Washington Capitals 2022-2023 Previews -- Forwards: Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

“It is never too late to be who you might have been.”
— George Eliot

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby is beginning his seventh season under the Washington Capitals organizational umbrella.  He started his climb up the Capitals’ developmental ladder when he was selected in the fifth round (147^th overall) in the 2016 Entry Draft.  Two more seasons in Sweden and three seasons split between Sweden and the Hershey Bears of the AHL served as preparation for last season, when he split time between the Bears and the Capitals.

It was an odd season for Jonsson-Fjallby, who started it by being placed on waivers by the Caps on October 3^rd, hoping he would clear so that he could be re-assigned to Hershey, but he was claimed by the Buffalo Sabres the following day.  And then, things got strange.  Despite the Sabres wanting to give the youngster a shot in the late pre-season, he did not dress for the Sabres, a victim of visa issues.  Just six days after claiming him on waivers, the Sabres placed him back on the waiver list.  The Caps re-claimed Jonsson-Fjallby the following day, and he was back where he started, then re-assigned to Hershey.

After going 3-4-7 in nine games with the Bears, he was recalled to the big club where he made his NHL debut on November 8^th.  He was something of a good luck charm at the start, the Caps going 6-0-1 in his first seven games as a Capital (he was 0-1-1, plus-1).  He was returned to Hershey shortly thereafter,  the beginning of a cycle of recalls and reassignments that saw him spend 44 games with the Bears (16-18-34, minus-2) and 23 with the Caps (2-2-4, even) in 2021-2022.

Odd Jonsson-Fjallby Fact… Jonsson-Fjallby did not get a lot of exposure on home ice.  Of the 23 games he played for the Caps, only eight of them were played before the hometown fans.

Fearless’ Take… Despite his having a productive 44 games in Hershey in 2021-2022 (16-18-34), Jonsson-Fjallby is not likely to make his living as a top-line offensive contributor.  He might provide some occasional pop, but his path would seem to be more the two-way or defense-oriented game.  In that regard, his brief tour with the Caps had its encouraging aspects.  Four points in 23 games is not bad for a fourth liner getting 11 minutes a game in his debut season.  His on-ice goal differential at even strength was “even,” and he was on ice for only seven even strength goals against.  He also averaged 42 seconds of shorthanded ice time per game, which might not sound like a lot, but only Beck Malenstyn averaged more among rookie forwards (44 seconds per game).

Cheerless’ Take… That whole “good luck charm” thing didn’t last all that long, cuz.  After the Caps went 6-0-1 in his first seven games, they were 8-7-1 in the last 16 games he played.  There is only so much influence a rookie fourth liner who isn’t a big offensive producer can have on outcomes. 

Potential Milestones to Reach in 2022-2023

Jonsson-Fjallby has not yet played enough games to think in terms of career milestones.

The Big Question… Will Axel Jonsson-Fjallby be getting a regular turn in the lineup by season’s end?

This is a question that has several paths to an answer in the affirmative, at least in theory (there is a practical consideration we will get to).  And that starts with Jonsson-Fjallby seeming to be the next iteration of early-career Carl Hagelin, a bottom-six forward who can provide offense from time to time (remember, Hagelin posted more than 30 points in five of his first seven NHL seasons) but who might be of greatest value on the defensive side of the puck.  First, if Hagelin’s return from a serious eye injury is delayed or derailed, it could create an opening for Jonsson-Fjallby.  Along these lines, there would seem to be a decent likelihood that Hagelin could still be on the sidelines when the seasons starts, creating that opening.

Second, Hagelin could play himself out of the lineup with less than desired production.  This could give Jonsson-Fjallby an opportunity to step up and claim the fourth line left wing position for himself, provided he can offer a reliable level of production. 

Third, and this could be tied to the previous item, if Hagelin’s level of production is not what the Caps feel necessary for a stretch run or a postseason appearance, or if a deal emerges that would require multiple assets going the other way, does he become trade bait at the trading deadline as a part of a larger deal?  If so, then Jonsson-Fjallby could be the default choice to move into that slot with an opportunity to prove himself.

Those are the theoretical paths to a more regular role in the lineup, but there is also the matter of Jonsson-Fjallby not being waiver-exempt.  Exposing him to waivers – and remember, he was claimed once before – would be risky and could leave the Caps ultimately without a roster-ready player to take over that role, should he be exposed and claimed.  Hagelin is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, and at 34 years of age, the Caps might be disinclined to offer him an extension unless it was at a heavily discounted cost.  Jonsson-Fjallby is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent after this season. 

In the end…

The Caps have had some success in drafting players out of Swedish leagues over the years – Bengt Gustafsson (Farjestad BK in 1978), Nicklas Backstrom (Brynas IF in 2006), Marcus Johansson (Farjestad BK in 2009), Christian Djoos (Brynas IF Jr. in 2012), Andre Burakovsky (Malmo in 2013), Jakub Vrana (Linkoping HC in 2014), Martin Fehervary (IK Oskarshamn in 2018).  Axel Jonsson-Fjallby is the first player drafted out of Djurgardens IF to play for the Caps.  His path to the Caps has been long since then and is, as yet, incomplete, his having just the 23 games last year on his NHL resume.  He will turn 25 years old in February, and even at that point there would be no assurances that he would occupy, or would ever occupy, a regular spot in the lineup.  But the 23 games he played last year did offer some indications of the type of player he could be, and while that player would not be one with eye-popping stats, it could be one that fills a role the club would find valuable.  In that regard, it certainly is not too late for him to demonstrate he can be that player.

