Prospect Info: Nils Höglander

[Tables of Stats]

FYI, it's "a double-edged sword".

A 'double-aged sword' made of the right cheese could be rather sharp indeed.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

A 'double-aged sword' made of the right cheese could be rather sharp indeed.

I don’t think the “like” button is enough to express how much I like this comment. Nice.

That Hoglander has defensive deficiencies shouldn’t be overly surprising. Most young hockey players - save the truly elite, or the defensive specialists - share that in common. If he was strong defensively in addition to his offensive skills, he’d likely have gone higher.

I truly feel defense can be learned, though. And he’ll have time to develop that skill set. The offensive tools he’s displaying on a regular basis aren’t as easily taught.

 

[bandwagonesque]

I don’t think the “like” button is enough to express how much I like this comment. Nice.

That Hoglander has defensive deficiencies shouldn’t be overly surprising. Most young hockey players - save the truly elite, or the defensive specialists - share that in common. If he was strong defensively in addition to his offensive skills, he’d likely have gone higher.

I truly feel defense can be learned, though. And he’ll have time to develop that skill set. The offensive tools he’s displaying on a regular basis aren’t as easily taught.

I don't doubt he's below average defensively at 19. But is there an actual analysis of this out there anywhere? I've never actually seen it mentioned except in posts by people who probably aren't watching him play.

 

[The Iron Goalie]

He back checks hard, and defensively he's mostly fine, but does suffer from puck watching if trapped in the d-zone for prolonged periods of time. He really just needs to work on bringing a consistent effort defensively throughout the shift, and staying committed to his assignments. This should be something he keeps getting better at as he gains experience at the NHL level.

 

[Fatass]

I don’t think the “like” button is enough to express how much I like this comment. Nice.

That Hoglander has defensive deficiencies shouldn’t be overly surprising. Most young hockey players - save the truly elite, or the defensive specialists - share that in common. If he was strong defensively in addition to his offensive skills, he’d likely have gone higher.

I truly feel defense can be learned, though. And he’ll have time to develop that skill set. The offensive tools he’s displaying on a regular basis aren’t as easily taught.

Agree with you to a point. The offensive skills Hoglander displays (imo) can’t be taught. Those are special gifts some players are just born with. Yes, we can help players become better at offence, but the things Hogs does (like Petey) are done because of their God given gifts. Hogs ckearly has the skills to be a top six NHL player; it’s whether he has the character to battle through any obstacles (on and off the ice) that challenge him, that will determine his success of failure.

 

[The Iron Goalie]

Nils just got 5 mins + game for "fighting"... if you say so ref

 

[VanJack]

The worry about Hoglander on the defensive side of the puck is that the Canucks generally aren't a very good defensive team. They were 23rd in goals against last year, and that was with Markstrom being 'all -world' most nights.

So Hoglander could get dragged down into the same vortex of lousy defense, no matter what line he ends up on. That's why I'd like to see him on the top line with Pettersson and Miller, just to see how it would go. When you're generating offense and dominating in the offensive zone, the defense is less of a concern.

 

[bandwagonesque]

He back checks hard, and defensively he's mostly fine, but does suffer from puck watching if trapped in the d-zone for prolonged periods of time. He really just needs to work on bringing a consistent effort defensively throughout the shift, and staying committed to his assignments. This should be something he keeps getting better at as he gains experience at the NHL level.

Does he play sheltered minutes?

 

[zcaptain]

FYI, it's "a double-edged sword".

Yes, thank you! LOL

 

[canuckking1]

Nils just got 5 mins + game for "fighting"... if you say so ref

Both Hoglander and Pod got massive fight in them

 

[Fatass]

Both Hoglander and Pod got massive fight in them

Absolutely, and some mean too. We get Jake going, and with Miller that’s four very hard to play against guys on the Wings for Petey and Bo. Shoot, where does Boeser play? Might be a good thing to have five wingers competing for the cherry minutes with Petey and Bo?

 

[VanJack]

I have few worries about Hoglander being intimidated by the physicality of the NHL. In addition to the sublime talent and puck skills, he also plays with serious burr under his saddle. He's going to mix it up with the best of them, and has demonstrated he won't take any guff from anyone out on the ice.

I suspect he'll be right in the middle of those post-whistle scrums around the goalmouth. At times he looks like an ornery little cuss out there. Not a 'perimeter player' at all, and will plunge headlong into the high traffic areas.

 

[Oliewud]

What does everyone think of a brad marchand comparable?

 

[Raistlin]

What does everyone think of a brad marchand comparable?

you need to be a special kind of demonspawn to fester into a Brad Marchand.... I heard the bath toys his mother gave him were a toaster and a radio.

So no. I'll stick with Arvidsson.

 

[ChilliBilly]

What does everyone think of a brad marchand comparable?

actually i suspect he will be kinda like Burrows. A pain to play against and reasonable skills. I know I am an incurable optimist, but I think if we add Hoglander and Podkolzin to the mix, that even as soon as 21 - 22 we will be a pain to play against.

Miller EP Hogs
boeser BH Podz
Motte Gaud Virts
ZM Beagle Rousell

with 4 or 5 guys in minors itching to get a chance.

Hughes Schmidt
Edler (?) Myers
Rathbone Juolevi

Woo and Rafferty making noise

Demko
Holtby
Dipietro

We will know that Hoglander is legit when that asshole on HNIC does a hatchet job on him like he did on Burrows.

 

[Peen]

even if hogs/podz hit in their first one or two years, the bottom half of the lineup still has immense problems and will be tough to majorly adjust w some of the bad contracts that don't expire until after the 21-22 season

 

[Hodgy]

even if hogs/podz hit in their first one or two years, the bottom half of the lineup still has immense problems and will be tough to majorly adjust w some of the bad contracts that don't expire until after the 21-22 season

Cap space doesn’t matter my friend.

