[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (The Villain Edition):

No, 6'3",198lb LHD Max Vilen is not a character from an Austin Powers movie, he plays for the Malmo Redhawks organization, with 18 points in 49 games in the J20, and a cup o' coffee in the SHL, with no points in 4 games. He was 28th in scoring by defensemen in the J20, which shows that he contributes to his team's offense, but his bread and butter is his involvement in the other two zones, with an emphasis on his duties as a shutdown D. With a June 29th birthday, he's still quite young.

Vilen is a quality puck-mover who makes quick, accurate decisions, but keeps things mostly short, simple, and risk-free off of quick touches. There's no real sign of high-end creativity, or dynamism in his play- he's not flashy, and plays conservatively, but that's a good thing for a player of his ilk. By the same token, he's aptly skilled with the puck, but not really high-end in any area- his stickhandling won't dazzle anyone, but he maintains possession and has an enormous reach that aids him in protecting the puck. He's a solid skater with fluid 4-directional mobility and a quick first step, who can transition quickly. With his team set up in the offensive zone, Vilen walks the line effectively, and distributes accurately through seams he creates with his activity at the blueline. He rarely leaves his position high in the zone near the line, and doesn't usually activate unless it's to pinch up the boards to keep pucks alive, or to punch the puck in the direction of teammates, and away from enemies. His shot is average and isn't too threatening, mainly because it's not used a lot, except as a playmaking tool to create rebounds and second-chance opportunities for his teammates. Though he may not be the biggest hitter, he plays a physical game and uses his size and strength well in battles.

Vilen doesn't really push pace, or drive play, but he's a hard-worker and competitive. He makes retrievals look easy, with the way he scans his surroundings, and makes quick and accurate breakout passes under pressure. On occasion, he can really stretch the ice with a long-bomb to a streaking teammate. He has the skill and mobility to carry through transition now and then, but he mostly defers to his colleagues to do the carrying, but will participate in give-an-go's in the middle zone. Vilen takes pride in his role as a shutdown defenseman, taking away time and space by smothering puck-carriers with his stick, awareness, and body. He's disruptive with a defensive mentality in all 3 zones, with a long reach that's nearly impossible to escape, and infallible positioning. He removes chances from opponents to make high-danger plays by clogging lanes, and blocking passes. Against the rush, he keeps a tight gap on attackers, and closes quickly with his speed. He knows his assignments, and is often seen directing traffic. I believe Vilen has a good chance to make the NHL as a bottom-3 defenseman, as his offensive upside is questionable and many think he might just be a one-dimensional defensive-defenseman, which wouldn't be a bad thing. Look for him in later rounds.