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Sandman · 05-29-2024, 08:37 PM

Draft Thoughts (Coffee and Danish Edition):

LW Hjalte Kruse Thomsen is from Denmark, but made the wise decision to develop his game in Sweden in the Malmo Redhawks organization, where he piled up 15 goals and 38 points in 43 games on the J20 team, to go with 32 penalty-minutes. His totals put him ahead of draft-eligibles such as Filip Hesselvall, Jack Berglund, Karl Sterner, and Elliott Sigrell in the scoring race. Thomsen, who is a late-2005 birthday, earned 13 games at the SHL level, where he settled for just 1 assist with limited ice-time and responsibility. He measures in at 6'0", and 172lbs.

Thomsen contributes a bit of everything to his team, but doesn't really do anything at an elite level- he's not really a play-driver, and is more of a complimentary player. He's a fiery forward with skill and a touch of snarl, who can fly at top speed. If there's one quality of his that stands out from the crowd, it may be his overwhelming tenacity, or his motor that's hard for the opposition to match. He's hard to go up against, and has some power in his game, with plenty of grit and physicality. On the forecheck, he attacks like a Tasmanian Devil, suffocating his victims of time and space, and disrupting puck-carriers with his body and well-timed stick. He does a lot of the heavy lifting for his line, going into the hard areas of the ice to win battles for pucks, fighting hard in front of the net, and finishing his checks to create more space. Despite an impressive offensive output, he is said to be somewhat lacking in puck-skill- he can make some of the more complex passes on occasion, but he mostly keeps things simple and risk-free. He's not a true playmaker by any means, but his hard work in winning pucks and in helping his team maintain possession make him a valuable facilitator. Thomsen's true contribution to his team's offense is his finishing ability, and his powerful, accurate shot- he has no problem parking himself in front of the goalie to be a distraction, or to cash-in on second-chance opportunities.

Thomsen usually has a good defensive conscience, and makes a positive contribution in his own zone with his penchant for taking away time and space from opponents, and his fearlessness in blocking shots; however, his engagement in this area has it's ebbs and flows, as he sometimes looks like he's not giving his full effort. On occasion, he will cheat for offense, and can be seen coasting back into the zone at times. Having a competitive fire is always good, but it has been said that he can get agitated too easily and has a bit of a temper, which can affect his overall engagement and focus, and will throw off his game. Thomsen may not even be drafted, but could make a good bottom-6 energy player who chips in some offense here and there, if he can clean up his defense and round-out his puck-skills. Look for him in later rounds.

05-29-2024, 08:37 PM	#3809
Sandman Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Calgary Exp:	Draft Thoughts (Coffee and Danish Edition): LW Hjalte Kruse Thomsen is from Denmark, but made the wise decision to develop his game in Sweden in the Malmo Redhawks organization, where he piled up 15 goals and 38 points in 43 games on the J20 team, to go with 32 penalty-minutes. His totals put him ahead of draft-eligibles such as Filip Hesselvall, Jack Berglund, Karl Sterner, and Elliott Sigrell in the scoring race. Thomsen, who is a late-2005 birthday, earned 13 games at the SHL level, where he settled for just 1 assist with limited ice-time and responsibility. He measures in at 6'0", and 172lbs. Thomsen contributes a bit of everything to his team, but doesn't really do anything at an elite level- he's not really a play-driver, and is more of a complimentary player. He's a fiery forward with skill and a touch of snarl, who can fly at top speed. If there's one quality of his that stands out from the crowd, it may be his overwhelming tenacity, or his motor that's hard for the opposition to match. He's hard to go up against, and has some power in his game, with plenty of grit and physicality. On the forecheck, he attacks like a Tasmanian Devil, suffocating his victims of time and space, and disrupting puck-carriers with his body and well-timed stick. He does a lot of the heavy lifting for his line, going into the hard areas of the ice to win battles for pucks, fighting hard in front of the net, and finishing his checks to create more space. Despite an impressive offensive output, he is said to be somewhat lacking in puck-skill- he can make some of the more complex passes on occasion, but he mostly keeps things simple and risk-free. He's not a true playmaker by any means, but his hard work in winning pucks and in helping his team maintain possession make him a valuable facilitator. Thomsen's true contribution to his team's offense is his finishing ability, and his powerful, accurate shot- he has no problem parking himself in front of the goalie to be a distraction, or to cash-in on second-chance opportunities. Thomsen usually has a good defensive conscience, and makes a positive contribution in his own zone with his penchant for taking away time and space from opponents, and his fearlessness in blocking shots; however, his engagement in this area has it's ebbs and flows, as he sometimes looks like he's not giving his full effort. On occasion, he will cheat for offense, and can be seen coasting back into the zone at times. Having a competitive fire is always good, but it has been said that he can get agitated too easily and has a bit of a temper, which can affect his overall engagement and focus, and will throw off his game. Thomsen may not even be drafted, but could make a good bottom-6 energy player who chips in some offense here and there, if he can clean up his defense and round-out his puck-skills. Look for him in later rounds.