150 First Impressions of the 2025 NHL Draft: Europe
It’s been a rough year for the majority of Europe. Russia has seen their best prospect flounder, the Czechs have dealt with their stars leaving, Finland. Still, there are plenty of interesting names that will get a ton of eyes on them and a few dudes I’m ready to champion. This is the longest article of the series so far (40!), so get some popcorn, get some root beer, some licorice and make sure you put on dark mode so your eyes don’t melt.
Victor Eklund - Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan) - SSS
Has to be the most disrespected prospect this year. There was serious conversation regarding whether he was going to be a first-rounder at the start of the year. If it was silly then, it’s got to be comical now. His 13 points across 15 games is not only good enough for second on his team but places his pace right in between Elias Pettersson and William Nylander in their draft year. He’s already matched David Pastrnak and Filip Forsberg’s DY totals in less than half their games. That’s some good company!
How Ekund is getting those results is every bit as impressive as the counting stats themselves. His puck-carrying ability is... ridiculous. He’s got immaculate vision, and once he spots his route, he attacks it immediately with his high-end speed. He hides his intentions consistently, either by manipulating his hands or feet to keep defenders guessing. Combine that with the boldness to outright attack defenders’ space, and you have a player that is in the business of putting d-men on their asses.
There's be a shift in the brand of offence he’s playing. Eklund was largely considered a playmaker before this season, but he just can’t seem to stop scoring goals! A part of that has come as a result of volume; Eklund has already eclipsed his shot attempts and shots on goal from last season. I think a bigger proponent has been a change in mentality. I noted Eklund to be a very selfless player during international tournaments. He was willing to take on the burden of putting in the two-way effort to serve the role of an enabler. He still plays that game, but he’s much more willing to do it himself if he feels that’s not an option. Eklund just looks more confident to be that difference-maker, that star.
The best part is, I still don’t think we’ve seen the best Eklund has to offer. There are times where Eklund’s high speed plays to his disadvantage, and there’s options he doesn’t recognize. His playmaking game still hasn’t fully translated to the pro level yet. The physical tools are slowly but surely coming as Eklund learns to protect himself against men, and he still hasn’t fully grown into his frame. He can get stronger.
There’s way too much upside here for me to not feel a little giddy. I have had him at 5 for over a month at this point, and I heavily doubt he is going to sink lower.
This is my guy.
Anton Frondell - Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden) - SS
Frondell is a player I never really bit the hype on, but there’s no doubt he’s one of the better players this draft has to offer.
He’s not going to blow you away with his skating, where he seems to be quite average. He doesn’t boast really high-end handling or creativity. What he does have in his game are details. Frondell constantly buys himself little advantages that seem to compound the longer he’s on the ice. He’s a great route runner; he supports his teammates on the rush; his small area game is really good; he’s strong on his skates and can bounce off contact well. It all blends into making Frondell very easy to project to the NHL.
However, he doesn’t really feel satisfying for a really high-end draft pick. Maybe it’s the Habs fan in me’s paranoia of picking players of this archetype too highly, but I do see a bit of the same concerns and strengths that existed in Jesperi Kotkaniemi back in 2018. A more recent example may be how highly Dalibor Dvorsky was touted before slipping to the end of the top 10 in 2023. I still think Frondell is better than both of these players, but the idea of this not really being a player I’m excited to draft in the top 10, no less 5, hasn’t really gone away.
It’s also become sort of impossible to ignore Frondell’s injuries. They have clearly taken a toll and are a major proponent of why he hasn’t gotten many looks at the Allsvenskan level yet; he’s still getting his legs under him. Due to Frondell’s high-engagement style of play, I am concerned this may be part of the deal with him. Frondell needs to be able to battle to be effective.
I’m giving him some leeway, as I think he needs the time to get back in the motions. I like Frondell, but he’s likely to be gone before I would take him.
Ivan Ryabkin - Dynamo St. Petersburg (VHL, Russia) for now? - S-
There’s little debate that Ryabkin’s start to the season was disappointing. A lot of the attention has been drawn to the Muskegon/Moskova import situation, but I don’t think that’s playing a huge role. I don’t believe there was ever a lot of substance to the Michkov or Demidov comparisons he drew.
Regardless, Ryabkin is not a bad player by any means, especially in terms of in-zone offense. He’s exceptional for picking apart defensive structures with surgical passes into high-danger areas. A lot of this comes from his ability to quickly read and manipulate defenders. Ryabkin loves to give the impression of an easy-to-act on play, and if you take the bait, he will use his hands to exploit the gap. It’s his shtick, and it works.
The rest of the game is really up in the air.
Starting off with the profile, Ryabkin is really stocky. Yet he really doesn’t engage physically all that much. Most that body gives him is the ability to grit through contact so that he can play through a hit or make the odd hit out of frustration. While he does take advantage of that, it doesn’t aid Ryabkin’s major issue: engagement. Sure, he’s built heavy, and he generally has to lumber from end to end. But the pace of Ryabkin’s game was a serious concern in the MHL, nevermind the VHL. You can’t be this slow to action and expect to play pro-hockey; the game will fly right by you. As the speed elevated around Ryabkin, what were once kinks in the armor became full of cracks. He was forcing plays, resulting in more frequent turnovers. Even Ryabkin’s good vision habits decreased. His defensive effort became almost nonexistent.
It’s all a shame. Ryabkin is a better player than he’s shown us so far this year, but this level of output is just not going to fly for a lot of NHL teams. The Russian factor, the drama, the lack of pace—all of it detracts from what could be a really useful player. He’s got the intelligence, the playmaking ability, and the hands to be an effective NHL player. It’s just really hard to rate him highly when there’s so many red flags.
