Donuts head to the Finals!!!

As the Wisborg Donuts now approach the finals for the first time, it is fair to make a new blog post. Both occurrences are just about as rare. Here is a look back on how to build a Donut. It is a popular belief that the Donuts are all about Swedes and all about homegrown draftees. We will look into this for the 20 players that were on the ice in this playoffs so far, and probably will stay there, if healthy and available.

So are they all Swedes in the current line up?
Not so, it more of a Swedish-Canadian mix. But it is a dominance among those 20 players, as 9 of them are from Sweden and "only" 7 from Canada. The remaining 4 are from USA, Germany and Czech republic. So the team is not entirely made from Swedes, in fact, more correct to say about half the players are Swedes. But that is an over representation so it is fair to say there is a preference.

So they are all from own draft picks?
So in the same 20 players it turns out only 6 are are drafted from the own picks. But I guess that would be a pretty high number compared to other CCHL clubs who usually are more traders. Those draft picks are spread out from 2009-2014. It takes time to grow homegrown as the last of the own picks is now 5 years away, but that sounds like a pretty normal learning curve in the NHL. Four of the twenty are drafted in other draft forms, 3 from the UFA draft and all of the from the year 2017 and the last one is from waiver draft 2018, Patrik Berglund. A fun fact is that one is drafted all the way from the Contraction draft in 2009, Ryan McDonut, the captain.

So half of the 20 players are traded into the club at some point or another between the years 2013-2018. The year 2013 was big year for the Donut fans as that is when the biggest trade in Donut history took place as Ovechkin and Datsyuk was moved to the then contending and now defunct Karlstad team. Actually 3 players involved in the trade are among those 20 players still in the club while it is not the prize of the trade, Yakupov who never developed as a no 1 pick should. But Josh Bailey, Elias Lindholm and Oscar Klefbom were all part of the trade that moved Ovie off the Donuts, and he is currently a Horseman! So the trade wasn't such a disaster after all since 3 players are on the squad today.

How long do the Donuts keep their players?
Well they are not all from own draft picks as shown, but the team keeps faith in their players and tend to keep the m for a long while. Lehner and McDonut was owned by Donuts already 2009, that is 10 years ago. Five players are acquired in 2013 and another 5 from 2017, by different methods as 2013 was the year of the big trade while 2017 was the big year for the UFA market splash. For the 20 players the average time they have belonged to the club is more than 5 years. So it is fair to say, all player will get there chances with the club before moving on.

So who do Donuts trade with?
Ten players have arrived to Donuts via trades as noted above, any trends in trading partners.
Well, 3 players have been traded from Dayton as the latest was Hagg at start of current season. Three also come from defunct Karlstad all involved in the same and mentioned above Ovechkin trade. Of the four trades remaining two has actually come from Minnesota as both Jaden Schwartz and Filip Forsberg has come from Minnesota in 2013 and 2014. So there is some more fuel for the Championship teams.

So to sum it up, yes most are Swedish players but not exclusively. Half of the players are from trades but they are kept on the team for a long time. To finish it off, anyone recall that the team was named Helsingborg Donuts prior to 2006? Best wishes to Minnesota and remember there is no shame in second place. :-)