[Sandman]

Draft thoughts, post U-18's:

-Otto Stenberg opened my eyes this tournament. Looking at his stats back home in Sweden, he didn't seem like a potential first-rounder to me, but he put up one of the top U-18 performances of all time, with 16 points in 7 games, after only managing 26 points in 29 J20 Liiga games. For context, U-18 teammate, and fellow 2023 Draft-eligible Noah Dower-Nilsson had 54 points in 37 J20 Liiga games, on the same team (Frolunda). Fact is, Stenberg played 23 SHL games (with 3 points), which is a great sign for a kid his age, and Frolunda, being one of the top teams in the J20, has plenty of 18, 19, and 20 year olds to bury a 17 yo like Stenberg. He was also deployed on his off-wing, after spending his previous career at C, with the hope that having the inside lane would augment his shot. It's obvious from watching him, that he's worthy of a first-rounder. Stenberg might not have size on his resume, but his skill, IQ, and vision are all elite. He's a very well-rounded player, and uses his skill and smarts in all 3 zones. He can drive play, plays with pace, and seems to be equally a play-maker and shooter. Excellent skater, with top-tier stickhandling, making him a killer in 1-on-1 situations. Look for him later in the first round.

-Dalibor Dvorsky started slow, but came on as the tourney went along, showing up in big games, with not as much talent around him as other teams. Big kid, skates very well, plays a tight 200-ft game. Has the speed to blow past defenders, and make plays off the rush. Best of all, is that he has a nose for the net, and is a gifted goal-scorer. His shot is NHL ready, whether it's a slapper, wrister, one-timer, or backhander. Plays with a bit of power in his game, and uses his size in battle, whether it's on the forecheck, or to separate man from puck. Not at all afraid of traffic, or the dirty areas. He has high IQ and vision, and can also make high-end plays. Top-10 all day.

-Matt Wood was Canada's second-leading scorer (7 goals and 13 points in 7 games), behind 16 yo Macklin Celebrini, but he came as advertised, and stood out in a good way every time he was on the ice. He was simply dominant. He's a shoot-first power-forward, with size (6'4"), and a nose for the net, with an impressive shooting arsenal. Skating needs a bit of work, particularly his acceleration, but it's not close to being as bad as people say it is. I wouldn't be scared off from drafting him because of his skating.

-I wouldn't be at all surprised to see ASP being the first defenseman taken. The ASP-Theo Lindstein pairing was the best in the tournament, and Sweden's offense seemed to flow through them. ASP is not just your typical "Modern-day defenseman", as he's much more dynamic than that. This is the type of player that has a chance to be up in the Stratoshere with the likes of a Makar, or Karlsson. His U-18 production this year, with 11 points in 7 games, is tied for the sixth-best of all time. His production in the J20 Liiga this year (36 points in 31 games, 1.16 ppg) is 4th-best all-time for an under-18 player, and his ppg were better than Karlsson's. He's stunningly fast, a sublime stickhandler, elite vision and IQ, but maybe best of all- he shows a defensive conscience as well. He's good against the rush, uses his stick to break up plays, and has good gap control. Fantastic transitional player, and he's often the first in the zone. Knows when to activate, and is a good shooter. Needs to get stronger, but will never be a physical player.

-Kasper Halttunen was another player that opened eyes in this tourney, although some perceptions need to be muted, as it IS a competition where all the players are 17 or under. Halttunen was dominant at times, and showed off some very impressive skating, especially for a guy who is 6'3". Like Wood, he's very much a shoot-first power-forward, but his shot is elite- hard, heavy, and accurate. He has the offensive awareness though, to make plays and drive the offense. He knows how to use his size to bull his way around, and attacks the net, but also has two-way acumen. Can play a physical game, but is inconsistent in this regard. 1st-rounder is still my bet.

-RW Felix Unger Sorum might have raised his draft stock more than anyone, with his performance in this tournament. He had the enviable task of riding shotgun with Otto Stenberg, but he was able to show off his hard-working, playmaking style, as well as his defensive awareness. Sorum skates well, but is not a burner, and his offensive skillset makes him an equally good passer, as shooter, with a quick, deceptive release. Works hard on and off the puck, and can play both sides of special teams, but isn't a physical player. 10 points in 7 games in the tourney, and 46 points in 42 J20 games- pretty good production. Still a bit raw, and the youngest player in the draft, being born a day before the cut-off.

-C David Edstrom was a favorite of mine to watch. He's 6'3", and has a knack for being in the right place at all times. His skills are all average, or slightly above, but his IQ and vision are quite good. He moves well for a player his size, but needs more explosiveness in his stride. He's not particularly flashy, but can find seams for high-end passes, and knows where to go to open those seams to recieve. Plays a well-rounded, mature 3-zone game, and his attention to defense makes life easier for teammates. He can play a physical game at times. His compete is inconsistent at times, and he needs work on his shot, but he seems like a safe pick. Edstrom played 11 games with men in the SHL, and reportedly aquitted himself very well. Pegged for the 3rd round.

-C Calum Ritchie was Canada's 3rd best player, with 9 points in 7 games, but he's still a favorite of mine. He started the tournament slow, like most of the team, but looked more like himself later on. Ritchie has a bit of everything- he's a good skater, has size, top-notch offensive instincts, and two-way acumen. Great stickhandler and shooter, plays a physical game, and is not afraid of competing in the dirty areas, or in front of the net. Reads the play well, and is always in the right position. He owns a hard, heavy, accurate shot, with a deceptive release, but can also make high-end plays. Has the quickness, anticipation, and stickhandling to carry or pass in transition. Needs explosiveness in his skating, and more consistency in his physical game.

