The Nashville Predators claimed Swedish forward Samuel Fagemo Monday off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings. The former 50th overall pick from the 2019 NHL Entry Draft comes to Music City just three months after signing a one-year extension with the Kings, where he because a roster-size casualty.
Here to discuss Fagemo is Sarah Avampato (on twitter as @WriteSaidSarah), who is a writer for Jewels From The Crown, a former-sister site of OTF covering the LA Kings and their AHL affiliate the Ontario Reign, where Fagemo has played for three seasons. She also co-hosts the Calder Farmstead podcast, covering the AHL in-depth, as well as coverage for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves for Full Press Hockey. Sarah dropped by to answer some questions about Fagemo and what Predators fans can expect from the new acquisition.
Bryan: What were the Kings looking for when they drafted Fagemo? Was he evaluated as highly as his pick?
Sarah: The Kings actually traded up to get him, as they had their eye on him for a while and were concerned that he wasn’t going to be available by the time their next pick came around. Fagemo’s been a bit of a late bloomer — he was passed over his first year in the draft, although the Kings were interested in him but unable to get back into the final round of the draft to select him — but was someone who I think a lot of prospect analysts viewed as kind of a sleeper pick when he was selected by the Kings. He is someone who has risen to the challenge at each level of his career, putting up solid numbers in the SHL as a teenager before coming over to the US. The Kings have been loading up on creative, offensive-minded prospects, and Fagemo has fit that bill very well.
Bryan: Fagemo has been pretty good with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, averaging 0.62 points per game. What has led him to success at the AHL level after so many years in Sweden?
Sarah: He was touted as a creative player who likes to shoot the puck, and those skills have translated to the AHL. Like many young players, he can be inconsistent, but he has an excellent shot that can surprise goaltenders. He’s also played a lot with other similar high-caliber players. He’s regularly logged time with guys like Akil Thomas, Alex Turcotte, and TJ Tynan. Fagemo helped set up this goal from Alex Laferriere, with Brandt Clarke getting in on the action, for example:
Bryan: Fagemo has only 13 games in the NHL for Los Angeles since being drafted in 2019 – accumulating just 1 goal and 2 assists. What has been the struggle for him adapting to the NHL level and do you think he’s ready to contribute now?
Sarah: Inconsistency and defensive awareness/ability. I think those are both works in progress, as they are for any young player trying to make the jump into the NHL. If he’d come into the Kings system a few years earlier, I think he probably would have been given a longer look in the NHL just because the Kings needed people to play and where in a position of having to promote players maybe a little before they were ready. But he would have learned on the job, so to speak, instead of still having to work to improve those things now. I think if given the opportunity to consistently be in the lineup and log something other than checking line minutes, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him step up.
Bryan: The Kings just extended him back on July 6th – was he placed on waivers due to roster size? Or has he been on “thin ice” with Los Angeles for awhile?
Sarah: Roster size. I think the Kings were hoping to sneak him through waivers, but didn’t get lucky. I think if they were ready to move on from him, they probably would have tried to include him in a trade package. He’s the victim of the numbers game – there’s only so many spots available and really the only thing that’s in play for movement is a fourth line spot, which probably isn’t the best place to stash Fagemo.
Bryan: What was the likely plan for Samuel Fagemo this year for Los Angeles?
Sarah: Likely spend most of the season in Ontario, but be one of the first guys called up in event of injury or needing extra bodies for a road trip.
Bryan: What do you think of this acquisition by the Nashville Predators?
Sarah: I think it’s a no-risk move for a team that’s… what do you want to call it, retooling? Figuring its stuff out? (Author’s note: it’s okay Sarah, we’re allowed to say “rebuiding” in Nashville now – thanks Barry!) You need bodies, he already knows how the game works, and perhaps with a bit longer of a leash than he was going to get in the Kings organization, his game will start to mature in a way that will let him stay in the NHL. He’ll be fun to watch, and I fully anticipate him scoring a goal against the Kings when the two teams meet.
Follow Sarah on twitter at @WriteSaidSarah. You can find her work at Jewels From the Crown, Full Press Hockey and the incredible AHL podcast, Calder Farmstead. The OTF staff thanks Sarah for her assistance and time.