Milton Gästrin - MoDo Hockey (J20 Nationell, Sweden) - S-
Gästrin is someone I’ve come to love from her performance at the Hlinka. He was a standout on the top line alongside Ivar Stenberg. The two of them were the catalysts for the Swedish side due in large part to playing at such a high speed that few on the ice were ever able to match them.
Gästrin doesn’t really have the creativity, but what he brings to the table is some really good “stat-stick”-ness. He’s fast, he’s strong, he processes the game well, he has the confidence to charge headfirst into five opposing players, and he has the endurance to come out on top. Just because you can see Gästrin coming doesn’t mean he’s any easier to stop. Away from the puck, I think he takes on more of a complimentary role, but he’s shown a capacity for taking the reigns if Plan A fails, especially if it’s coming off the boards.
Gästrin isn’t going to be the sexiest option this year. Still, his motor and intelligence have come to help him be a real force in high-pressure situations, regardless of which side of the puck he’s on. Sure, he may not be the one making those situations happen, but a high-energy bottom-sixer that can hold his own with Gästrin’s athletic abilities is not something to scoff at.
I wouldn’t be shocked if Gästrin were to take a massive step in D+1 similar to Filip Bystedt before him. Sometimes, power forwards just need that extra bit of time.
Kurban Limatov - MHK Dynamo Moskova (MHL, Russia) - A+
I was sold on Limatov 4 shifts into my first viewing. This kid is a blast and probably will have one of the best highlight reels of any prospect coming out this year. That said, he’s a total double-edged sword.
Limatov’s activation ability from his own end, especially on puck carries, is insane. He accelerates so quickly and covers so much ground in a stride... MHL players do not have the capacity to handle him. He can make some booming breakout passes and can get his hands moving to add layers of deception on top. That unrelenting aggression is what makes him such an attractive player, and it applies on the defensive end too. He gets in opposing forward’s faces quick and early and has the skating chops to make this preventative style of defense work sometimes.
Still, there’s little doubting the rawness in Limatov’s game. Offensively, he’s really failed to show any consistent hockey IQ. It’s not uncommon for Limatov to burst into the offensive zone just to bet left on an island and turn the puck over. His passing can be really wild. Defensively, this takes form in how often he will often stand way too high on his line. He will play hit-stick defense and get routinely exposed. The common thread is that Limatov will take too many risks and, as a result, can get really exposed at times.
There’s something to work with here, but there’s no doubt that Limatov will need to play with more control. His game works at the MHL because the volume of advantages he’s creating eventually generates some positives. That’s not going to work at higher levels. Getting Limatov to engage more mentally with the game will be the key to unlocking his upside.
Limatov will likely be a later pick than where I rank him for very good reason, but I find his upside purely tantalizing. If you can ditch all the bad and dial in on the good, there may be grounds for a top-20 pick here.
Eric Nilson - Djurgårdens IF J20 (J20 Nationell) - A+
Eric Nilson and Arvid Drott (more on him later) have combined to be the Swedish versions of Cole McKinney and Jack Murtagh, but if you didn’t read the American article, it makes zero sense. To briefly summarize, Nilson is the enabling two-way forward to Drott’s FIWB energy.
Or at least it should be, but Nilson brings plenty of that oomph in his own right. He just uses it in a more defensive capacity. He reads play exceptionally well and uses his quick hands to shift plays at lightning speed. Whether it be a quick poke, tie-up, or strip, Nilson’s all about shifting play on its head. He projects himself as an exceptional counter-attacker, and I imagine he will be high on the lists of teams looking for players wired this way. It’s just so easy to see how he can work. While his skating and playmaking projects are average, if not slightly above average, I do think he’s wired the right way to be a F3 on a unit like that. I can see it now; he creates a turnover in the defensive end, sends the puck to his winger, and uses his feet to play trailer where he can take advantage of his shot or make an extra quick pass for a teammate.
It may be hard to see the full vision now as Nilson will need to add the athleticism to get to his spots on time, but I think that there’s plenty of reason for patience. Nilson is on the younger side for the class and has a frame to grow into, and if his father is an appropriate benchmark, I think it's a good bet to make.
I don’t see a lot of overall upside on Nilson, but he’s just a really good bet to make in a draft where the bets you make decide your board. I’m a fan.
Viktor Klingsell - Skellefteå AIK J20 (J20 Nationell) - A
Spatial awareness is the name of the game with Klingsell. He’s always processing and uses his vision to great effect to create little advantages for himself. Small things like watching defenders body language so he can time his pivots correctly or understanding when to accelerate into the gaps he recognizes. The foundation of his execution lies in his feet. Klingsell understands how to gain small pockets of separation even if he doesn’t have the speed that blows off the page.
These are great traits to have in offensive forwards, but Klingsell struggles to take advantage of his opportunities more often than not. Without the speed, he tends to be a more complimentary player. This would be fine, but he’s hit and miss on his decision-making as well. Klingsell is just more attuned to being a play connector than a driver, even at this level. However, it’s a tough sell when he’s lacking the physical tools to project to higher levels. Even his current strengths are a hard sell due to his limited handling; his top hand often being locked to the top of his stick can at times simply play into unforced errors.
While Klingsell can definitely add layers to his game yet, I think building on his off-puck game and homing in on this complimentary forward style will be essential. He’s already shown the capacity to play the forecheck and battle in small areas, even if his defensive game and overall speed fall a bit below average. He’s unlikely to be a high-producing forward at the NHL level anyway, so rounding out his game and adding tools to the arsenal will boost his odds for me.
