Prospect Info: HFSJ '22 Draft: Filip Bystedt (C) - Linkoping/SHL (Round 1, 27th overall)

[themelkman]

Can he become our EEK?

Maybe, its a big ask.
I think if he is a third line center you are happy

 

[Karl Prime]

Can he become our EEK?

Who is EEK?

 

[Shark Finn]

Who is EEK?

Joel Eriksson Ek

 

[themelkman]

Will Scouch has him in his fifth tier - Role players and higher end projects, ranked 56th.

Didnt seem to write about him at all though other than to say "Names like Goyette, Del Bel Belluz, Beck, Ingram, Bystedt, Zhilkin and Snuggerud are all part of an up-and-down set of forwards with some traits in some areas that drive good results now, but may have issues in the NHL without experience and development."

 

[Shark Finn]

Will Scouch has him in his fifth tier - Role players and higher end projects, ranked 56th.

Didnt seem to write about him at all though other than to say "Names like Goyette, Del Bel Belluz, Beck, Ingram, Bystedt, Zhilkin and Snuggerud are all part of an up-and-down set of forwards with some traits in some areas that drive good results now, but may have issues in the NHL without experience and development."

"without experience and development" well damn, I sure hope kids picked in the draft play to gain experience and to develop..

 

[themelkman]

"without experience and development" well damn, I sure hope kids picked in the draft play to gain experience and to develop..

Like I said it isnt really saying much, but I think it is a fair thing to say considering some prospects dont ever get the focus or chances.
I especially get nervous with the swedish professional teams as they can leave rookies in some pretty bad spots that make them look bad (ie Eklund this year) and I dont know how much developing you do there.

 

[Shark Finn]

Like I said it isnt really saying much, but I think it is a fair thing to say considering some prospects dont ever get the focus or chances.
I especially get nervous with the swedish professional teams as they can leave rookies in some pretty bad spots that make them look bad (ie Eklund this year) and I dont know how much developing you do there.

Yeah... I guess they saw something special in Filip and will give him the right treatment so to speak.

 

[Karl Prime]

Will Scouch has him in his fifth tier - Role players and higher end projects, ranked 56th.

Didnt seem to write about him at all though other than to say "Names like Goyette, Del Bel Belluz, Beck, Ingram, Bystedt, Zhilkin and Snuggerud are all part of an up-and-down set of forwards with some traits in some areas that drive good results now, but may have issues in the NHL without experience and development."

Unless you are a can't miss top guy that walks into the NHL and dominates like Matthews, McDavid, Crosby, or Ovechkin, you are a prospect that will be developing his skillset and needing experience to improve. That is the most basic scouting assessment I can think of.

 

[themelkman]

Just because I was interested, our current Swedish scouts are Niklas Sundstrom and the director of european scouting Shin Larsson who is probably also based in Sweden.

Unless you are a can't miss top guy that walks into the NHL and dominates like Matthews, McDavid, Crosby, or Ovechkin, you are a prospect that will be developing his skillset and needing experience to improve. That is the most basic scouting assessment I can think of.

Its not a specific report about him really, naturally the focus is on guys up the list with less of the lower list guys getting write ups.

 

[Karl Prime]

Just because I was interested, our current Swedish scouts are Niklas Sundstrom and the director of european scouting Shin Larsson who is probably also based in Sweden.


Its not a specific report about him really, naturally the focus is on guys up the list with less of the lower list guys getting write ups.

Oh I know, I'm just saying it's a lazy take for any prospect. All the top guys in this draft will need experience and development, even if it's in the NHL. Lafreniere, who was the consensus hyped #1 pick has been labeled a bust by some because he hasn't put up star numbers right away. To say "may have issues in the NHL without experience and development" applies to almost everyone and it's why you see guys like Laf or Dach that go into the NHL struggle to become top guys their first year.

 

[LadyStanley]

Fan shout out

 

[Anomie2029]

So according to scouting reports he is a strong, quick skater who has some issues puck-handling in close, whilst also being a poor skater with great puck handling.

Fingers cross DW Jnr knows who he has picked. Norris was a reach and has turned out ok.

 

[Led Zappa]

 

[Hertl]

At least we didn't choose him at 11.

 

[Jargon]

You don't get SHL minutes as a 17 and 18 year old if you're just some plug. It's one of the best pro leagues in the world. The reaction to this pick from some fans is ridiculous.

I like this Hodge. I agree with this Hodge.

 

[Jargon]

I don’t hate this, from The Hockey Writers:

“Where he fits there will be dependent on how he develops offensively. If he can improve his release or the execution of his passing, preferably both, he will be a solid second-line center for any team. If he can’t, he will have to rely on his defensive ability and size to play a shut-down third-line center role.”

If we get a second line center out of him, we should be psyched (for a 27 pick. Even for a 11 pick). Even third line shouldn’t be too disappointing. He sounds like he has a lot of potential, just needs to put it all together.

With 2 2nd round picks left, I like diversifying.

 

[WTFetus]

I don’t hate this, from The Hockey Writers:

“Where he fits there will be dependent on how he develops offensively. If he can improve his release or the execution of his passing, preferably both, he will be a solid second-line center for any team. If he can’t, he will have to rely on his defensive ability and size to play a shut-down third-line center role.”

If we get a second line center out of him, we should be psyched (for a 27 pick. Even for a 11 pick). Even third line shouldn’t be too disappointing. He sounds like he has a lot of potential, just needs to put it all together.

