Prospect Info: 2019 #11 - Brynas IF Gavle (SweHL) D Victor Soderstrom

[IPreferPi]

Soderstrom may surprise a la Chicken Run and make the team out of camp. But unlike Chicken Run, Soderstrom is not a physical beast. Best he stays in Brynas for another year.

 

[Fyreman]

Hayton needs to stay in Canada another year. Söderström should stay in Europe two more years then start in Tucson the third year. Minimum on both.

Nailed it! Thanks from me for not having to type this out...

 

[rt]

Someone linked to an article in one of the two Soderstrom threads or in the draft GDT that dived into Soderstrom's off-ice discipline. That he watches hours and hours of video. That's he's crazy into self-improvement, and that he goes so far as to draw up plays on whiteboards during practice. That article had links in it with all kinds of interesting tidbits. I was looking forward to going back to read it, and now I can't find it. I want to bookmark it and all of the links in it.

Anyone still have it?

Also - I thought the Alex Tanguay NHL Network Combine Special interview with him was very interesting. I can't find that online anywhere either. Any Google gurus here that can find it? Anyone on Twitter that can maybe ask Alex Tanguay how to find it?

 

[rt]

It is called:

NHL TONIGHT: SCOUTING COMBINE SPECIAL

 

[Mosby]

So safe to say that Soderstrom wasn't offended by Chayka's combine video session.

 

[TheLegend]

 

[Grimes]

It is called:

NHL TONIGHT: SCOUTING COMBINE SPECIAL

Video Search

 

[rt]

Video Search

Looks like they have Newhook, Caufield, Boldy and Hughes. None of the others.

 

[Grimes]

Yeah dang. Wonder if they didn't archieve them.

 

[rt]

Started trying to trade up at 6th. Offered more than we gave up. Wow.

 

[Jakey53]

Soderstrom, you may well be right. For Hayton, he's done all that he can do in Juniors and rather than "percolate", he will stagnate. He needs sheltered minutes in the NHL since the AHL option is not open to him.

Hayton needs to stay in Canada another year. Söderström should stay in Europe two more years then start in Tucson the third year. Minimum on both.

All we can assume at this point, but it will be up to Hayton on where he plays with his play at training camp and pre season.

Turris wasn't ready...he didn't tear up the NCAA, in fact it was the opposite. He only had 35pts in 36 games with only had 11 goals. Plenty of top selected players come in and put up superior numbers. Turris' numbers were pedestrian in comparison. He forced his way onto the lineup and TGO obliged. He felt compelled, some of it had to do with Boedker performing so well at camp and took all the spotlight from Turris at rookie camp. He could have used more seasoning, but he was absolutely misused when he was with the Yotes for sure, no doubt.

If the kids are good enough to play, they need to play in the top 6. If they can't play in the top 6, then let them stay down...ala Domi.

Not all picks are drafted for a top six, or are expected to play top six. Some can surprise, most don't.

 

[Vinny Boombatz]

I would expect anybody selected in the top 15 is expected to play in the top 6 (Forward) and top 4 (Defense)...I can't imagine picking a guy in that range because he'd be a great floor bottom 6 player.
Turris was absolutely expected to be a top 6.

Late first, sure, just want someone to contribute at the NHL level, but that wasn't the case for #3 selected Turris or Boedker or Domi. They were all expected to contribute to the top 6.

 

[_Del_]

Started trying to trade up at 6th. Offered more than we gave up. Wow.

Makes me like the deal less, actually. There is no way to justify getting this obsessed with pretty much anyone.

Rank him wherever overall, but you had him that far ahead of everyone else on your list that you offered the moon to move up? I don't like it. "Weren't leaving without him" is a scary message about how fixated this group gets with individual guys. Too easy to talk yourself into doing something stupid.

They fell head over heels for this guy in November or whenever and spent the rest of the time talking themselves into keeping him high on their list.

 

[Kaizen]

Started trying to trade up at 6th. Offered more than we gave up. Wow.

7th was the pick they tried to move up - unless of course you heard it somewhere other than Doug & Wolf.

 

[rt]

Someone linked to an article in one of the two Soderstrom threads or in the draft GDT that dived into Soderstrom's off-ice discipline. That he watches hours and hours of video. That's he's crazy into self-improvement, and that he goes so far as to draw up plays on whiteboards during practice. That article had links in it with all kinds of interesting tidbits. I was looking forward to going back to read it, and now I can't find it. I want to bookmark it and all of the links in it.

Anyone still have it?

I can't believe I can't find it. Did a thread get merged?

 

[MIGs Dog]

Started trying to trade up at 6th. Offered more than we gave up. Wow.

So we were like "wtf!", and GMJC was like "what a steal!"

 

[Canis Latrans]

I can't believe I can't find it. Did a thread get merged?

I think it’s this one, but also see this one.

 

[rt]

I think it’s this one, but also see this one.

Yess! Thank you!

 

[Sinurgy]

I don't like it. "Weren't leaving without him" is a scary message about how fixated this group gets with individual guys.

It won't matter if they're right but if they're wrong, whoa nelly. I've said it before but I'll say it again, at least Chayka has more skin in the game than your usual GM because if these aggressive somewhat controversial picks don't pan out to the degree Chayka implies they will, it will be very damning of his proprietary metrics. Either he's onto something and the Coyotes are going to be handsomely rewarded for trusting in his pioneering ways or he's not and Chayka and the Coyotes will spend the better part of the next decade trying to recover.

It's scary but honestly I'm kind of enjoying this crazy Chayka ride. I just hope he's right, f*** please be right Chayka!!

