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Sandman · 02-13-2025, 04:10 AM

Draft Thoughts (Swedish Edition, Vol. 13):

LD Zeb Lindgren (6'2",192lbs)
Skelleftea (J20): 31gp/ 3g/ 12a/ 15pts, +2, 72 PIM

Lindgren is a mobile, puck-moving defenseman who is tied for 36th in scoring by D in the J20, and 9th in scoring by U-18 D, but he might have better numbers on a different team, as Skelleftea is not very good this season. His play in the J20 has earned him 5 games with Skelleftea's SHL club, and he has also made stops in last summer's Hlinka (1 assist in 5 games), and in December's World Junior A Challenge (3 points in 5 games), where he impressed. Lindgren is a reliable defender in all three zones, a sound puck-mover, and a calming presence for his team. He is solid against the rush with tight gap control and an active stick to deny entries. His long reach helps him in defensive situations to break up plays and and clog lanes. Defense is his first priority, and he executes a mostly solid shutdown game, with keen awareness and smart positioning; he stays glued to his man and checks sticks proactively before the puck arrives.

In the offensive zone, Lindgren facilitates by walking the line effectively to open space for himself and teammates, and he will pinch to keep the puck alive and extend the play. His passes are crisp and accurate, and he will jump into the play if he sees a safe opportunity. He owns a hard and heavy shot that he gets on net with good frequency, and provides teammates with offensive opportunities. Mobility wise, he covers a lot of ground quickly with a long, powerful stride and excellent speed in all directions, and he is quite agile as well. Despite rather average stickhandling, his puck-control is quite good and he protects well. He uses a number of tricks and feints in his body and stick to make room for himself, or to shake off pressure when retrieving the puck, and though he's not always mistake-free, his first-pass is usually sound, and he can help the breakout with some nifty stretch-passes at times. He makes sound decisions in these situations, and appears calm and poised when moving the puck. Lindgren is a competitive workhorse who can log big minutes in important situations, and though I don't see him as a big hitter, he can be physical in finishing his checks and doesn't shy away from the rough stuff.

I've read that his play in the men's league has yielded some positive possession results, and some nice passing numbers, but his on-puck play in the pros is still a work-in-progress, as he can be pressured into mistakes, and his retrievals and breakout passes are sometimes a mixed bag. His size and strength hold up just fine though, and he has no issues keeping up to the play with his plus-level mobility. There are instances where he tries to do too much, and other times when he's caught out of position, or offering up too much space in his gaps- but these are small issues. The main issue is his projection, as he might have a good NHL-floor as a bottom-pairing shutdown defenseman, but it's uncertain what his ceiling looks like. There's a good offensive game in his repertoire though, and if he keeps developing that side of his game, I could easily see him riding shotgun with a more dynamic partner in a team's top-4. Look for him in the 3rd-round.

02-13-2025, 04:10 AM	#909
Sandman Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Calgary Exp:	Draft Thoughts (Swedish Edition, Vol. 13): LD Zeb Lindgren (6'2",192lbs) Skelleftea (J20): 31gp/ 3g/ 12a/ 15pts, +2, 72 PIM Lindgren is a mobile, puck-moving defenseman who is tied for 36th in scoring by D in the J20, and 9th in scoring by U-18 D, but he might have better numbers on a different team, as Skelleftea is not very good this season. His play in the J20 has earned him 5 games with Skelleftea's SHL club, and he has also made stops in last summer's Hlinka (1 assist in 5 games), and in December's World Junior A Challenge (3 points in 5 games), where he impressed. Lindgren is a reliable defender in all three zones, a sound puck-mover, and a calming presence for his team. He is solid against the rush with tight gap control and an active stick to deny entries. His long reach helps him in defensive situations to break up plays and and clog lanes. Defense is his first priority, and he executes a mostly solid shutdown game, with keen awareness and smart positioning; he stays glued to his man and checks sticks proactively before the puck arrives. In the offensive zone, Lindgren facilitates by walking the line effectively to open space for himself and teammates, and he will pinch to keep the puck alive and extend the play. His passes are crisp and accurate, and he will jump into the play if he sees a safe opportunity. He owns a hard and heavy shot that he gets on net with good frequency, and provides teammates with offensive opportunities. Mobility wise, he covers a lot of ground quickly with a long, powerful stride and excellent speed in all directions, and he is quite agile as well. Despite rather average stickhandling, his puck-control is quite good and he protects well. He uses a number of tricks and feints in his body and stick to make room for himself, or to shake off pressure when retrieving the puck, and though he's not always mistake-free, his first-pass is usually sound, and he can help the breakout with some nifty stretch-passes at times. He makes sound decisions in these situations, and appears calm and poised when moving the puck. Lindgren is a competitive workhorse who can log big minutes in important situations, and though I don't see him as a big hitter, he can be physical in finishing his checks and doesn't shy away from the rough stuff. I've read that his play in the men's league has yielded some positive possession results, and some nice passing numbers, but his on-puck play in the pros is still a work-in-progress, as he can be pressured into mistakes, and his retrievals and breakout passes are sometimes a mixed bag. His size and strength hold up just fine though, and he has no issues keeping up to the play with his plus-level mobility. There are instances where he tries to do too much, and other times when he's caught out of position, or offering up too much space in his gaps- but these are small issues. The main issue is his projection, as he might have a good NHL-floor as a bottom-pairing shutdown defenseman, but it's uncertain what his ceiling looks like. There's a good offensive game in his repertoire though, and if he keeps developing that side of his game, I could easily see him riding shotgun with a more dynamic partner in a team's top-4. Look for him in the 3rd-round.