Projection: 30 games, 5-8-13, plus-2

Washington Capitals: 2021--2022 By the Tens -- Forwards: Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

“The first step, my son, which one makes in the world, is the one on which depends the rest of our days.”
-- Voltaire

The Washington Capitals employed 11 rookie skaters this season, tying the number they skated in 2013-2014 and 2005-2006 and most since the Caps iced 14 rookie skaters in 2003-2004.  Axel Jonasson-Fjallby was one of the 11 rookie skaters the Caps dressed this season, and for a fifth-round draft pick (147^th overall in 2016), it was a pretty good year.  He did not stand out in terms of offensive numbers, but he was given a range of responsibilities that will serve him well as his development continues.

Fearless’ Take… You could call his numbers, for the most part, modest.  He ranked sixth of 11 Caps rookies in goals (two), sixth in points (four), fifth in shots on goal (29), fifth in credited hits (18), fifth in blocked shots (eight).  But there was one area in which he stood out a bit more – penalty killing.  “AJF” averaged 42 seconds per game in shorthanded ice time, second among rookie forwards (only two seconds per game less that Beck Malenstyn).  His offensive game might take some time to come around, but he already has been getting defensive responsibilities rookies do not often get.

Cheerless’ Take… It is early in his career, but Jonsson-Fjallby shared something with the player he might someday be replacing.  His shooting percentage (6.9) was eighth of nine rookies recording at least one shot on goal.  It is almost exactly that of Carl Hagelin’s shooting percentage in his three-plus seasons with the Caps (6.7).  Of 90 forwards recording at least 25 shots in their rookie season, Jonsson-Fjallby’s shooting percentage ranks 72^nd.  His personal shot attempts-for percentage at 5-on-5 (47.0) ranked eighth of the 11 rookies, too.

Odd Jonsson-Fjallby Fact… In 11 games in which he skated at least 12 minutes, the Caps were 9-1-1; they were 5-6-1 when he skated less than 12 minutes.

Odd Jonsson-Fjallby Fact II… He is the third skater in Caps history with a hyphenated last name, joining Devante Smith-Pelly and Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre.

Odd Jonsson-Fjallby Fact III… Jonsson-Fjallby had two goals this season, both against the New York Islanders, one at home and one in New York.  Semyon Varlamov was the victim in goal for both.

Game to Remember… March 15^th vs. New York Islanders

When the Islanders came to town in mid-March, Anthony Mantha got the Caps off to a good start with the game’s first goal in the 13^th minute of the first period.  The Isles would comeback with a pair of goals in the second period to take a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.  In the 11^th minute of the third period, Dmitry Orlov intercepted a pass in his own end and worked is way up ice, leaving a pair of Islander defenders in his wake to enter the offensive zone on a 2-on-1 with Jonsson-Fjallby.  He slid a pass past the stick of defenseman Ryan Pulock, setting up Jonsson-Fjallby for a one-timer that beat goalie Semyon Varlamov past his blocker on the short side for his first NHL goal, tying the game at 2-2.  The teams exchanged goals to push the game to extra time, where the Caps won, 4-3, in a Gimmick.

Game to Forget… April 29^th at New York Rangers.  The last regular season game of the season for Jonsson-Fjallby and the Caps left a bad taste in his and their mouths.  For his part, Jonsson-Fjallby skated just 9:47 for the game, one of six games out of 23 he played that he logged less than ten minutes in ice time.  He had just one crooked mark on his line of the score sheet, a single shot attempt (shot on goal), and he finished a minus-2.  What was particularly odd about his game was not that he skated only 15 shifts, third fewest among the 18 skaters for the Caps, but that five of them ended in penalties, none of which were charged to him.

Postseason… Jonsson-Fjallby did not play in the postseason.

Looking Ahead… Jonsson-Fjallby is entering the final year of a two-year deal that carries a $750,000 cap hit in 2022-2023, after which he will be an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent.  Almost ten years younger and with a cap hit $2.0 million less than Carl Hagelin for next season, he is an attractive alternative to take over Hagelin’s spot on the fourth line, especially given Hagelin’s uncertain future after suffering an eye injury this season.  What makes his future more intriguing is that there is evidence his offense will improve.  In his last three seasons with Hershey in the AHL, he was 38-34-72 in 136 games, a 23-21-44 scoring pace per 82 games.  If he can make progress toward that level of production, and assume a regular role in penalty killing, he can do his part to keep the Caps’ fourth line productive.

In the End…

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby took a bit of a detour before suiting up for the Caps.  Although he was drafted by the Caps, the big club put him on waivers for purposes of reassignment last October.  He was claimed by the Buffalo Sabres, but visa complications gummed up the transaction, and he returned to the Caps on a waiver claim a week after the Sabres claimed him.  He seems, for the moment at least, to have a home in DC, where he could assume a regular role for the Caps next season.  He could be quite a value addition for a player taken as a fifth-round draft pick.

Grade: B