-D Tom Willander was Sweden's second-leading scorer from the blueline after Sandin-Pellikka, with 8 points in 7 games. He reminds me of 2020 Detroit second-rounder, William Wallinder (yes, I see the similarity in their names), in that they are both calm and steady, go about their business quietly. Very mobile in all directions. He's able to play well in all situations anywhere on the ice, and can play both sides of special teams, and both sides of transition. He can lead the rush into the O zone, but knows when to back off and switch to defense, to snuff the rush. Great awareness all over the ice. He shoots well, knows when to activate, and is a crisp, accurate passer. Like Wallinder, he could develop his offense a bit in the pros. Potential second-rounder. Very dependable player.

-C Zeb Forsfjall is only 5'9", but he's not afraid to be a difference-maker. He started the tournament strong, but cooled off a bit, finishing at 8 points in 7 games. At times, he was a play-driver and offensive facillitator. At worst, he's a competitive, 200-ft player who's versatile enough to play both special teams. Excellent skater, very elusive and shifty, with a quick change of pace. He backchecks and forechecks hard, despite his size, moves the puck well, and makes crisp zone entries with control. More of a playmaker than shooter, but his shot is pretty meh-perhaps needs a little work. He also needs to bulk up and get stronger, as he's quite slight, and can't get very involved in the physical game. He can get pushed around a bit, too. Definitely didn't wow in the J20, with only 8 goals and 22 points in 34 games for Skelleftea, yet played 17 SHL games. 3rd/4th round.

-I would have to say that left-shooting RW Eduard Sale had a disappointing tournament, but in his defense, he didn't have much to work with. His 4 goals and 6 points in 5 games led the Czechs, and the next highest scorer on the team had 4 points. Back home, Sale played most of the season with men in Czechia's top league, with 14 points in 43 games, which seems paltry, but he led all players under the age of 20 by 8 points. Not too long ago, I read an article that compared Sale's style to that of Taylor Hall, and now when I watch him play, that's all I see. Like Hall, Sale is 6'1", is a speedster, but plays a rather non-flashy game. He doesn't make any risky plays, just smart and efficient ones. Great hands, and elite vision and anticipation- he's both goal-scorer and playmaker. His shot is hard and accurate, and his passes are crisp. He gets involved in transition, and can skate it in on his own, cleanly and crisply. He's not a stalwart defensively right now, so he'll need to grow in this area. He does exhibit good positioning in this area though. Still looks top-10 to me.

-Winger Emil Jarventie had 6 points in 5 games. He's undersized, at 5'10", but plays a fairly explosive offensive game. His shot is lethal, and his offensive instincts are his bread and butter, and he exhibits excellent hockey sense and IQ. He can pull off passes that few others can-through traffic, and at at long distance. His feet are quick, even explosive in close quarters, but he could use work on his top speed. He works hard, doesn't shy away from battling in hard areas, and has a good motor. His stickhandling is another strength, and he has plenty of 1-on-1 shiftiness. Pretty small, and not very strong, but he forechecks hard, and takes punishment in front of the net. Jarventie played 21 games with 19 points this season in the J20, but spent even more time in the men's leagues, with stops in the Mestis (where he put up an impressive 7 points in 19 games, 12th for players under 20, and first for players under 18- the other players in his age group played 3 games or less), and 15 games in the Liiga. His defensive game needs some work. Look for him in the 3rd round.

-Everyone wants a big C who can move, and that's just what 6'3" Anton Wahlberg is. He was one of my favorite players in the U-18's, with 6 points in 7 games. He's somewhat of a meat-and-potatoes guy, but he also has some flashy, even explosive qualities. The goal he scored to break the 3-3 tie with Slovakia (eventual game-winner) was him intercepting the puck just inside the offensive zone along the boards, cutting to the middle, and whipping the puck in, top corner, from just inside the circle. Obviously, his shot and release are elite, and might be his best asset. Wahlberg is a good skater too, and uses his size well on the forecheck, below the dots, in front of the net, and in the greasy areas. Very physical, competes hard in all zones, and finishes his checks- looks like a bull in a china shop. He is adept at finding open space to recieve passes, or to unleash his shot. His offensive instincts are quite good, but he could use a little more creativity. 27 points in 32 J20 games, and spent 17 games in the SHL. Maybe late second-round, early third.

-Emil Jarventie had more ppg in the U-18's than Noah Dower-Nilsson (6 points in 7 games), and maybe more ice-time and opportunity, but for my money, NDN is a much better player. NDN had exemplary numbers for Frolunda's J20 team, one of the top teams on that circuit, with 54 points in 37 games- good enough for 7th in the entire league, although his 1.46 ppg were 3rd in the top-20, which is extremely impressive, especially for a 17 yo. He is a 6'0" Center, with elite sense and creativity, and the stickhandling and elusiveness to beat most defenders 1-on-1. Very fast and agile, with the ability to dart in and out of traffic, and change direction on a dime. He has a quick, accurate shot, and makes crisp passes seemingly out of nowhere. Like Jarventie, he can find teammates with passes that few others would be able to pull off. Basically, while he's capable of making mistakes, he's still a lights-out offensive player with high level skills and IQ. Defensively, he's not as good, but he's not bad either. He works diligently in his own zone, has a good stick, and exhibits good positioning. He has the speed and tenacity to take away time and space from opponents. Still could use a little work in this area. Second-rounder all day.


More to come....