There will be another rookie taking the solo lap before the rest of the Washington Capitals take the ice for warmups tonight against the Buffalo Sabres. After recalling him from the Hershey Bears, the Caps will give Axel Jonsson-Fjallby his first taste of NHL action. AJF meets his former team, sort of. The team that claimed him off waivers before putting him back on waivers allowing the Caps to reclaim him right back.
Jonsson-Fjallby skated on the fourth line at morning skate alongside Connor McMichael and Brett Leason. Hendrix Lapierre will be the healthy scratch. AJF talked about his brief time with the Sabres:
"“It was a roller coaster. I was happy at first you know I felt like they believe in me for claiming me but I wasn’t upset about coming back, either. Washington is the team that drafted me and it’s fun to get a chance with that team.”"
This season, Jonsson-Fjallby has recorded seven points in nine games with the Hershey Bears with three goals and four assists. He’s tied for second on the team in goals and points.
In 31 games with the Bears last season, Jonsson-Fjallby recorded 15 points with 10 goals and five assists and set an AHL career high in goals per game at 0.32. The six foot one, 189 pound forward also played in 26 games with Vastervik IK in the Swedish Hockey League, where he recorded 15 points with four goals and 11 assists.
"I feel like my game's been good this year. I got some confidence. It's fun for that to be acknowledged and to get a chance."
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 8, 2021
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby speaks with the media after his first practice with the team since being called up.#CapsSabres | @MedStarHealth pic.twitter.com/ScjmdUZILU
In 117 career games with the Bears, the Stockholm, Sweden, native has recorded 48 points with 27 goals and 21 assists. Jonsson-Fjallby was selected by the Capitals in the fifth round at 147th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Injury issues have warranted numerous call ups from Hershey. AJF is the latest prospect to be brought up to get his first taste of NHL action. Nicklas Backstrom hasn’t skated with his teammates yet and T.J. Oshie and Anthony Mantha are both out for the long term. He’s the fourth skater to make his NHL debut on the Caps this season.