Arvid Drott - Djurgårdens IF J20 (J20 Nationell) - A
Outside of Jack Murtagh, I don’t think there’s a player with more FIWB energy in this class than Arvid Drott.
A natural power forward that has a knack for individual creation, Drott has managed to stand out for how different he is from a lot of players of his archetype. He’s not a total trailblazer like some of the other power forwards of his archetype but still manages to get separation due to how well he runs the angles on his routes. He dares defenders to challenge him, thinking that his speed is something they can keep up with, only for Drott to have fully anticipated the pressure and already accounted for and executed a solution. There’s some real projectability here too; Drott naturally leans towards challenging the middle of the ice and has the combination of dexterity and strength to hold his own.
If there’s a shot against him, it’s that Drott doesn’t really make these happen himself; he’s a player that needs enabling. I also don’t really have a good feel for his playmaking game, which can be a little all over the place. As it stands, adding that to his game would be a massive boon, as he tends to take on a little too much on his own at times.
That said, it probably never will be Drott’s forte; he’s a goal-scorer. While he’s understandably come off his goal-a-game pace that he was able to hold the past 2 years, there’s no reason to doubt that Drott can continue playing a version of this playstyle. He does have some maturing to do, especially away from the puck, but he’s also one of the youngest players in the class.
As Drott rounds out his game, I think the vision of him as a 3rd line scoring winger will continue to materialize. I can easily see a team wanting to take a shot at him in the second, hoping they can mold him into a Josh Anderson of sorts.
Love Härenstam - Skellefteå AIK J20 (J20 Nationell) - A
Härenstam sort of burst onto the scene last season with a very impressive U18s. I say sort of because he’s been the next guy up for Swedish goaltending for a while. He was a big reason behind Sweden not getting destroyed that tournament, and it made me excited to see what he can bring to the table this year. It started off as expected with a few good starts at Luleå, but he’s yet to replicate that success for Skellefteå. Well, at least for the junior team, I thought he'd played some of his best hockey this season with the men’s team in his 2 Champions League starts.
What explains this? I think it’s Härenstam’s style. He tends to play very high in his crease to stop initial shots and relies on his lateral mobility to cover up any sudden changes. When Härenstam is at his best, he’s able to time these movements just right. His ability to swallow those pucks right into his chest with no rebounding danger is a big part of that. In high-pressure situations, Härenstam seems to lock in and really clamp down, but it’s hard to keep that up at all times. You can only chase so many pucks until you start to slip. This lends to Härenstam being a bit hot/cold in his current form.
Still, the raw athleticism Härenstam brings to the table is appealing. On top of that, he’s got the pedigree and the results in tough competition. While his average size will likely keep him from breaking away from the top pack of goalies, he’s still a worthy inclusion in the list all the same.
Pyotr Andreyanov - Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL) - A
II know the MHL isn’t exactly the toughest league for goalies to pad stats in, but Andreyanov’s been in a class of his own.
Just some things he’s done 2 months into the season across his 10 games/9 starts.
Go undefeated in regulation (-1 game he came in as relief).
Only allowed more than two goals in a game once (saving 52/57 en route to a win).
His second MHL shutout
Faced an average of 36 shots a night.
Three 40+ save performances
A .954 save percentage
Absurd.
Andreyanov is another athletic goalie that doesn’t boast a ton of size, similar to Ivankovic or Härenstam, but there’s little denying the results in the workload.
He just stops pucks.
Melvin Novotny - Leksands IF J20 (J20 Nationell) - A-
Upside is the name of the game with Melvin Novotny. There is some really high-end thinking and creativity in his game, and he’s remarkably sneaky with how he brings it. He’s really agile and steady on his feet and comes bundled with a solid frame. His reach is long; he’s got the mobility, and if he tries to truck through him, he’s strong enough to make his play anyway.
The picture I’m trying to paint is that Novotny is a really tough player to deprive of space. It’s exceptionally easy to see Novotny become a tank that you can drop on the lower end of your line-up and count on for 30-40 points.
That said, Novotny has a lot of room for improvement. His hands aren’t the best; he’s not the fastest in a straight line. But if he is able to down the road, there’s a very interesting player here that might have some real middle-six upside.
As it stands now, Novotny tends to make his money on his off-puck game, particularly in transition as a play connector. If one can bring a bit more out of him, I think the player we see would be very interesting. He’s shown the willingness to work.
While the ceiling is there, I’m a little skeptical on how likely it is he hits it. I would like to see Novotny make better decisions more consistently on both ends of the puck. Still, in a class like this, he’s one of the more reasonable swings to make. So sure! Why not?
Zeb Lindgren - Skellefteå AIK J20 (J20 Nationell) - A-
I have no idea how to read Lindgren yet.
For starters, he’s a good skater with good size; there’s no doubting that. The mobility is there, the physicality off the puck is there, the reach is there; he uses all of it. The foundations are great, and this alone can probably justify a reasonably high selection if he were average across the board.
I just have no idea how to gauge him yet, and I think that’s mostly due to a lack of maturity. There’s too many instances where I found Lindgren slow to reach to changes in play, tripping on himself if the pace of the game got too high, creating unforced errors. But there are also really high-end flashes of intelligence or handling where Lindgren will make a great play to perk me up. There are also times where that completely vanishes and Lindgren refuses to pass the puck up-ice. More viewings will tell me if these are mere flashes or if there’s a pattern to follow or whatever, but it’s hard to be sold on Lindgren’s ceiling when he ebbs and flows, especially with my low sample size.