 

[M2Beezy]

actually i suspect he will be kinda like Burrows. A pain to play against and reasonable skills. I know I am an incurable optimist, but I think if we add Hoglander and Podkolzin to the mix, that even as soon as 21 - 22 we will be a pain to play against.

Miller EP Hogs
boeser BH Podz
Motte Gaud Virts
ZM Beagle Rousell

with 4 or 5 guys in minors itching to get a chance.

Hughes Schmidt
Edler (?) Myers
Rathbone Juolevi

Woo and Rafferty making noise

Demko
Holtby
Dipietro

We will know that Hoglander is legit when that asshole on HNIC does a hatchet job on him like he did on Burrows.

MacEwan plays RW

 

[ChilliBilly]

MacEwan plays RW

And roussel is LW, whats your point? Thats all you have to gripe about?

 

[VanJack]

even if hogs/podz hit in their first one or two years, the bottom half of the lineup still has immense problems and will be tough to majorly adjust w some of the bad contracts that don't expire until after the 21-22 season

Actually, if the Canucks and plug and play both Podkolzin and Hoglander into the lineup at the start of next season, the cap situation starts looking a lot better.

The contracts for Sutter, Benn, Edler and Baertschi are expire at the end of this shortened season. And still think there's a chance Holtby is plucked in the expansion draft. Also at the end of the 2021 season, the contracts for Eriksson, Beagle and Roussel would all be entering their last year. Surely somebody has to be bought out. Wouldn't save them much money, but would open up the roster to younger players.

Of course they're going to need a chunk of that change to re-sign Hughes and Pettersson. But having kids like Hoglander and Podkolzin producing on entry level contracts would be huge for the bottom line cap-wise.

But naturally all this assumes Jimbo doesn't plunge back into the market and overpay for another aging free agent.

 

[Raistlin]

Actually, if the Canucks and plug and play both Podkolzin and Hoglander into the lineup at the start of next season, the cap situation starts looking a lot better.

The contracts for Sutter, Benn, Edler and Baertschi are expire at the end of this shortened season. And still think there's a chance Holtby is plucked in the expansion draft. Also at the end of the 2021 season, the contracts for Eriksson, Beagle and Roussel would all be entering their last year. Surely somebody has to be bought out. Wouldn't save them much money, but would open up the roster to younger players.

Of course they're going to need a chunk of that change to re-sign Hughes and Pettersson. But having kids like Hoglander and Podkolzin producing on entry level contracts would be huge for the bottom line cap-wise.

But naturally all this assumes Jimbo doesn't plunge back into the market and overpay for another aging free agent.

Just imagine if Jimbo actually signed decent FAs instead of what we got, we'd have two franchise guys producing on their ELCs instead of wasting these years on the bubble.

 

[Teflon Jim]

Nils just got 5 mins + game for "fighting"... if you say so ref

So was that a cross check to the face to start it off then an elbow smash to the back of the head followed by a left hook then some face masking to take him down lol

 

[logan5]

Having watched quite a bit of footage of Hoglander, I'm wondering why he went so late in the draft. If you look at late 1st and 2nd rounders, a lot of time they are highly skilled, but they lack physical strength, or the right intensity. But Hoglander clearly has those attributes, plus he's highly skilled. When he is puck handling through guys, he reminds me a lot of Pavel Bure, both smaller, but very strong. He has that mean streak too.

I think he has a pretty good shot at making the team this year. Maybe not right out of training camp, but I think he will do well in Utica (or wherever), and will be the first call-up, and will stick from there.

 

[HockeyNightInAsia]

Having watched quite a bit of footage of Hoglander, I'm wondering why he went so late in the draft. If you look at late 1st and 2nd rounders, a lot of time they are highly skilled, but they lack physical strength, or the right intensity. But Hoglander clearly has those attributes, plus he's highly skilled. When he is puck handling through guys, he reminds me a lot of Pavel Bure, both smaller, but very strong. He has that mean streak too.

I think he has a pretty good shot at making the team this year. Maybe not right out of training camp, but I think he will do well in Utica (or wherever), and will be the first call-up, and will stick from there.

Exactly. Of course it's easy to over-scrutinise on NHL teams' drafting staff, but I concur there must have been a commonly-known attribute that shied off some teams. Personally I have always suspected it's his mindset, maybe it's just he thinks the game one-dimensionally and enough teams get scared off that, thinking he may not be coachable or system-adaptable? But hell if that dimension is so good, I say screw that, just take him and believe that we have the young core (EP, Horvat) to allow such a complementary top 6 player.

 

[VanJack]

Having watched quite a bit of footage of Hoglander, I'm wondering why he went so late in the draft. If you look at late 1st and 2nd rounders, a lot of time they are highly skilled, but they lack physical strength, or the right intensity. But Hoglander clearly has those attributes, plus he's highly skilled. When he is puck handling through guys, he reminds me a lot of Pavel Bure, both smaller, but very strong. He has that mean streak too.

I think he has a pretty good shot at making the team this year. Maybe not right out of training camp, but I think he will do well in Utica (or wherever), and will be the first call-up, and will stick from there.

There's a lot of reasons why potentially impact NHL players go later in drafts. Brad Marchand, who's been mentioned often in these boards as a comparable, went in the third round to Boston. And Brayden Point also lasted into the third round before being picked by Tampa.

The common denominator is size. All three guys topped out at 5'10 and 160-175 when they were drafted as 18-year olds. Although 'size' isn't as important as it used to be, it still sways some scouts when they assess players in the first round. Most 're-drafts' I've seen of the 2019 draft have Hoglander going from 28-31 in the first round, which is probably where he should have been picked.