With 2 2nd round picks left, I like diversifying.

While I agree he isn't a bad pick at #27, I think most of the disappointment from posters here comes from the fact that the Sharks had #11 and traded down.

Compare The Hockey Writers excerpt on Bystedt compared to Nazar.

"There’s little doubt Nazar is a bonafide scorer, and his speed and superb skill will likely translate quite well to the NHL level. There’s every reason to believe he’ll handle the transition to college — and ultimately the NHL — with little issue. He has excelled at every level, with almost no drop-off despite constantly facing increasingly difficult opposition."

"Nazar has the ability to step into a top-6 role in the NHL in a few years, and may potentially even be a top-line forward when it’s all said and done. Though he’s not a generational talent, he has the makings of a player that can lead by example by understanding his role on the ice in all situations, and his upcoming commitment to the University of Michigan will only enhance that".

Where the Sharks are right now, they need more high-end talent. They should be reaching for players with top-line potential, not second-line potential if all things go well.

 

[Kcoyote3]

So if he's saying that Bystedt was a late-first, early-2nd guy...shouldn't you be satisfied? That's where the Sharks drafted him.

I’m not that upset at where they drafted him although I would have preferred Kulich or Lambert because they have some semblance of being top of the lineup players. I’m upset at giving up 11 which had Nazar, Mateychuk, Lekkerimaki and Kemell on the board. Their shot of being top of the lineup guys is so much higher.

Now maybe I’ll feel better if we select some high ceiling second rounders but if we don’t it’s just going to be a struggle of a draft

 

[Kcoyote3]

I wonder if they used the first rounder on Bystedt because of the SHL agreement banning prospects that aren’t drafted in the first from coming over and playing in the AHL. Maybe a reach but maybe they did it while having some players in the second round they would have drafted ahead. Or I’m misunderstanding the agreement.

 

[Hodge]

I’m not that upset at where they drafted him although I would have preferred Kulich or Lambert because they have some semblance of being top of the lineup players. I’m upset at giving up 11 which had Nazar, Mateychuk, Lekkerimaki and Kemell on the board. Their shot of being top of the lineup guys is so much higher.

Now maybe I’ll feel better if we select some high ceiling second rounders but if we don’t it’s just going to be a struggle of a draft

If Nazar, Mateychuk, Lekkerimaki or Kemell genuinely had a high chance of being top of the lineup guys they would have gone much higher. The track record of prospects drafted 10th-15th turning into top of the lineup NHLers is pretty bad. Even the few who do are guys nobody expected to who take 5-8 years to reach that level like Nichushkin, JT Miller, Fiala, Vrana, McDonagh. Maybe once a decade you get a Karlsson or McAvoy in that range who is a star immediately. Historically most picks in that range turn out to be depth players or outright busts.

All of this is to say Bystedt is probably not much worse of a prospect than whoever you wanted the Sharks to take at 11. Especially since this has always looked like a weak first round crop beyond Wright, Savoie and the top two defensemen.

 

[Sysreq]

If Nazar, Mateychuk, Lekkerimaki or Kemell genuinely had a high chance of being top of the lineup guys they would have gone much higher. The track record of prospects drafted 10th-15th turning into top of the lineup NHLers is pretty bad. Even the few who do are guys nobody expected to who take 5-8 years to reach that level like Nichushkin, JT Miller, Fiala, Vrana, McDonagh. Maybe once a decade you get a Karlsson or McAvoy in that range who is a star immediately. Historically most picks in that range turn out to be depth players or outright busts.

All of this is to say Bystedt is probably not much worse of a prospect than whoever you wanted the Sharks to take at 11. Especially since this has always looked like a weak first round crop beyond Wright, Savoie and the top two defensemen.

The only prospect I really liked was Geekie, but he doesn’t seem to project to more than a middle-6 (3rd line) defensive center. Couple of small defenders don’t really move the needle for me. You can be a smaller player in this league, but 5’9/5’10 defensemen are always going to be the exception - not the rule. They simply don’t have enough mass to really battle in corners or in front of the net. I think the 3 to 1 strategy makes sense given what was in the board. The quality wasn’t there, so quantity it is. We do better outside the first round anyways.

 

[Stewie Griffin]

Not a fan of the pick, but I trust DW Jr given I also didn't like Norris.

When you break it down, it's not something that's terrible looking at the player, but what sucks is looking at other players that were still available. Our pool lacked pure centers, and size, and bystedt checks both. He's a center version of brandon coe, and a better prospect at the time of being drafted, so we'll see what he becomes in a few years.

 

[mogambomoroo]

I kinda like that he has some SHL experience, and he is going to play there next year. Interesting to see how he starts developing. If he becomes a player that our scouts believe he is, I will happily be ashamed.

 

[landshark]

Fan shout out

"to see how it goes"

Noncomittal, fits right in. Must have been evident in his interview.

 

[themelkman]

I wonder if they used the first rounder on Bystedt because of the SHL agreement banning prospects that aren’t drafted in the first from coming over and playing in the AHL. Maybe a reach but maybe they did it while having some players in the second round they would have drafted ahead. Or I’m misunderstanding the agreement.

I totally forgot about that. If he plays in the AHL this year then we can probably be sure this was a factor.

Is it until 19 or 20? I cant remember.