While those may hint at his ceiling, what I think is more concrete with Lindgren is his defensive game. He can be trusted to kill penalties, kill the odd rush, and abuse his reach. I do think he can be a bit panicky when he gets stuck in his own end too long, but that may be a result of nerves. Most of my viewings of him come in high-pressure situations so far, namely, the Hlinka and his brief stint in the Champions League.
He’s another firm wait-and-see. I like the groundwork, but I’m uncertain on my reads about pretty much everything else.
Tomas Poletin - Pelicans (Liiga) - A-
If there’s a player I’m pegging to climb up my list come January, it would be Poletin.
I was really impressed with his performance at the Hlinka, particularly how well he managed to keep pace with the likes of Adam Benak. The pace in his game is remarkable on open ice, and the physical tools he brings in small areas made him a force to be dealt with all tournament. He’s especially good at bullying smaller defenders who can’t match his intensity.
Offensively, Poletin is a goalscorer by trade. Enabling this style of play by being a very intelligent route-runner in transition and using his body and puck protection skills to be a general force on puck carries. Outside of that, Poletin gravitates toward tough areas. Net front, the corners, and behind the net, he takes the assignments other players don’t want to take. But Poletin’s not a pure power forward either; there is some real soft skill as well. He’s got dexterity in his hands and has shown flashes of some high-end looks.
The player that comes to mind here is Nick Foligno. He brings grit to top lines while still having the skill to hang.
The big area for growth with Poletin is his decision-making when distributing the puck. It’s a little all over the place. He can see fail to see easy options and make magic happen but also see low percentage options and mess them up. If he can clean that up, that upside might materialize a little bit.
I think he will have plenty of opportunities to show that growth. He’s already playing with men with Pelicans in the Champions League, and at the Liiga level, I believe he can squeak into a spot on the Czech World Juniors team, and he will likely return to captain the Czech U18 team in April. I’m excited to see what he has in store.
Jakob Ihs Wozniak - Luleå HF J20 (J20 Nationell) - A-
I am going to admit I am being generous here, because I do feel that the Ihs Wozniak hate has been blown a bit out of proportion.
Watching him though, it’s easy to see where the criticism comes from. Ihs Wozniak’s motor feels like it can dip into the negatives at times. He’s having a PLD’s “shift” every night. The pace in his game, as it stands, is completely unprojectable to the NHL. There’s a very real world where he busts off of that alone.
Which is super frustrating because both the skill and the IQ are there! Ihs Wozniak thinks the game quickly; he can make those quick passes and recognize when he does need to leg it. He can make those complex passes, get his shot off, play off-puck and use his frame.
BUT HE JUST DOESN’T, at least not nearly often enough. Effort and commitment are going to be the name of the game for whatever team drafts him. I believe his interviews will be very telling, whichever way they fall.
Tinus Luc Koblar - Leksands IF J20 (J20 Nationell) - B+
I must confess that there’s not a lot of upside here, but boy would I love to have someone like TLK in my bottom 6. He’s a big meanie that brings a really strong physical edge to his game. He brings a bit of that power-forward game, being strong on his puck carries and playing the net front, usually keeping it simple all the while.
While TLK stays in his own lane a lot, there are these special little moments where he will flash some impressive offensive vision. In between bullying goalies, TLK likes to lean into his playmaking side and can make some really impressive passes. I think there’s a lot more intelligence here than he lets on.
The downside is that he’s still super unrefined. He’s not a great skater and can be a little bit leaky with actually controlling the puck from time to time.
Still, I think there’s plenty of reason for optimism. He’s still quite young for the class and seems to bring a reasonable floor to work with. I don’t think he’s a top 64 guy yet, but I would be surprised if he didn’t draw some interest.
Mikhail Fyodorov - Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL) - B+
Early returns of Fyodorov have been fairly positive.
For the MHL, his game is remarkably mature. He has the vision habits and plays decently well off the puck, both defensively and in transition. While he’s not a booming skater, he’s got a set of very slippery feet. He’s remarkably quick on his pivots.
While this skillset does paint Fyodorov as a playmaker, he actually leans into finisher more often than not. He’s got a hell of a shot too, generating power and releasing it with noticeable speed.
Unfortunately, Fyodorov is still very slim and struggles to establish himself in positions to get that shot off more frequently. Worse yet, on the odd chance that he is able to do so, he generally goes unrewarded.
As a result, I think we are seeing Fydorov deviate from his strengths more often than we should. For what it’s worth, he’s still putting up an admirable effort. The fact he is leading his team in scoring is no fluke. It just muddies the water in his projection.
Ah, who am I kidding? Carolina is going to be picking this dude in round 6, locking him in a weight room for 3 years, and make me look silly when he drops 30 in the K at 23.
Michael Svrcek - Brynäs IF J20( J20 Nationell) - B
Svrcek is another small playmaker that leads by intelligence. He’s managed to get off the ground running with Brynäs, going over a point-a-game in just under 20 games. It’s a great way to build off his Hlinka performance, where he was a main cog in the Slovakian offense.
He creates his offense primarily off the rush, where he can take advantage of his above-average skating to open holes. Once they open, his good hockey IQ and quick decision-making make sure that those chances don’t get squandered. None of his skills are lacking, and it portrays Svrcek as very capable.
I just don’t really see too much upside with him. There’s nothing really groundbreaking, and while his pace of play is elevated in comparison to his peers, it isn’t such a large gap that I feel he will be able to transition to NA seamlessly. I think I will need to see Svrcek take his game up a few notches before I’m sold.
Karl Annborn - HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell) - B
Annborn is average across the board.
