[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Swedish Edition, Vol. 17):

RD Karl Annborn (6'1",187lbs)
HV71 (J20): 32gp/ 2g/ 17a/ 19pts, +4, 10 PIM

I didn't come away with the best assessment of Annborn from last year's U-18 Championship (1 assist in 7 games), as I thought he was a dime-a-dozen stay-at-home defender who was way too "low-event", and "vanilla" to ever be drafted. It's true that he's a meat-and-potatoes shutdown defenseman who plays a very low-event style, but he's added a more exciting two-way, offensive element this season, and is a much more well-rounded player. Right now, he is tied for 16th in scoring by defensemen in the J20, and is 3rd for defensemen under-18, winning him the rank of # 31 amongst EU Skaters by Central Scouting, and earning him 2 games so far with HV71's SHL squad. Annborn looked like a different player in December's WJAC, and though he only posted 2 points in 6 games, he looked much more commanding and assertive, but still remarkably smart, efficient, and mostly risk-free. Instead of looking like a stay-at-home defender, he is now reliable in all three zones.

I'm surprised at how willing Annborn is these days to activate in the offensive zone, and by how much ground he covers when running the play from the blueline. He is so good at holding the line, and so smooth in keeping active to open passing seams and pry open space for teammates. His passes are safe and simple, but often dangerous, and he will pinch into the play to keep pucks alive, but also to search for chances when the coast is clear. There were plenty of instances where Annborn could be spotted sneaking in on the weak side, all the way to the net for a shot at challenging the goalie. I wouldn't say his shot is too threatening, but he can get it on net through traffic with consistency, creating havoc in front of the net, and providing teammates with opportunities. Annborn brings a calm, stabilizing presence to the backend- he doesn't get rattled, and is a highly effective shutdown defender who gets plenty of defensive-zone starts. His positioning is immaculate, his gap control is infallible, and his stick is a play-killer. His hockey sense is top-notch, and allows him to seal off plays proactively by lifting sticks and setting picks before the puck arrives. Annborn's retrievals are a thing of beauty, as he rarely makes a mistake, and performs this task with uncommon fluidity. From there, he makes smart, simple plays on breakouts, and has the same effectiveness in the neutral zone- keeping the play flowing in the right direction, and making the whole sequence look easy in the process.

Annborn is an above-average, fluid skater with excellent mobility in all directions, and is agile with smooth edges to elude attackers. His stickhandling is also well-developed, and his puck-control makes it very hard to steal the puck from him. He is not a ruthless hitter, but he finishes his checks and plays a reasonably physical style. I'm very impressed with the strides Annborn has made this season- he is a reliable player with a very high IQ, and excellent hockey sense. I would definitely classify him as a safe pick, but with no true high-end physical attributes, or any dynamic traits, I wouldn't say he has the highest ceiling. Perhaps he could ride shotgun on a second-pairing with a more flashy partner, and provide solid defense with quality puck-movement- but there may be potential for more. Look for him in the 3rd-round, with a chance at slipping into the 2nd.