VOORHEES, N.J. -- Fredrik Larsson doesnt know much about the history of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Pelle Lindbergh, Peter Forsberg and Nicklas Grossmann, the tall, Swedish defensive prospect replied when asked what he knew about the Flyers.
Hes not up on his Broad Street Bullies or Bobby Clarke.
Ah, but the 18-year-old knows a little something about Philadelphia pop culture.
My favorite movie is Rocky Balboa, said Larsson, one of 43 players at the Flyers' rookieprospect camp this week at Skate Zone.
Larsson cant wait to visit the Rocky statue at the Art Museum and climb the steps.
Theres a line in the movie with Rocky talking about having to withstand a knockdown punch for Apollo Creed.
NHL
It ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.
That line means everything to the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Larsson, who's a physical defenseman who likes to hit.
Its about the harder you get hit, Larsson said. Im gonna get a tattoo here with that line on it. Its my first tattoo. Its gonna be nice.
On July 19, Rockys line will be tattooed somewhere on Larssons chest or down his side, he said.
Now thats what its like being a Flyer, even if a guy never heard of Dave Schultz. So is this: while other Swedish kids grew up with Forsberg or Nick Lidstroms picture on their wall, Larsson didnt.
His Swedish hero? Niklas Kronwall, the tough-as-nails Red Wings defenseman.
Kronwall has big hits and I try for that, Larsson said, adding that San Jose lumberjack defenseman Douglas Murray, is another favorite of his.
I dont look at one guy. I take different parts of many players. I try to establish Kronwalls hits. I like to see how we do it. If I play here, I know I will have to fight and be physical.
What jumped out at the Flyers about Larsson was a Swedish defenseman with 158 penalty minutes. Thats misleading, too. Larsson had four or five fightshes not certain how manyand in Sweden, its 25 penalty minutes for every fight.
You get a fight and its 25 minutes and a game misconduct and a shower, he said. You pounce on a guy and its 25 minutes. Im a physical guy. I like to block shots. Its my thing. I dont score goals or get points. I like to not allow goals.
The Flyers drafted Larsson in the second round this year with the pick they received in the Sergei Bobrovsky deal with Columbus. They have two years to sign him. Problem is, Larsson has yet to play top end hockey in the Swedish Elite League. He spent most of last season with Brynas' U18 before finishing with U20.
Flyers scout Ikka Sinisalo offered to bring him over to North America this year for higher competition in junior, but Larsson elected to return to Brynas U20 club.
Which is still a step away from the level he needs to be.
Essentially, by the time Larsson advances to Brynas' major club, the Flyers will have just one year to look at him and decide whether hes worth a contract. Simon Bertilsson, a 2009 Flyers draft pick, was in a similar situation and the Flyers never ended up signing him.
I think its best for me to stay at home, play and finish school, Larsson said.
Chris Pryor, the Flyers director of hockey operations, said the organization is backing Larssons decision not to play junior in North America.
Hes in a good situation there, thats a good program over there and he was comfortable where he was, Pryor said.
Well see where he is next year at this time and what his thought processes are. Maybe he will want to come over then.
Hes a physical-type defenseman and scout Matti Kautto saw him a lot and felt for a big guy he moves pretty good. Those kind of guys are hard to find. He plays that physical, irritating style.
Funny thing is, Larsson never expected to get drafted by the Flyers. He was fishing in Europe when he got a phone call from Brynas teammate Oscar Dansk, whose father was at the draft in Pittsburgh, telling him that he had been taken.
Why wasnt Larsson at the draft? Because his agent, Christian Sjogren, told him he had a 50-50 shot and it wasnt worth flying over for.
Larsson admitted having limited contact with the Flyers and actually thought if any club took him it might be Washington, which had spent more time with him at the World Championships.
Sinisalo and Kautto spent about 30 minutes with Larsson.
Still
Nah, no feeling for the Flyers, Larsson admitted. Maybe WashingtonI was a little surprised they drafted me.
From the Flyers' standpoint, Pryor says Larssons stats were very atypical for a Swedish defenseman because of his penalty minutes.
I get penalties because I am bigger, Larsson said, adding its not because he is a dirty player. The penalty minutes are inflated, he said, because of the fighting majors.
If I play here in the NHL, I know I will have to fight and be physical, Larsson said.
Larsson arrived in the U.S. on Sundayhis first time ever in North America and was up 20 hours with a few hours rest for before prospect camp began.
I have jet lag. Im pretty tired, he said, adding he felt he had a bad day on the ice even though Pryor said the scouting and coaching staff loved what saw of him in drills.
This training today was not good, Larsson said. I have more to prove. This is not my type of training. I like to hit. Back at home, my teammates dont like that I hit them too.
Yeah, hes a Flyer, all right.
E-mail Tim Panaccio at tpanotch@comcast.net.