That’s a good thing! He’s not lacking in any area. There’s a draft pick out there for a right-shot defenseman that can hold his own in every aspect of the game. Especially one that projects to be a decent size and skates well.
But it’s also a bad thing! He’s not really that good at anything. What are you drafting Annborn to do? He will be ok at it, but are you really going to get excited about an "eh" defender? You only play six of them most nights.
As far as he’s concerned, one question sticks to mind. How highly do NHL teams rate the most boring of right-shot defenders? I feel Annborn could answer that.
Mikkel Eriksen - Färjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell) - B-
The youngest player in the class, it comes as no surprise that Eriksen is a bit undercooked so far. Regardless, he’s managed to make a name for himself in the Norwegian system, particularly at the U18s this past spring.
Eriksen plays a natural two-way game and is able to play at a decent pace with ease. I say with ease, because I believe he’s holding out on us. The way he processes the game is really impressive, as evidenced by his ability to perform quick passing plays, especially when he’s under pressure. There’s a cool, collected nature to him that, while not the most engaging, is effective. The one circumstance where Eriksen does show a bit more swagger in his step is on entries. He is middle-driven to a fault and will tunnel down lanes to make it work. The athletic ability is decent, and I think it’s easy to project him as a bottom-six center that you can play on the penalty kill with relative ease.
The main thing holding Eriksen back is how he reacts to plays outside his set motions. Eriksen’s intelligence largely focuses on what he needs to do but rarely takes into account the whole situation on the ice. For example, on defensive zone faceoffs, Eriksen would be given the task of finding a way to create an exit. As far as he’s concerned, this means creating a pass from the defensive end to hit someone in transition. He could get the puck to enable that sure, but if that passing option doesn’t exist, Eriksen freezes, which often results in icings or poor turnovers. It’s a lack of hockey sense maybe, but more precisely a lack of adaptability.
There’s no doubt that Eriksen has a ways to go, but there’s a lot of runway to give. I wouldn’t let him slip too low.
Bruno Osmanis - IF Björklöven (HockeyAllsvenskan) - B-
Osmanis has a great understanding of what space means to the game of hockey.
This is highlighted in his 1v1 play, where he toys with his defenders effective range while using his handling to beat them cleanly. It’s also apparent in his passing game, where Osmanis sense of timing and placement can make me perk up.
The IQ is still a little hit and miss; there are times where Osmanis will take unnecessary challenges or not have the vision to recognize his passing options, but it’s not frequent enough to be a serious problem and is more an area where he can make a lot of significant growth. Osmanis strikes me as someone who learned how to run before they could walk, and simplifying his game may be a benefit.
There are still some things to add before I think he’s ready to transition to NA. He's a bit perimeter-driven and will need to clean up play on his own end. Still, 3rd line scoring forwards exist (kinda), and I think Osmanis has the IQ and skill to fit that role. There’s something here.
Lasse Boelius - Ässät (Liiga) - B-
I just don’t see the appeal with Boelius.
He’s strong on his skates, is a good puck protector, and can distribute the puck decently. He’s composed and a great defender to have when you’re deep in your zone and need a way out. In situations where he can get directly involved in transition, Boelius can drop the shoulder and charge the net, showcasing his confidence and strength. He’s generally conservative in his decision-making and rarely leaves his team in totally terrible situations. He’s alright on his own end, bringing ok 4-way mobility and decent on his edges.
However, his ability to handle the puck is a serious issue. I’ve seen a lot of bobbles, many of which resulted in Boelius panicking and getting his pants pulled down as a result. It’s hard to trust your shutdown defender if there’s a chance they can have a 2% chance of totally screwing up at any given turn.
I don’t trust Boelius’ capacity to play a shutdown game at higher levels yet, not just because of his weaknesses but also because of the lack of powerful strengths. He’s not a defender I’d place outside my bottom pair. He brings that “meh”-ness of Karl Annborn but doesn’t have the same appeal in his profile or skills.
Tomas Pobezal - HK Nitra (Slovakia) - B-
Pobezal is an insanely hard worker, and I will always have time for guys that refuse to be denied like he does.
I just can’t sell myself on putting him there due to how leaky he is.
Pobezal has some of the worst brain farts I’ve seen, and a lot of them come from him easing up, a serious issue for how I project him. I believe for Pobezal to find success, he’s going to need to bring that intensity and engagement every shift. He’s not super skilled or super creative, and he’s already behind a lot of his peers on their fundamental understanding of the game. Not a promising combination for one of the older players in this class. He’s got the uphill battle of dealing with his size too.
The odds are completely stacked against him, but I want Pobezal to work. He’s just not given me much to latch onto. Is a high-end motor and a good shot really going to make him an option come draft day? Maybe, but it probably won’t be early on.
Jan Chovan - Tappara J20 (U20 SM-Sarja) - C+
Chovan feels ill-cast for his current role.
While he does have the defensive ability thanks to his vision habits, it scarcely translates offensively. He’s got poor acceleration and is more often than not playing a slower game, which makes him unsuited to his current center role, despite his efficiency on the dot.
I think Chovan’s much more effective when he’s focusing on the defensive end of the game, playing the wing. His work ethic and small area game are his significant strengths. Outmuscling and putting in the extra oomph in his step to win races and battles and making a simple play to a teammate and getting up-ice to support the offense. He has the size to get to a pro standard at that game.
All Chovan really needs to do is find ways to make that game easier on himself. Working on his skating would probably be most important, but developing a better playmaking game and using his teammates more would also be up there.
