Draft Thoughts:
Jan.14th: LD Vertti Svensk (6'0",165lbs) was given a "W" by Central Scouting in their Preliminary Rankings, but that grade is sure to change as the season wears on; there are some who have him in the first-round. In their Mid-Term Rankings, CS ranked him as the #84 European Skater. Svensk has turned heads with his skating, which is elite- he is probably the fastest player in this draft in all four directions. He is very offensive-minded, and able to be as active in the zone as he wants, with the ability to come back quickly in a defensive mode without missing a beat. Though he's an older player by draft standards (with a Nov.9th birthday) his numbers in the U20 league are certainly eye-catching, with 21 points in 25 games, to go with 64 PIM. Those numbers earned him 1 game in the second-tier Mestis (no points), as well as 15 games in the SHL (1 assist), and while he has been given good grades for his play against men, his flaws are also amplified in the pro-leagues. While he's not a stalwart defensively, and can be prone to making mistakes with the puck (or throwing it away), these issues look much worse against older competition, and have brought up questions about his hockey-sense and overall decision-making. In junior, he's a transition ace with his overwhelming speed and well-developed puck-skill, very aggressive in the offensive zone, and looks good against the rush with his slick backwards skating and ability to mirror oncoming attackers' footwork. He battles hard for loose pucks, and plays a fiery physical game, but his lack of size and strength hurts him in this area- even against juniors. His offensive instincts and playmaking ability are outstanding, but there will be questions as to how translatable they are. At the very least, Svensk will need a longer runway, but he has a very good base to build on. Exciting prospect, but there's plenty of questions.
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