NHL Draft Combine 2012: Top European Prospects to Watch

The 2012 NHL draft combine will be home to some of the best European hockey prospects in the world. 

And in Toronto, Canada, for the next few days, all 30 NHL teams will finally get a good chance to see and talk to these players who have garnered so much hype. 

Much like any other sport, a combine can make or break the draft status of a young kid. Let's take a look at what players overseas we should be paying attention to. 

Note: All the following stats come from MyNHLDraft.com

Filip Forsberg, Sweden

At 6'1" and just 176 pounds, Forsberg needs to add a bit of strength, and that will probably become clear during the combine. However, that's really the only thing going against this star from Sweden.

Forsberg is easily a top-three pick, and it's not hard to see why once you look at his offensive arsenal.

The young star is extremely quick, but he still manages to possess elite vision, along with the unique ability to fit into tight spaces. Despite being ultra-strong, he packs a big shot and can put the puck in the back of the net instantly. Throw in his passing skills, and you have an elite prospect.

In 43 games for Leksand's first team in 2011-12, Forsberg netted an impressive eight goals to go along with nine assists.

He's young, but he's ready for the big time. 

Teuvo Teravainen, Finland

Teravainen is an absolute lock for the first round of the NHL draft, and if he was picked in the top 10, it wouldn't be surprising. The 18-year-old left wing is that good.

This season, as a part of the Finland under-18 team during international competition, Teravainen netted a ridiculous 10 goals and 18 points in just nine games played. Additionally, in just his first season with Jokerit's first team, he put in 11 goals and seven assists in 40 games.

Teravainen is a terrific scorer, but his ability to set teammates up is special and will make him an attractive option for any NHL team.

Sebastian Collberg, Sweden

As you can see, Sweden has some elite young talent.

Collberg, along with Forsberg, Pontus Aberg, Hampus Lindholm and Ludvig Bystrom, makes up a quintet of Swedish players who will likely go in the first round of the draft.

Much like his counterparts, Collbeg possesses tremendous speed to go along with the ability to put the puck in the net and distribute with efficiency.

In 41 games for Frolunda's first team, Collberg wasn't able to contribute much. But for Frolunda J20, he netted nine goals and eight assists in 21 games. Furthermore, he put up 17 total points in just 14 games for Sweden's under-20 team. 

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