[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (U-18 Edition, Vol.8):

LHC Valter Lindberg arrived at the U-18 Tournament still on a high from winning Gold with Skelleftea AIK in the J20 playoffs just over a week prior, forming a dominant line with Viggo Nordlund and Oskar Vuollet, and collecting 13 points in 9 games along the way, good enough for 4th overall in playoff scoring. In the regular season, the 5'9",168lb pivot was tied for 18th in league scoring and was 2nd on his team with 12 goals and 47 points in 45 games. With limited minutes at the U-18's, he only managed to post 3 points in 7 games, playing only 11:15 in the semi-final against Canada, and a mere 5:02 in the bronze-medal game against Slovakia. He did however, score the OT game-winner against the Swiss with a highlight-reel goal, that saw him cut to the middle between 2 defenders and fire it five-hole from the high slot. By draft standards, he is still relatively young with a July 13th birthday.

Lindberg is two-way center who can be deployed in a variety of roles, on either side of the rink. He is a skillful playmaker with high-end vision and IQ, and can dish at full speed, threading the needle through layers of traffic. His passing skill was the best I saw on display in the U-18's, and I would dare say that he might be one of the best in the draft in this regard- he's a wizard with the puck. He makes consistently good decisions, and makes very few mistakes, but there were many instances where his teammates couldn't finish, or extend the plays he created- especially on the powerplay, where his elite vision was evident. He can make cross-ice passes through defenders, or deliver the puck cross-crease through a crowd, and even sent a long-bomb from the corner to his D at the opposite point position through bodies. He can see seams that few other players can. Unfortunately, his skating is average at best right now, and although he offsets it somewhat with a high workrate in races, and by keeping his feet moving on the forecheck, his speed when combined with his size may keep him from being drafted. He's not explosive, his acceleration is sluggish, and he is need of a better top speed, but he has good agility to make sharp cuts for quick changes in direction, and can pivot away from checks. There's also a bit of lateral mobility in his repertoire for a more elusiveness.

Lindberg is very effective and quite disruptive on the forecheck, and gives opponents fits using a well-timed stick. It doesn't stop there though, as he hounds puck-carriers tenaciously in all three zones. He will go to the front of the crease to absorb abuse and to make plays, and he's surprisingly good down low and behind the net. Despite his diminutive stature, he doesn't shy away from contact and will throw the odd hit to win a puck, or take a hit to make a play- though he isn't really a physical player. With only 12 goals in league play, it's obvious that he's a pass-first playmaker, but he could stand to use his shot more often; his wrister could use a little more zip, but it's solid and accurate, and he can get it off quickly with little space to work in. Off the puck, he supports the play well, skating smart routes and staying in the right position to be playable, although he sometimes appears to be coasting and puck-watching. Lindberg displays awareness in all 3 zones, and is constantly disruptive to opponents. He is very good against the rush in the neutral zone, with uncanny anticipation to intercept passes, or the player they were meant for. He's solid defensively, and reads the play extremely well, taking away the middle of the ice with impeccable positioning and well-timed poke-checks. He's often the first forward back in the zone, and the last to leave.

It's not really Lindberg's speed that bothers me, it's his pace. He will not have the time at higher levels to slow down to analyze what's happening around him, and he won't always be able to wait for the play to come to him. It's a must that he learns to play a bit more aggressively. He needs a ton of work on faceoffs, though I doubt he will play center in the NHL- and that's another big problem, as his game seems tailor-made for the center position. It's one thing to be small, but it's another to be small AND slow- he needs plenty of work of his mobility, and also his strength as he can be overpowered rather easily. The brain is there, as well as the talent, but he's a long-term project at best, and it remains to be seen if any NHL teams will spend even a late-round draft pick to secure his rights. I'm leaning heavily towards no.