William Forsberg, a 6’4”, 201-pound Swedish goaltender, will be looking to make a strong impression on scouts ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft. After going undrafted in his first year of eligibility, Forsberg experienced a rollercoaster season that saw him move between the J18 Regional, J18 Nationell, and J20 Nationell levels. That first setback—hearing his name uncalled at the NHL Draft—surely stung. But has he bounced back since then?

Last year, my colleague Pascal from TSLH Espoirs saw a lot of promise in this netminder, ranking him third among goaltenders eligible for the 2025 draft. He described Forsberg as a “cerebral goaltender” who “controls his rebounds very well.” Pascal and I even discussed Forsberg in a segment on the TSLH Podcast, and you’ll find a few of those quotes below.

William Forsberg: A convincing start to the season

This season brings more stability for the young goaltender. Slotted into a tandem role, Forsberg will spend the full year with Brynäs in the J20 Nationell—unless he earns a call-up to the SHL. Still only 18 years old, he’ll turn 19 in August, making him a late, but «a young one», as Pascal Lapointe mentioned on the TSLH Podcast. At the time of writing, Forsberg has started six games, posting a 5-1 record, a 1.67 goals-against average, and a .924 save percentage.

Scouting Notes

Here’s the full rundown from my six viewings of William Forsberg this season:

– Playing for Brynäs in the J20 Nationell, a dominant team that often limits high-danger chances, Forsberg isn’t the backbone of the squad but rather a steady presence who performs when called upon. When he’s faced heavier pressure—like in a matchup against AIK—his limitations have become more apparent.

– His greatest strength remains the precision of his lateral movement. On cross-ice passes, he moves efficiently and makes several glove-side saves with poise. His style relies more on reflexes and crisp mechanics than on pure reads of the play. At times, he gets caught off guard but still manages to come up with the stop. He’s less athletic than some of his peers and occasionally shows a touch of nonchalance.

– Forsberg manages rebounds effectively—he directs pucks into safe areas and absorbs shots cleanly. His glove is reliable, and he consistently freezes the play when needed. However, some technical refinements are still required. He sometimes lingers too long on his post when the puck moves behind the net and tends to drift too deep in his crease when the play slows down, creating unnecessary shooting angles.

– Ironically, despite making numerous glove saves, most of the goals he allows—nearly 90%—come on that very side. In short, Forsberg is a methodical, precise, and calm goaltender who still needs to improve his game-reading ability and log more consistent playing time to reach the next level.

TSLH Podcast Excerpts

William Forsberg was a key topic in one of our TSLH Podcast discussions. Here are a few excerpts:

«I found him quite mature in his positioning and in the way he tracks the puck. I thought he was quick, and he covered a lot of space in front of his net. His stick use to break up passes from behind the goal line to the slot or along the sides—I thought he was excellent at that.» – Pascal

«It’s really the goals on the glove side. That’s definitely what stood out the most. But the funny thing is, I still don’t think he has a bad glove.» – Mathieu

«What impressed me most, Pascal, were his movements. The quality and precision of his lateral movements. I was honestly impressed by how many saves he made on cross-ice passes.» – Mathieu

OUR CONTENT ON TSLH