RW Oliver Wahlstrom - Boston College, NCAA (2018, 11th, NYI)

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Plub

Part time Leaf fan
Jan 9, 2011
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his shot is good, but is it elite? Boqvist, Svechnikov and Zadina all have better shots than him just in this draft.

From everything I've seen and read, his shot is definitely elite. Comparable to the other snipers in the draft.
 

Pavel Buchnevich

Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Dec 8, 2013
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Care to elaborate? Shooting is also a skill with many variations.

There's not much separating Boqvist and Wahlstrom, but I think Boqvist as a defenseman who has a big history of being an elite goal-scorer gets the edge. Both have great releases and accuracy. I also like how Boqvist is almost always able to get his shot on net. Many defensemen aren't able to do that, and many defensemen have better slap shots than wrist shots. Boqvist's wrist shot is much better than his slap-shot. I don't think Svechnikov or Zadina measure up with their release or accuracy, although they are good goal-scorers, but I don't think as good as the other two.
 

Icebreakers

Registered User
Apr 29, 2011
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What is separating Wahlstrom from someone like Zadina? Why is he consistently ranked like 7-10? Is it kind of like when Keller was ranked around there and taken 7th? Cause skill wise Keller should have been in the top 3.
 

kroypuck

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Mar 23, 2018
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What is separating Wahlstrom from someone like Zadina? Why is he consistently ranked like 7-10? Is it kind of like when Keller was ranked around there and taken 7th? Cause skill wise Keller should have been in the top 3.

I think his IQ is not as high as someone like Zadina. He has probably the best shot in the draft and that is obviously appealing to teams, but as far as his smarts go I think that is a knock on him.
 
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Sputniker

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Jan 5, 2016
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There's not much separating Boqvist and Wahlstrom, but I think Boqvist as a defenseman who has a big history of being an elite goal-scorer gets the edge. Both have great releases and accuracy. I also like how Boqvist is almost always able to get his shot on net. Many defensemen aren't able to do that, and many defensemen have better slap shots than wrist shots. Boqvist's wrist shot is much better than his slap-shot. I don't think Svechnikov or Zadina measure up with their release or accuracy, although they are good goal-scorers, but I don't think as good as the other two.

I find your perspective interesting, but I don't think that the comparison is completely valid with Boqvist vs. those other three. The shot locations between forwards and defencemen are different. Forwards have to shoot the puck in tighter spaces and usually under pressure, while defencemen, due to their position, can shoot the puck with more open space and time. Because of this, defencemen can put more "effort" (accuracy, release) on their shooting. This naturally affects how forwards and defencemen develop their shooting skills. There's a lot into this, but I would compare those two positions separately.
 
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Pavel Buchnevich

Drury and Laviolette Must Go
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I find your perspective interesting, but I don't think that the comparison is completely valid with Boqvist vs. those other three. The shot locations between forwards and defencemen are different. Forwards have to shoot the puck in tighter spaces and usually under pressure, while defencemen, due to their position, can shoot the puck with more open space and time. Because of this, defencemen can put more "effort" (accuracy, release) on their shooting. This naturally affects how forwards and defencemen develop their shooting skills. There's a lot into this, but I would compare those two positions separately.

Fair, but I think if Boqvist gives you 25 goals per season, his goal scoring contributions are more valuable than forwards who give you 40.
 

Sputniker

Registered User
Jan 5, 2016
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Fair, but I think if Boqvist gives you 25 goals per season, his goal scoring contributions are more valuable than forwards who give you 40.

To determine that, we'd have to put some context. Generally, having good/great forwards to create offence is more valuable than having good/great defencemen to do the same.
 

SI90

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Jul 25, 2011
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I see Wahlstrom becoming a player like Anders Lee.


I’m an islanders fan and Lee is amazing. Lee is a brilliant scorer in tight and knows how to use his strength.

Wahlstrom is s completely different player and already has great skating and stick handling skill. Something Lee doesn’t have or utilize. Wahlstroms shot also imo is better than Lee’s right now. Lee is a unique player.

Lee isn’t a good comparison for Wahlstrom. Totally different games and skill sets.
 

DatDude44

Hmmmm?
Feb 23, 2012
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I’m an islanders fan and Lee is amazing. Lee is a brilliant scorer in tight and knows how to use his strength.

Wahlstrom is s completely different player and already has great skating and stick handling skill. Something Lee doesn’t have or utilize. Wahlstroms shot also imo is better than Lee’s right now. Lee is a unique player.

Lee isn’t a good comparison for Wahlstrom. Totally different games and skill sets.

If i were to make a wahlstrom comparison it might be similar to Ovi(nowadays) sorta useless away from the puck, gliding around all game and then boom nasty wrister or 1-T from the top of the circle and he scores.....ALOT.
 

Dux917

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Feb 22, 2018
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Latest on where he might end up next year (as of 5/15)

Jeff Cox‏ @JeffCoxSports
U.S. NTDP U18 RW Oliver Wahlstrom, a projected first round pick in this summer's NHL Draft, has narrowed it down to BC and Michigan for where he'll play hockey in 2018-19. A decision is expected in the next few weeks.
 

Elias Pettersson

I'm not a troll
Jan 22, 2014
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Latest on where he might end up next year (as of 5/15)

Jeff Cox‏ @JeffCoxSports
U.S. NTDP U18 RW Oliver Wahlstrom, a projected first round pick in this summer's NHL Draft, has narrowed it down to BC and Michigan for where he'll play hockey in 2018-19. A decision is expected in the next few weeks.
Hope he goes to BC. H-East is a better conference than Big 10
 

DInTheB

Registered User
Jul 27, 2006
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Latest on where he might end up next year (as of 5/15)

Jeff Cox‏ @JeffCoxSports
U.S. NTDP U18 RW Oliver Wahlstrom, a projected first round pick in this summer's NHL Draft, has narrowed it down to BC and Michigan for where he'll play hockey in 2018-19. A decision is expected in the next few weeks.

If Wahlstrom ends up in Ann Arbor, you can almost take it to the bank that Jack Hughes would be joining him.
 
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