[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts, 2024 Edition, Part 1:

I would like to talk about a couple of my favorite D-men for the upcoming draft, that aren't in the "Big Seven".

Leo Sahlin Wallenius is the prototype of a certain kind of D that seems to be becoming more common- a six-foot, puck-moving, offensive blueliner with speed. This kid is up there with the best in terms of speed in this draft, and as Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff says, his speed is "maybe the best among defenders in this class". His speed made him a standout in the Hlinka Gretzky tournament, as I can personally attest, and he was the leading scorer amongst defensemen for Team Sweden (second in the tournament to Henry Mews) with 1 goal, and 4 assists in 4 games. At the time of this writing, he has some eye-popping stats with the Vaxjo Lakers of the J20 League in Sweden, with 25 points in just 30 games- good for 3rd in that circuit amongst defensemen, at the age of 17 (he doesn't turn 18 until April). Wallenius is a quality two-way player who brings a bit of everything with him to the rink- he's not the biggest player, but what he lacks in strength, he makes up for in tenaciousness, and constantly being a pest to attackers. He wields an excellent defensive stick for pokechecks, takeaways, and blocks. He still manages to employ some physicality, and can show a bit of a competitive chip on his shoulder, as his 24 PIM might suggest. Wallenius can be used in all situations, and is adept on both sides of special teams. He can be flashy at times, and seems to have a penchant for high-end outlet passes, but I would say he keeps it simple most of the time so as to not sacrifice his defensive duties for risky offense. His specialty is playmaking, and he has a wide variety of ways he can deceptively distribute the puck, and demonstrates elite vision and IQ when doing so. He can pinch, or join the rush, but does so judiciously most of the time. Despite having a tight two-way game, some say he could tune-up his gap control a bit, and even more say he needs to improve his shot- he can get it on net consistently, but it needs better velocity. in addition, like most kids his age, he needs to get much stronger. He reminds me a bit of our own Etienne Morin. Look for him late in the first round, or early second.

Henry Mews is another D-man I had an opportunity to watch in the Hlinka, and has many of the same attributes and deficiencies as another standout in the tourney in Sahlin-Wallenius. Like his Swedish counterpart, he plays an advanced two-way game, and plays a more simplified approach in order to preserve his defense, sacrificing some flash and dash. Many OHL watchers wanted to see Mews explode offensively more than he has, despite having 34 points in 36 games currently, but he doesn't activate as much as they want him to- this tells me that there is much more in this player than he's showing numbers-wise, even though his numbers are exceptional. Mews is an effortless skater and puck-mover, and from what I've seen, he often shines in transition- both carrying and passing. He is capable of driving play from the backend, but perhaps showed this off more in the Hlinka more often than he does in the OHL, as scouts would like to see him do it more often. Mews' primary weapon is his playmaking and passing, augmented by his elite vision and IQ. He has an excellent shot, but perhaps doesn't use it enough, as he only has 6 goals so far. 7 points in 5 games to lead all D in the Hlinka, even though he often had less ice-time than some of his teammates, and was relegated to the second units of both special teams much of the time. He was one of my favorites to watch. Mews is calm and poised under pressure, comfortable in any situation, and has the will and compete to win board battles- despite not being the biggest skater on the ice (6'0",185lbs). There's an inate ability here to seemingly always make the right play at the right time, in all 3 zones. Like most D of his size and ilk, he will need to bulk up and get stronger, and play with more pace to better showcase his play-driving capabilities- I'm betting his numbers skyrocket next season. Look for him in the late first, early second.

Wallenius' teammate on both the Vaxjo Lakers, and team Sweden at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, is smooth skating rearguard Alfons Freij- who, like Wallenius, has put up some great numbers in the J20. 9 goals and 23 points in 29 games, which puts him 5th in the league for D, and he put up 4 points in 4 games at the Hlinka, putting him 5th for D in that tournament as well. Freij has a touch more size than Wallenius, at 6'1",192lbs, and is an explosive skater in his own right with a very aggressive, dynamic style. He has an attack mentality, and loves having the puck on his stick, carrying it with confidence with his skillful puckhandling. He's an excellent transporter of the puck, both with his feet in skating from the D zone all the way through to the other end of the rink, or through his deft passing- be it either the short pass, or his expert long bombs to streaking teammates. Freij may be one of the top puck-movers from the backend in this draft, and he can pull off passes that most can't see- and the confidence to try, even when they don't connect sometimes. There's a risk-taking component to his game, and not everything he tries works 100% of the time, but more often than not, it does. He's always working hard to make things happen. He has top-tier vision and creativity, and sees the ice better than most. Freij makes it look easy, and is a threat in the offensive zone, both on and off the puck with his ability to perform and move in traffic, draw attackers to him, and his ability to attack (and create) open space. He can shoot the puck hard and accurate, and get it on net through traffic pretty consistently. There's a physical component here too, although he's not a huge hitter, and needs to get a bit stronger. As good as he is offensively, he can be an adventure in his own zone- he can defend the rush with his speed, but lacks the same zeal in his own zone as he puts into his offensive play. Freij is still considered a two-way defenseman, but this dimension in his game needs work-it's definitely not a glaring weakness. He still exhibits excellent gap control, and has an active stick. Many say that his decision-making in the D zone is a concern, and that he can be pressured into making mistakes. Freij is another D to look for in the late first, early second.

When searching for info to digest on Leo Sahlin Wallenius, one may come across a highly unheralded defenseman playing for Farjestad in the J20, and leading all D in that league in goals and points, by the name of Noel Fransen. 15 goals and 34 points in 33 games- Axel Sandin-Pelikka had 16 goals and 36 points in 31 J20 games in his Draft year. From all accounts, Fransen is a first-round talent, but isn't appearing on anyone's lists. I urge anyone to go watch his highlights and tell me that he's not first/second round material. Fransen exhibits high-end skating and vision, and has every weapon at his disposal- passing, shooting, hockey sense, and is even a good defensive player. Franson is cool and collected, skating with his head up to scan the ice for options, and always seems to make the right choice. Defensively, he shows anticipation, keeping his opponent to the outside, and employing an active stick. He seems to be ahead of the play in all 3 zones. Fransen is a quality puck-mover, and is a confident and capable carrier as well- he has the speed, agility, and stickhandling to weave through traffic from one end to the other with possession. He stays active in the offensive zone to scan for options, and open up space for teammates. If there's a weakness, it may be his size (6'0",179lbs),and physicality. It will be interesting to see what happens, but I think we'll hear more about this kid the closer we get to the Draft- much like last year, with Simashev and Gulyayev.