Whenever a player is selected by a team in the NHL draft, sportswriters usually look to a scout or someone in know to give them a comparable on the player. This guy plays like Duncan Keith. That guy plays like Steven Stamkos.

It’s a convenient way to get a quick handle on a player, and those comparisons are usually highly disposable.

So when the Bruins drafted Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson in the second round in June in Sunrise, Fla., the comparable for the Swede was an easy one. Right-handed centerman who’s strong in his own end, and is good in the faceoff circle? Considering the team that drafted him, it wasn’t exactly a stretch to compare him to Patrice Bergeron. Like Forsbacka-Karlsson, Bergeron was even taken 45th overall back in 2003.

But while it might be unfair to say the Boston University freshman — known around the rink by his nickname of “JFK” — is the next Bergeron, he’s already showing that he’s definitely cut from the same mold.

The 6-foot-1, 192-pound Forsbacka-Karlsson, who turned 19 on Halloween, has been centering BU’s first line, skating between seniors Danny O’Regan and Ahti Oksanen — and he hasn’t looked one bit out of place. Going into last night’s game against Cornell, he was tied for second with Oksanen in team scoring with 4-9-13 totals. He plays the power play, the penalty kill and he’s the Terriers’ top faceoff man. It’s a lot to ask of a freshman, but he’s been up to the task.

“I’d have to say I didn’t have a lot of expectations going in,” said Forsback-Karlsson, who played the last two years for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. “But I knew (coach David Quinn) had a spot for me and a plan for me to go in to have an impact right away. I think it’s been great so far. I’m just trying to enjoy the time and improve my game.”

Still, his start is as much as he could have anticiapted.

“I wasn’t expecting this much playing time from the start. Obviously, it’s very flattering to be able to play with players like Oksanen and O’Regan,” he said.

Having a freshman make a big impact is nothing new for Quinn, of course. Just last season, he had a kid by the name of Jack Eichel take the NCAA by storm.

But while Forsbacka-Karlsson is not the explosive, generational talent that Eichel is, he’s got a mature-beyond-his-years feel for the game. And like Bergeron, he’s already shown a knack for showing up at key moments. In the Terriers’ recent weekend series against defending champion and current No. 1-ranked Providence a couple of weeks ago, he figured in all four of the BU goals scored in the home-and-home series, which produced a pair of ties. In the opener, with BU goalie Connor LaCouvee pulled for an extra skater, Forsbacka-Karlsson won an offensive zone faceoff, leading to Oksanen’s equalizer. He then had a pair of goals in the 3-3 return match deadlock.

He’s also had some Bergeron-like nights on draws. In the second PC game, he won 22-of-28 draws. In the Terriers’ 3-2 comeback win over Michigan on Nov. 20, he won 23-of-31 faceoffs.

“We were really excited about him and we thought he’d be able to handle an awful lot early in his career here and he certainly has done that,” Quinn said. “He’s very thorough. He’s playing with two very good players because he’s earned it and he deserves it. He puts a lot into it. He’s not only physically gifted but he’s mentally gifted and I’m not surprised at the impact he’s having.”

Growing up in Stockholm, Sweden, his first hockey idol was Peter Forsberg.

“But after a while, you realize you might not be a Peter Forsberg kind of guy,” he said.

He is, however, a Bergeron kind of guy.

“If you want to learn anything from a two-way forward standpoint, he’s the guy to watch,” Forsbacka-Karlsson said. “He’s obviously the one the best at what he does. He’s someone I watch a great deal.”

With the nickname JFK, it’s no surprise that he’s already grown fond of Boston.

“It’s awesome. I love it. It’s pretty similar to my hometown of Stockholm, so it feels like I’m back home again,” he said. “It’s one of the greatest cities I’ve ever been to. It’s got the history and it’s also got a lot of diversity. I’m having a great time, for sure.”

How soon he trades his Terriers red and white for Bruins black and gold is still anyone’s guess. He certainly isn’t ready to venture one.

“Right now, I’m not focusing too much on that part,” Forsbacka-Karlsson said. “I’m just trying to take it as it comes. If it comes to that, that’s a decision I’ll make at that time.”

But. even though Forsbacka-Karlsson has just a little more than a dozen games under his belt — and he may not go straight to the NHL — many observers already starting to think he won’t be a four-year college player.

This week’s B’s timeline

Wednesday, at Edmonton, 9:30 p.m. — There was plenty of excitement when, first, the Oilers landed top pick Connor McDavid and then hired former Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli. But right now they’re on pace to finish with another high lottery pick. Part of that is due to the untimely injury to McDavid, but netminder Cam Talbot has not been the No. 1 goalie the Oilers thought they were getting.

Friday, at Calgary, 9 p.m. — On to another disappointing team from Alberta. Everyone assumed the Flames stole Dougie Hamilton from the Bruins at the draft, and maybe time will prove that notion true. But he’s been erratic and a bit indifferent in the defensive zone. However, Hamilton’s not the only underachiever to this point. Mark Giordano, the frontrunner for the Norris Trophy last season before getting hurt, was minus-11 as of last week.

Saturday, at Vancouver, 10 p.m. — Like the Bruins, the Canucks are hovering near a playoff spot. The Sedin twins’ reputation took a hit in the 2011 Stanley Cup finals, but they’ve had great careers and are having good seasons at the age of 35. The ’11 Cup final was a long time ago, but these two teams still manage to get under each other’s skin.

CANADIENS UP AGAINST IT

The Canadiens proved to be a remarkably resilient team when they survived the loss of Carey Price the first time he went out of the lineup with a knee injury, going 5-2-2 with Mike Condon holding the fort down.

But now the Habs are really up against it. Not only is Price back on the shelf after re-injuring his knee in Montreal’s big victory Wednesday over the Rangers, who had briefly overtaken Montreal for the league’s top spot, now Brendan Gallagher is out for an extended period after surgery on his hand. Like Brad Marchand for the Bruins, Gallagher is not only an agitator extraordinaire, he also happens to be a very good player, one willing to go to the dangerous areas of the ice.

If the Habs can continue to pile up wins without both Price and Gallagher, that would be truly impressive.