Josefson was unable to live up to his draft status as a 2009 first-rounder, failing to produce more than 14 points in any of his seven seasons in New Jersey. The Swede will get a chance to revitalize his career with a change of scenery in Buffalo, though the Sabres signed him with a fourth-line role in mind. Late bloomers are far from unheard of in the NHL, but Josefson shouldn't be on your radar barring an unexpected leap in production.
Josefson entered last season with a reputation as an offensively limited and defensively sound player, but a minus-21 rating in just 58 games has put the latter part of that description into question. The 25-year-old Swede’s combination of youth and first-round pedigree should keep his roster spot safe, but last season’s career-high 14 points don’t inspire confidence in his ability to contribute in a meaningful way offensively. There’s still time for improvement, but it seems Josefson’s ceiling is too low to climb out of a bottom-six role.
Josefson signed a one-year contract in July and is expected to slot in as the team's third-line center. When healthy, Josefson is a solid player with good hockey sense and a reliable defensive forward, however he hasn't fully been able to establish himself as throughout his three-year NHL career, he has been riddled with injuries. Josefson is more valuable to the Devils' team-first philosophy than fantasy rosters.
After missing all but 28 games in his rookie season two years ago, Josefson had last season cut in half thanks to a broken collarbone followed by a hand injury suffered shortly after he returned. The young Swede will be 22 in March and has good hockey sense to go with a solid two-way game for a young player. He had nine points in 41 games last year and the Devils are eager to see what he can do should he stay healthy for a whole season. Josefson does have some value in keeper leagues, but keep in mind he’s more of a two-way player than a pure scorer.
Josefson will turn 21 in March 2012 and is one of the Devils' brighter prospects. Projected as a steady two-way center, he will fill a variety of roles for New Jersey down the line, but consistent offensive production is still a few years away for the promising pivot. Josefson should not be written off for the approaching season, but offensive expectations should be tempered. He's one of a handful of young, talented Swedes on the team along with fellow prospects Mattias Tedenby and Adam Larsson.
Josefson's one of the Devils more promising prospects. Projected as a solid two-way center, he was the team's top pick in 2009 and has shown good chemistry with Matias Tedenby. Josefson's offensive skills need to develop more before he pops up on draft radar screens, but he's worth remembering in deep keeper leagues.
