[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Swedish Edition, Vol. 6):

RW Arvid Drott (6'1",187lbs)
Djurgardens (J20): 33gp/ 15g/ 16a/ 31pts, +19, 14 PIM

Like teammate Eric Nilson, winger Arvid Drott (ranked #43 for EU Skaters by Central Scouting) plays down the lineup a bit on a deep and talented Djurgardens squad, and was a member of Team Sweden's entries in the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup (2 assists in 5 games), and the WJAC (2 goals and 3 points in 5 games). Drott is young by draft standards, with an August 11th birthday, and is a power-forward who likes to initiate contact. He is an above-average skater with an explosive burst and fairly good agility, who can challenge defenders off the rush. Goal-scoring acumen and a hard shot are his primary weapons; he attacks the net off the rush for chances, and has an imposing presence in front of the net when fishing for tips and rebounds. He barges his way inside to the slot consistently, and can beat goalies 1-on-1. Drott has a hard and heavy wrister with a deceptive release that he can use to pick corners, but he seems to get most of his chances in-tight.

Drott sometimes skates intelligent routes through the neutral zone in an effort to access space to make controlled entries, but he usually stays moving in straight-lines. He often displays patience in delaying to wait for options to open up, but it's only a matter of time until he makes a bee-line for the net. He forechecks diligently and causes havoc down low, forcing opposing players into making mistakes, and opens space for teammates on-and-off the puck. Drott can see through layers of traffic, and understands how to draw pressure in order to open up passing seams, but any sign of high-end play creation only comes in flashes. He has reasonably good passing skill though, and while he doesn't often get too fancy, he can pull off some of the more difficult passes- including the odd saucer-pass over sticks. He handles well, and exerts solid puck-protection with one hand on his stick, and the other fending off attackers, keeping his feet moving through contact. Drott is rugged and strong, competes hard in the greasy areas, and recovers plenty of pucks. He will park himself in front of the net to take abuse while frustrating the goalie, set up a screen, and make an effort to get a stick on a rebound, or a tip. He's quite physical, and will lean into opponents to barge his way through traffic. Drott exhibits smart positioning on the backcheck, proactively checking sticks, pressuring puck-carriers, and blocking shots. He makes an impact in all three zones with his high workrate, intensity, and unrelenting motor.

Drott is not very flashy or dynamic, and doesn't possess many elite skills, but his game is projectable nonetheless. He can be caught puck-watching, or running around defensively, and he needs to learn how to use his teammates better by developing a sharper playmaking dimension. Drott has a good chance at being a solid, middle-six power-winger in the NHL, and I would take him in the second-round of this summer's draft.