Fantasy Summary
Dangerous forward with good skating and decent defensive skills. Top-six upside, most likely at wing even though he’s also capable of playing center.
Observations
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The Swedish forward had another strong campaign in the SHL last season, finishing fifth in U21 scoring behind top prospects Jonatan Berggren, Nils Lundkvist, Jack Drury, and Moritz Seider. As a result, he was named to Team Sweden for the World Championships in the summer, recording an assist in five games. He is likely the Penguins’ most NHL-ready forward prospect and will get a long look at a roster spot this fall. Kyle Watson
April 2020 – Hallander signed a one-year contract extension with his SHL club Luleå HF through the 2020-21 season. Hallander’s goal is to crack the Penguins lineup for the start next season. If he does not make the team, he will report to the SHL instead of playing in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Clare McManus
February 2020 – On loan to a Swedish Hockey League squad for a second straight schedule, the 20-year-old suffered a leg fracture that cost him the first half of the season. In 17 outings for Luleå, the 20-year-old has four goals and five assists. Not the step forward that was anticipated in his second go-round against men, his points-per-game average of is .53 is higher than the .47 he posted in 2018-19 with Timrå. Hållander might get some AHL icetime after the SHL season ends. Mark Allan
August 2019 – Hållander didn’t stand out during the 2019 World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Mich. The annual tournament is essentially a World Junior Championship tryout for Canadian, American, Swedish and Finnish prospects. The 19-year-old forward remains on loan in the Swedish Hockey League (Luleå this season instead of Timrå), where he will get more seasoning to prepare him for an eventual move to North America. Mark Allan
April 2019 – After a solid 21 points in 45 outings during his first go-round against the men of the Swedish Hockey League, the 18-year-old elevated his game with five scores and three helpers in five relegation games as Timrå IK tried to avoid being demoted to the Allvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier league. On loan from Pittsburgh, it’s possible the youngster will remain at home for at least one more season. There are questions about his ceiling, and he’ll need AHL seasoning before sniffing the big time. Mark Allan
January 2019 – Still a teenager, Hållander is having a better campaign against men in his country’s top league than he is against his junior-aged peers. Six goals and eight assists in 26 games for Timrå IK are not bad considering the 18-year-old is facing much more experienced competition in the Swedish Hockey League. He was pointless in five world junior championship outings for Sweden, which was stunned 2-0 by Switzerland in a quarter-final. Hållander, who had just one assist in eight other U20 international games, is getting an education. Mark Allan
December 2018 – The hard-working, two-way player survived the final cut for Sweden’s world junior championship roster, making him the lone Pittsburgh prospect playing in the tournament. Mark Allan
December 2018 – Hållander has been named to Sweden’s preliminary world junior championship roster, and is likely to be deployed on the national team’s second line. Although he’s pointless in six outings with the Swedes’ U-20 squad in international junior play, Hållander has five goals and seven assists in 22 games with Timrå IK during his first exposure to the Swedish Hockey League, the top level of hockey in the country. Mark Allan
November 2018 – The young Swede is off to an uninspiring start with two goals and five assists in 13 games – until you realize he’s a rookie in the Swedish Hockey League playing for the first time against men in his country’s best league. He has no points in three international junior appearances, however. That follows four goals and three assists in 13 such games last season, so he appears at first glance to be struggling. Plus-2 in those 13 SHL games might indicate he’s holding his own, though. He’ll remain on loan to Timrå IK as he continues to mature. Mark Allan
June 2018 – Hållander was drafted 58th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hållander played an important role for Timrå in Allsvenskan where he scored nine goals and 20 points in 40 games. Hållander will continue playing with Timrå but at the top level next season because they earned a promotion to the SHL. Hållander was bothered by a knee injury since Christmas but he played through it. The injury made him less effective which in turn reduced his ice time late in the season. After the Allsvenskan season was over, Timrå’s medical team prevented him from playing at the U18 World Championship tournament because they wanted to make sure he’d be completely healthy for next season. Hållander has played all three forward positions but will likely be a winger at the NHL level. He’s got good size (6-2, 188), he’s good at making plays, and he can also finish them. He would be a great complementary scorer for an elite center like Sidney Crosby or Yevgeni Malkin, so landing in Pittsburgh is great for his fantasy hockey value. Jokke Nevalainen
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