Viggo Nordlund - Skellefteå AIK J20 (J20 Nationell) - C+
I’ll admit that even among the super smart, super productive, tiny playmakers that I have an affinity for, I think Nordlund is a long shot.
The pace and confidence he brings, especially when he’s playing up at the men’s level or on the international team. He has the physical tools to make use of that playmaking ability. He wants to be a difference-maker on every shift.
Unfortunately, I find Nordlund takes too many risks. He rarely takes the simple play, and he doesn’t have the ability to win back his mistakes. In situations where he can use that skill more daringly, like in the cycle or in 1v1, Nordlund can shine. It’s just too unreliable.
I think that a lot of changes would be required to make a player like this work at the NA pro level, and fewer teams would be willing to put in that effort on a player that’s undersized and already on the older side come draft day. I’d love to see it work, but I can’t really say I’m optimistic.
Makar Fomin - Almaz Cherepovets (KHL) - C+
Fomin’s claim to fame so far is how well he’s held his own in the KHL in his small sample. He was definitely deployed in favorable situations, but the minutes kept coming.
Relied on as a bit of an offensive sparkplug, Fomin seemed poised and confident in his ability to create. He was getting his feet moving effectively, tackling gaps in transition and making deep pushes to the net. At times, Fomin could land himself in hot water, but he regularly problem-solved, making good heads-up passes to get himself out of immediate danger. When Cherepovets was able to establish offensive possession with Fomin the zone, he didn’t seem out of place at all. Contributing in the quick-passing cycle game they play before finding a gap to attack.
There’s no doubt that he’s still lacking on the defensive end—a lot. Fomin’s feet and four-way mobility can use some work, especially given his frame. To be plain, he was sheltered for a reason.
Still, the flashes he showed offensively were very appealing. There’s a lot of reason to believe in someone who can read the ice and act on it as well as Fomin does. He did pick up an injury recently, so the small sample will stay small for a while yet. But he’s a name worth remembering.
Max Westergård - Frölunda HC J20 (J20 Nationell) - C+
Westergård’s probably the most interesting Finn in the class for me. He’s super hot and cold, and recently we’ve been seeing a lot more cold due to his Hlinka performance.
I believe the issue lies in Westergård being asked to drive play, which is not really his forte. His strength lies in his off-puck game and his finishing touch, and when you adjust to that lens, he’s alright. He has a good nose for finding chances in the slot; he’s a great route-runner and can play with the physical side of the game to get to those spots he needs to make use of his shot. His time in league play alongside Ivar Stenberg really showcases that.
Westergård does still have some projectability issues with his size and slim frame, but there’s room to grow; he’s one of the youngest players in this class. If Westergård can amp up his skill level and overall speed to handle the pro game and the NA ice, I can see him having some degree of boom potential. But the lack of a fallback game and the amount of work to be done soured me on taking that chance too early.
Filip Holst Persson - Luleå HF J20 (J20 Nationell) - C
I love the way FHP is wired. He’s got a high-energy game and loves to impose his will on defenders. This is most prevalent in his off-puck game. He’s a menace to defenders everywhere, routinely robbing them of time by hounding them on the forecheck and getting in their space to dislodge pucks. While it does land him in penalty trouble at times, his stick remains active as he engages in those battles.
Once the puck does turn over, FHP starts to rely on his intelligence to attack lanes, leading to him uncorking his heavy shot. The speed and accuracy of his decision-making are a large proponent of his success so far.
FHP does have a few hurdles to overcome that make him a bit of a boom/bust option. His skating is generally only good in straight lines, and he lacks the edges to be a truly explosive offensive threat. While his brain is keeping up with the game offensively, his hands aren’t. His passes and shots are not super accurate, especially when they’re outside his range. As a result of both of those, he’s very perimeter-driven and struggles to challenge the middle unless space is given to him. His game in the defensive zone is also lacking.
Considering his early birthday and slim frame, FHP’s profile isn’t the best, which may sour some NHL teams. Still, I think he promises to be one of the more attractive options in the later rounds. There’s serious top-nine potential if enough of his hurdles can break right.
Jasu Mensonen - Lukko U20 (U20 SM-Sarja) - C
The bright side with Mensonen is that he sure is trying! I do like his ability to run smart routes into the offensive end, and he has some decent strength to make that style of game work.
The downside is that there’s not much else to write home about. Mensonen lacks the footwork to really be an effective transition player on either side of the puck at the moment. Even if you improve the skating, his vision on the offensive end hasn’t been spectacular either.
The only way to project Mensonen now is as a transition heavy player, and he simply doesn’t have the feet for it yet. Feels a bit oxymoronic, but that’s the story with him. Projecting Mensonen is a game of optimism where you trust that the feet and playmaking ability can come a long way.
Oscar Davidsson - HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell) - C
Davidsson strikes me as a player that should be better than he is but leaves me “whelmed” too often. I think he gets by on raw athleticism at the J20 level without much context, and to his credit, it’s been effective. He’s got a well-rounded game and plays simple, effective hockey, and his 6’1, 176-pound body makes using that an easy enough assignment to fulfill.
I just fail to see the offensive angle with him. He’s not a shutdown player, and he’s not offensive enough to be a two-way option. So what is he? I don’t really know. Maybe Davidsson can figure out an NHL bottom-six role on virtue of his all-roundedness, but similar to Karl Annborn, you’re unlikely to get anything more than an “ok” player.
He seems poised to get some SHL reps this season, and if Davidsson can leave a stronger impression, maybe my tune changes to a more positive one, but I just don’t really see the vision yet.
