Ex-Vancouver Canucks prospect wins rookie of the year award in Sweden
A former Vancouver Canucks prospect is making a name for himself overseas.
Melvin Fernström, who was drafted 93rd-overall by the Canucks in the 2024 NHL Draft, has been named the rookie of the year over in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). This comes after the 19-year-old recorded eight goals and 17 points with Ărebro in his first full SHL season.
If he had not been traded to Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this year, it would’ve been the second-straight season that a Canucks prospect won the SHL award after Jonathan LekkerimĂ€ki did so last year with Ărebro as well.
âïž Melvin Fernström (@orebrohockey) Ă€r vinnare av Ă rets Rookie i SHL 2024/25 â ett pris som delas ut i samarbete med huvudsponsorn Svenska Spel!
đČ PĂ„ SHL:s hemsida kan du lĂ€sa motiveringen och mer om priset som Ă rets Rookie. pic.twitter.com/w9bmSe2VZt
— SHL.se (@SHLse) May 18, 2025
Those counting stats may not seem impressive on the surface, as Fernström finished eighth in team scoring and 131st in the entire SHL. Eleven of his 17 points on the year, however, came in the final 19 games of the season.
SHL voting for the award gave Fernström the win with 299 points, finishing just above the second-place rookie Ludvig Persson of BrynĂ€s, who notched 293 points, while HV71’s Jamiro Reber finished in a distant third with 209 points.
Despite an impressive showing in his first full professional season, the ex-Canucks draft pick remains unsigned, with the Penguins holding his NHL rights. Though he was drafted in the third round, he was never as highly regarded with the Canucks as other Swedish prospects such as LekkerimÀki and the newly signed Tom Willander.
As the team hopes to return to playoff contention next season, it’s safe to say that Marcus Pettersson and O’Connor are more valuable to the Canucks than Fernström, despite his most recent overseas accolades.