Draft Thoughts (Swedish Edition, Vol. 16):
LW/C Oscar Davidsson (6'1",187lbs)
HV71 (J20): 34gp/ 14g/ 23a/ 37pts, +8, 34 PIM
Oscar Davidsson, who is one of the older players available in this draft-class with a Sept.25th, 2006 birthday, is a two-way power-forward with a hard-nosed approach and a high IQ. He is ranked #98 by Central Scouting for EU Players, and has played 13 games this season with HV71's SHL club. Davidsson has a physical presence on the ice and is a load to try to handle down low; he's competitive and intense, with a high work-ethic. He is a faceoff ace who is reliable in his own end, with a good compete level and a high activity rate. He displays uncanny awareness in defensive situations, taking away the middle of the ice from attackers, and wielding a highly disruptive stick, along with spotless positioning. He applies defensive tactics in the neutral zone as well, reading his opponents with his sharp instincts to kill plays, pick off passes, block lanes, and be generally disruptive.
Davidsson slithers into space in the offensive zone to present himself as a passing option in high-danger. He goes to the net hard, and wades in-and-out of the slot, waiting to pounce on loose pucks- and he has soft hands in-tight to beat goalies 1-on-1, along with good hand-eye coordination for tips. Davidsson is an excellent passer who funnels pucks to the slot, and finds teammates in high-danger, but does so without flashiness. He's smart, and displays top-notch vision and awareness in making dangerous plays, but keeps things rather simple- he feeds off of his teammates, rather than being a play-driver. His head is always on a swivel to pre-scan his surroundings. On the forecheck, he applies pressure to puck-carriers, and is disruptive with his stick, and his long reach. He doesn't seem to hold on to the puck for too long, and will choose the give-and-go option most often in transition, skating mostly straight-line routes. Davidsson is an excellent skater, with above-average mobility, but he isn't a speed-demon; he has an explosive burst when needed, and good acceleration, but his top-speed could use some work. He isn't getting the most out of his stride, as he's a little upright in his posture, and a bit stiff- he could use some work on his form, although he's well-balanced and reasonably agile. When he gets his mechanics figured out, his speed will most-likely become a strength. His puck-skill is surprisingly well-developed, and he protects very well while fending off checkers, with the ability to maintain control through checks.
Despite his excellent production this season, age is working against Davidsson somewhat, as he was only a few weeks away from being drafted in 2024. This makes him a little hard to project; I'm not so sure he's ever going to be suited to top-six duty in the NHL, if he were to make it. I would say his absolute ceiling is that of a middle-6 center in the NHL, but he's most likely a very good third-line prospect, who can do a little bit of everything. Look for him in the 3rd-round.
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