Jere Somervuori - HIFK J20 (U20 SM-Sarja) - C-
Somervuori is a player that works with his vision. He has a great understanding of space and can find passing lanes and skating routes with no trouble. Add in the playmaking ability and some decent creativity to take advantage of those lanes, and you have an interesting player. That vision applies in the defensive end as well, and Somervuori’s anticipation and ability to recognize lanes is a genuine boon. He’s not a gamebreaker but can project to a run-of-the mill bottom six option.
Unfortunately, Somervuori is really held back by his skating. He’s too slow and skates with a really hunched over posture, which limits his handling ability as well as his acceleration. Even at the U20 level, he really struggles to find separation and, as a result, is often forced into playing a supportive role, moving the puck just as quickly as he receives it.
With a bit of a skating overhaul, Somervuori might be an interesting player yet. But without a very attractive ceiling and serious work to be done, I have my doubts.
Vladislav Ukhmylov - Yasterby Omsk (MHL) - C-
Ukhmylov is a 6’4 defender with considerable mobility.
The rest of the game is work-in-progress. Ukhmylov just struggles to make very much of the chances his skating creates offensively, leaving it to just be a defensive tool. Great for when he’s handling the rush, but he doesn’t quite have the IQ to actually be a positive on his own end at the moment.
If you can round out the on-puck game, you may be able to make out with a decent shutdown defender, but that feels a long way away.
Atte Joki - Lukko U20 (J20 Nationell) - D+
On a Finnish Hlinka team with very few bright spots, the small glimpses of Atte Joki spoke to me. He plays with energy, and he does have an edgy playmaking side to him. He reminds me a lot of a weaker version of Heikki Ruohonen, who I was a major proponent for last year.
Similarly to Ruohonen, Joki’s skating is an issue. He takes these long, unnatural strides that don’t take him very seriously. He’s not really sharp on his edges either, leading to him being a bit slower than you’d want. Joki’s hockey sense isn’t really a positive either. He can be wasteful with his chances and will take the poor shot here and there.
But for all of the shortcomings in his game, I don’t see Joki taking shifts off. He sticks with play, and good things come to him as a result. You can work with that.
Maybe I just don’t want to give up on him because I like his effort level; maybe I’m seeing something that’s not there. But whatever, I like him, even if I know he’s not a super attractive NHL option.
Rio Kaiser - Lausitzer Füchse (DEL2) - D+
I feel I can pretty much end this at “Rio Kaiser is 6’7, skates comparatively well, and has played pro hockey,” and it would be grounds to believe that he can make it as an NHL pick.
While there have definitely been players to fit that criteria and fail, I’m a little bit more positive on Kaiser. He’s come a fair way in terms of his decision-making on the puck—something I considered a major weakness of his going into the season.
I know, very little to go on, but as far as Yolo picks go in the 6th and 7th rounds, I think there’s worse options than Kaiser. He’s better than Paul Mayer!
Joe Wahlund - Färjestad BK J20 (J20 Nationell) - D+
Wahlund, across all my viewings, played the role of a cautious puck-moving defensive defenseman. He was able to break up play with reasonable efficiency, both off the rush and in-zone, and had the IQ to make the simple play that followed. I do wish he showed more, as he definitely had the opportunity to do so.
Outside of that, Wahlund was generally inoffensive. He was able to keep his own end clean and was able to battle effectively. Bottom pair potential guys that play well in this super low-event hockey have gotten looks before. I feel Wahlund is up that alley.
Oliwer Sjostrom - Luleå HF J20 (J20 Nationell) - D
I understand that the Luleå team got worse during the off-season, and a drop in Sjostrom’s numbers and maybe even overall performance was something to be expected. I didn’t think it was going to be this bad.
He’s already an undersized defender, but even in a class full of them, Sjostrom’s defensive inadequacies are alarming. I don’t think I’ve seen him properly handle a retrieval yet. He regularly misjudges time and space and panics when pressure materializes as a result. He’s an easy player to beat on the rush due to a lack of reach and mobility.
Maybe the good in the offense balances out the bad in the defense? Maybe last year, but that’s not been the case at all this season. Sjostrom’s been a wildcard, making insane in-motion reads one minute and awful pointless mistakes the next. He tries to play quarterback, but he’s a true Jimmy G in the pocket; he doesn’t move enough to open angles for himself.
It’s gotten to the point where I find it hard to talk about his tools because they’re such a mixed bag. No matter the case, the conclusion to draw at the moment is that Sjostrom’s defensive inadequacies outvalue his offensive aptitudes. There is a better player than we’ve seen so far this year; his body of work last season proves it. He was able to be aggressive without being reckless; his anticipation on the defensive end was a conduit for turnovers and not penalties. Time will tell if Sjostrom can bring it out.
Yegor Murashev - MHK Krylia Sovetov Moskva (MHL) - D
A lot of the appeal that Murashev carries lies when he has the puck on his stick. He’s got some legit skill and speed, and he can put it to use. I don’t doubt he’s one of the more skilled Russians this draft has to offer.
I just can’t see how he works in the NHL due to the lack of tools. He’s small and shys away from physicality. His off-puck game is poor to downright lazy. He heavily relies on players getting him the puck so that he can make something happen. The problem is, nothing is really happening for him right now. He’s seen 3 transfers in the past few months and has had trouble sticking and scoring everywhere.
Maybe something breaks right and Murashev can be put in a place that will let him put it all together, but I’m not holding my breath.