 

[rt]

Character can influence on-ice behavior. And it can influence the interaction players have with team personnel. Coaches have to trust you. Leadership qualities go a long way in establishing that trust. It’s a little superficial, but it’s worth pointing out because here, Soderstrom stands alone. He watches a ton of games, is a tape nerd, loves John Klingberg, and isn’t thin-skinned against criticism (preferring to use it as analysis).

According to Brynas head coach, Magnus Sundquist , during an intermission in one game, Soderstrom walked up to his team, told them how they’d fix the power play, and began drawing up plays. More than a prospect, he’s a confident leader, and he’s already confidently leading men.

2019 NHL Entry Draft Prospect Profile: Victor Soderstrom

Something else that stands out, that not many draft profiles have mentioned, is his leadership skills. Söderström has those in spades.

“He is a leader,” Coach Sundquist said in our conversation. “I forgot which game it was, but he came into the room during an intermission and told everyone, ‘Guys, this is how we will run the power play,’ and started to draw up plays.”

The defender does not shy away from responsibility, and will lead from the front.

“He is ice cold,” Sundquist says. “In our last game away to Färjestad, where we ended up in a shootout, I look around and I see him standing there shifting his feet back and fourth. I asked if he wanted to take a penalty [shot], he just says ‘Yes,’ goes out there, and roofs it close to the corner. We go to sudden-death penalties, I look around at my most skilled forwards and Victor looks me straight in the eyes and says, ‘I’ll take it’. Eight thousand fans, deciding penalty, he roofs in the other corner. Seventeen years old....” The coach gets lost in his thoughts and shakes his head at the memory.

2019 NHL Draft prospect profile: Victor Söderström is the mobile defender you’re looking for

Most of the time when you ask a draft prospect if he spends a lot of time thinking about where he will be drafted, he will usually answer that he hasn’t, even if he has.
That is the typical answer. Soderstrom is not typical.

“Well, yeah, of course,” he replied. “I’m kind of a nerd. I study a lot of the game and study the NHL a lot. So I watch it, I know a lot about every team and what kinds of players they need. So of course there are teams that need the player that I am.”

Soderstrom has been immersed in hockey his entire life. His father, Jonas, coaches the Brynas U18 team, and the two of them will often spend the day after one of his games reviewing every one of his shifts on video. Or Soderstrom will do it with the Brynas men’s team’s coaching staff. Or he will do it by himself. But he will do it.
And when he’s not doing that, he’s watching NHL games.

“I watch a lot of games, watch a lot of players that I like,” he said, listing off Kris Letang, Drew Doughty, Erik Karlsson, John Klingberg, P.K. Subban and Roman Josi. “Players I feel I can play like.”

...

Soderstrom is a silky smooth skater who can make things happen in the offensive zone, but it is his improvements defensively that are most revealing about him as a hockey player.

“I think that’s one of the things I got criticism for a couple of years ago, but that’s absolutely the thing I developed the most this season,” he said. “Playing against men, I got great practice at that every single practice and every single game.”

Criticism, you see, doesn’t bother Soderstrom. In fact, he appears to welcome it.

“Of course, I always want to have things to improve on,” he said. “I’m very interested in that as a person. I’m never satisfied, I always want to get better. I think that’s only good when you get some criticism because that way you know you have things to work on.”
...

Combing the NHL combine for the Canadiens’ next great...

 

[rt]

^ Everyone needs to read those quotes. Mandatory reading.

 

[Grimes]

It won't matter if they're right but if they're wrong, whoa nelly. I've said it before but I'll say it again, at least Chayka has more skin in the game than your usual GM because if these aggressive somewhat controversial picks don't pan out to the degree Chayka implies they will, it will be very damning of his proprietary metrics. Either he's onto something and the Coyotes are going to be handsomely rewarded for trusting in his pioneering ways or he's not and Chayka and the Coyotes will spend the better part of the next decade trying to recover.

It's scary but honestly I'm kind of enjoying this crazy Chayka ride. I just hope he's right, **** please be right Chayka!!

Yep, this is the situation we are in. If I'm the owner/upper management I count the Soderstrom pick as the cut off. I see if the Keller/Chychrun/Hayton/Soderstrom picks turn into top players in their position and compare them to players we pass on. If none of those four players play on the top line/top pair as they peak or a better than the major of players selected after them I cut Chyaka. If half make it I give him some more rope. But I also think it could be a disaster to can Chayka if this season doesn't go well and we haven't seen his picks mature. I'm with you Sinurgy, I want to see if Chayka is ahead of the curve and pray that he is cause otherwise the Athletic will be posting an article very similar to "Ice Town Cost Ice Clown his Town Crown".

 

[Jakey53]

I would expect anybody selected in the top 15 is expected to play in the top 6 (Forward) and top 4 (Defense)...I can't imagine picking a guy in that range because he'd be a great floor bottom 6 player.
Turris was absolutely expected to be a top 6.

Late first, sure, just want someone to contribute at the NHL level, but that wasn't the case for #3 selected Turris or Boedker or Domi. They were all expected to contribute to the top 6.

I would say "hope to play in top six".

 

[Grimes]

^ Everyone needs to read those quotes. Mandatory reading.

Well between Hayton, Chychrun, Keller and Soderstrom we are going to have a team full of character. Just need some of that skill thing people always seem to characterize the best players in hockey having.

 

[Art.Vandelay]

When I read the scouting report on Soderstrom I immediately got chills because it reminded me of a scouting report of a former Coyotes first round defenseman.

This is what stood out for me:

"The skill is fine, the passing is good-to-great, his shot is OK and he gets pucks out of the zone well. He might be a jack of all trades but a master of none"

Compare that to this quote about Brandon Gormley:

"solid both on defense and offense, but not exceptional in either area-- more like a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none"

I'm not saying he's the next Gormley but that didn't prevent my butt from puckering.