what happened there.

He then came over and played 1 playoff game for Hershey and now he’s been traded. Guess either the Caps weren’t all too impressed with that 1 game or the Blues insisted on him being included. Idk.

But he’s definitely more than a throw-in. I don’t see him as having middle-6 potential though. He’s bottom-6 all the way. But he brings a lot of things that make for a good bottom-6 C. Think of averaging O.Stenberg and Kaskimaki and that’s the caliber of player I see in Gastrin. For those comparing him to Command, I’d rank Command higher. But still, a solid 3rd piece to this deal.

[2forDiving]

Bukala was pimping Command again today…

Yeah, I heard that, too. The Pom Pom’s were out in force. He seemed optimistic about his offense too.

[mph6689new]

Maybe the Blues are playing the really long game here.
They have Otto Stenberg. They have Gastrin. If they see both players progress to sign as RFAs, maybe they offersheet Ivar when he is eligible.

I know I should be using Blue Font, but it actually is not out of the question. Besides, we no longer have the Tkachucks to create scenarios for… need a new guy.

[STL fan in MN]

Does anyone know for sure where Gastrin will play this coming season? I know he has signed an NHL contract and played a game in the AHL, but does that mean he can't go back to Sweden for the year? It looks like he will be eligible for the WJC this coming year.

He played 1 playoff game for Hershey so that tells me he made the commitment to come over here for next season and clearly the Caps have already paid the transfer agreement fee to MoDo/the SHL already too. So I would absolutely expect him to be with the T-birds next season.

That said, he’s still only 19 so that is pretty young for the AHL. Totally doable but most kids in his situation would probably play 1 more year in Sweden before coming over. But MoDo failed to gain promotion back up to the SHL next season so maybe Gastrin thought another season in the Allsvenskan wouldn’t be the best for his development. He probably could’ve tried to get MoDo to move him to a team in the SHL but no idea of the details of that. I’m just guessing/spit balling here though.

He could go back to Sweden next season but he’d need the Blues blessing to do it as he’s signed to a NHL contract now. The Blues would have to loan him back to a team over there. I doubt that’s what happens though. Much more likely he’ll be in Springfield IMO. But folks will need to keep in mind he’ll only be 19 and take that into consideration when evaluating his play there. I think he’s going to need a solid amount of development time before he becomes a legit call up option for the Blues. Especially at C. Much harder to break into the NHL as a C than a winger and Gastrin is a natural C.

Oh and yes, he’s eligible for 1 more WJC. He got benched this past WJC but he should hopefully make the team again and have a larger role this time around. With kids playing in N.A. most NHL teams will allow the player to go play in the WJC if they’re playing in the AHL. Usually not if they’re in the NHL. I’d be shocked if Gastrin made the NHL by Dec 2026. I’d expect him to be on Sweden’s WJC team again this next season.

[zamadoo]

Does anyone know for sure where Gastrin will play this coming season? I know he has signed an NHL contract and played a game in the AHL, but does that mean he can't go back to Sweden for the year? It looks like he will be eligible for the WJC this coming year.

He played 1 playoff game for Hershey so that tells me he made the commitment to come over here for next season and clearly the Caps have already paid the transfer agreement fee to MoDo/the SHL already too. So I would absolutely expect him to be with the T-birds next season.

That said, he’s still only 19 so that is pretty young for the AHL. Totally doable but most kids in his situation would probably play 1 more year in Sweden before coming over. But MoDo failed to gain promotion back up to the SHL next season so maybe Gastrin thought another season in the Allsvenskan wouldn’t be the best for his development. He probably could’ve tried to get MoDo to move him to a team in the SHL but no idea of the details of that. I’m just guessing/spit balling here though.

He could go back to Sweden next season but he’d need the Blues blessing to do it as he’s signed to a NHL contract now. The Blues would have to loan him back to a team over there. I doubt that’s what happens though. Much more likely he’ll be in Springfield IMO. But folks will need to keep in mind he’ll only be 19 and take that into consideration when evaluating his play there. I think he’s going to need a solid amount of development time before he becomes a legit call up option for the Blues. Especially at C. Much harder to break into the NHL as a C than a winger and Gastrin is a natural C.

Oh and yes, he’s eligible for 1 more WJC. He got benched this past WJC but he should hopefully make the team again and have a larger role this time around. With kids playing in N.A. most NHL teams will allow the player to go play in the WJC if they’re playing in the AHL. Usually not if they’re in the NHL. I’d be shocked if Gastrin made the NHL by Dec 2026. I’d expect him to be on Sweden’s WJC team again this next season.

Listening to Army, he said it's likely he will stay in Sweden, most likely the Swedish elite league, and then went on about their philosophy being to set foundations for players to be able to grow and get better every year so that when they get to the NHL they have staying power. Also worth mentioning that he said he is "bullish" on Carbs and Buchelnikov. He seems to have a 2-3 year map set out, and protects assets rather than rushing prospects.

He's got some players in the pipeline now that he's describing as 200 foot players who are hard to play against, noting that those are the types of players and team they want. Said he likes Gastrin for those reasons and his competitiveness plus leadership qualities.

[Ty Webb]

I recall liking Gastrin last year - had him ranked 25th. He ended up going 37th. He’s a solid prospect. Absolutely a center. Not a winger. Bottom-6 guy though. 3C sort of ceiling with 4C being a reasonable outcome as well.

He was Sweden’s 2C and Captain at the U18s last season and he performed much better than their 1C Anton Frondell (no, he’s not better than Frondell. Frondell was injured and exhausted but just noting Gastrin stepped up to the plate and played well). 10 pts in 7 games. Was Captain and had 10 pts in 5 games for the Swedes at the beginning of the season at the Hlinka tourney too.

This season, he played for MoDo in the Allsvenskan and put up 24 pts in 39 games. Not amazing but that’s actually pretty darn good for an 18 yr old in a pro league. 16th best point production by a U19 player ever actually (you’ll recognize #1 on the list):
https://www.eliteprospects.com/league/ ... 9&sort=tp

I recall seeing a good amount of Gastrin as I watched tape on Hermansson this season. He was absolutely solid.

That said, he then made Sweden’s WJC team this season and was the 4C for the first 6 games. 0 pts. Largely ineffective. He was then benched for the gold medal game and Sweden won the gold. Not sure what happened there.

He then came over and played 1 playoff game for Hershey and now he’s been traded. Guess either the Caps weren’t all too impressed with that 1 game or the Blues insisted on him being included. Idk.

But he’s definitely more than a throw-in. I don’t see him as having middle-6 potential though. He’s bottom-6 all the way. But he brings a lot of things that make for a good bottom-6 C. Think of averaging O.Stenberg and Kaskimaki and that’s the caliber of player I see in Gastrin. For those comparing him to Command, I’d rank Command higher. But still, a solid 3rd piece to this deal.

I don't mean to derail the thread and didn't want to spam the board with a question most probably know the answer to, so I will ask here.

Can you, or anyone else, please explain the difference between Top 6/Middle 6/Bottom 6? It seems in theory it pertains to best case and worst case scenario for each grouping of lines. For instance, the difference between a middle-6 C from a bottom-6 C is third line C with the possibility to pop and become a second line C or flop and become a fourth line C. Do I have that correct?