Jørgen Nyhus Myhre - Vålerenga (Norway) - D
JNM strikes me as a player who, at his current level, is just too fast and too intense. He abuses defenders who aren’t good at playing into pressure and makes good things happen as a result. As a result, he’s quite dichotomic. Either, JNM is the fastest player on the ice and can play his high pressure game, or he isn’t and he is totally outclassed. While he does bring the size and speed to make that game effective, I don’t think it will be enough for an NHL career. I’d bet he’d make a fantastic AHLer though.
Paul Mottard - Sport U20 (U20 SM-Sarja) - D
Mottard was hanging on for dear life in all my viewings, but hung on he did.
He’s able to stay involved with his skating and mobility, but there’s a lack of really impressive skill to make me too high on him. I don’t even know if it’s a composure issue, because if it were, it would mean his panic button is always on.
Either Mottard is a simple read and is merely playing to his limit at his current stage, or I’m missing something and need to take a closer look. I’ll need to re-visit this one.
Artyom Vilchinsky - SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL) - D-
I was not a super big fan of Silayev last year, so it should come as no surprise that I have little time for Vilchinsky. Outside of his size, there’s very little to write home about.
His defensive game struggles, especially in open ice, due to Vilchinsky’s poor footwork and sense of timing. He often extends himself to his fullest range and, when he does, exposes a lot of space in his triangle, allowing even MHL players to deke around him with ease. He’s an ok skater in a straight line but still projects as below average due to some poor edges.
Despite all of that, I imagine there will be a voice that can still extrapolate a shutdown role for him. Keep him in the bottom pair and let him smoosh bodies to enable his partner.
Unfortunately, I struggle to see that too due to Vilchinsky's regularly demonstrating poor positioning off the puck, making it even harder for his partners to play off him. You basically have to commit two players to every defensive play Vilchinsky makes, and it’s only on the odd occasion where the attacker chooses to hug the wall where it feels effective.
This feels like the tip of the iceberg. I can talk about how he’s reactionary on both sides of the puck or how he struggles to be accurate with his passes, his struggles to move laterally, his struggles at defending in the zone, etc.
There’s a lot of work to be done, and there are plenty of defenders in this draft who, although they may lack the raw size Vilchinsky has, bring more projectability to the table. Vilchinsky being one of the oldest players in this year’s draft already had a smaller runway than his peers, and it’s tough for me to justify picking him over a plethora of other options.
Jesper Kotajärvi - Tappara (Liiga) - D-
No player has made me roll my eyes more than Kotajärvi so far this season.
To start, he’s really lacking defensively. Just lacks the anticipation, the awareness, to recognize passing lanes and clamp down on them. When hemmed in, Kotajärvi will regularly sit at the circles. While good for defending the winger that may rely on creating from the perimeter from time to time, Kotajärvi constantly surrenders the middle of the ice and only adjusts after an attacking player recognizes it. In more chaotic segments, Kotajärvi easily loses track of his position and fails to track the puck correctly, making him slower to react in shifts of play. While he does have some good skating ability, it doesn’t translate into an ability to defend the rush, and he’s too small to be a physical option. There’s no real defensive benefit to having him on the ice.
That’s fine though; there are defenders that can make a career off of being so good offensively that the defense doesn’t matter. Kotajärvi is not one of them.
For starters, his breakouts seem to be exclusively dependent on carrying the puck into the offensive zone. There are times where Kotajärvi will correctly read a change or a misbalance in numbers and carrying the puck becomes the right decision, but it’s like watching a QB do nothing but run the ball. It’s super predictable and far too east to defend. Even in the scenarios where Kotajärvi does get through those hurdles and gets himself in good situations, he lacks puck protection ability, strength, or good lateral mobility to cut to his edges—anything to win those 1v1 situations. While he does have the straight-line skating ability, he doesn’t have the mobility to get on the backcheck quick enough. Turnovers and odd-man rushes abound.
Even in the scenarios where Kotajärvi is able to find space and get the opportunity to create, he’s far too quick to pull the trigger on his passes. He doesn’t give himself time to read or play and often will do the first thing that comes to mind. When he sees something simple, Kotajärvi can produce some decent results; however, he doesn’t do that enough. A combination of poor decision-making and a sensitive trigger is not a working combination.
As it stands, I struggle projecting Kotajärvi in any way. If there’s a DND for me so far this year, I’d bet it’s right here. For Kotajärvi to improve, he needs to slow his game down and start playing a bit more tactically. If he can make serious progress in reading the ice and acting on it with confidence, there may be a shot worth taking. I just haven’t seen it yet.
Watchlist
Alexander Pershakov (Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk, MHL)
Daniel Nieminen (Pelicans, Liiga) Re-Entry
Danill Ustinkov (GC Küsnacht Lions, SL) Re-Entry
Eddie Genborg (Linköping HC J20, J20 Nationell)
Gael Haas (Lausanne HC, NL)
Gustav Hillström (Brynäs IF J20, J20 Nationell)
Jamiro Reber (HV71, SHL) Re-Entry
Kirill Yemelyanov (Loko Yaroslavl, MHL)
Maxim Agafonov (Tolpar UFA, MHL)
Maxim Gusev (SKA-Yunior Krasngorsk, MHL)
Mikhail Gamzakov (Avto Yekaterinburg, MHL)
Nikita Poltavchuk (Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk, MHL)
Theo Stockselius (Djurgårdens IF J20, J20 Nationell)
Tomas Galvas (Bílí Tygři Liberec, Czechia) Re-Entry
Topias Hynninen (Jukurit, Liiga) Re-Entry
Vojtech Cihar (HC Energie Karlovy Vary, Czechia)
That’s the big one. If you all made this far then pat yourself on the back, you’ve earned it. We are back tomorrow to wrap this series up with a short stop in Quebec.