| Tom Willander | RD | Sweden | Swe-Jr | Feb 9, 2005 | 39 | 4 | 21 | 25 | 12 (EUR) | 6'1.25'' | 180lbs |
Committed to Boston University.
1st Round Consolidated Ranking: 24
Bob McKenzie: 20
Elite Prospects: 23
The Athletic Scouting Report (Pronman)
Willander's skating is his main asset for the NHL; he is one of the best skaters in the draft. He has a quick, powerful skating stride and can push the pace up ice with the puck. Willander's skating allows him to close on checks well and be a quality defender especially when combined with the fact he has some physicality in his game. I wasn't always sold on his offensive touch. I don't see a big-time playmaker as a pro, but Willander has good enough skill and vision to move pucks at higher levels well, especially given the space his feet can generate. He has the making of a good two-way top four defenseman.
The Athletic Scouting Report (Wheeler)
One of the better-skating defencemen in the draft, Willander, who is committed to Boston University for the fall, was a horse for the Swedish national team and Rogle’s junior team this year. He’s a strong-in-all-three-zones two-way defenceman who plays a confident and decisive game that uses his beautiful, balanced skating to push forward or fall back onto his heels and outlet the puck. He pulls away or retreats from pressure with ease and excels on exits. His head is always up. He gets his shots through. And then on top of the pro frame, and the skating, and the general athleticism, he also just plays the game with an intentionality that is rare in players his age. He looks and operates like a pro out there, his passes are quick and firm, he’s aggressive on pinches and closing gaps, and rarely mistimes them, swallowing up play defensively. Willander doesn’t have dynamic skill or creativity on the puck, but he projects safely as an NHL defenceman and might be a two-way transition monster in a second-pairing role with the right development. I expect him to step right into the college game and be impactful.
Elite Prospects Scouting Report
Tom Willander has been among this draft’s biggest risers on most rankings, including ours. To our credit, he impressed us early, as evidenced by our game reports, and it was more of a case of growing admiration rather than being caught totally off guard by his skill level.
Then with an exceptionally strong showing at the U18s, Willander made himself a consensus first-round pick across the industry. Perhaps even someone destined for the first 15 picks.
Willander’s value stems from the combination of high-end skating and motor. He’s always engaged defensively, using his dynamic posture and evasive footwork to guide attackers away from the middle and break up plays along the boards. When you add the fact that he’s both strong and skilled physically and relentlessly competes for every puck – he’s a nightmare to play against. Even if you start or manage to gain an advantage, Willander has the quickness to recover most of the time. Simply put: He’s one of the most projectable defensive players in the entire draft.
Also elusive with the puck, Willander was among the better breakout artists at the J20 level this season. He was quite conservative with his play at the start of the season, often deferring to his partner and moving the puck quickly instead of trying to take full advantage of his skating. The U18s offered an example of what Willander is capable of when he’s constantly activating, filling up space and overall maximizing his impact in transition.
Willander’s defensive reads are a strength, but high-end offensive instincts are currently missing from his game. He can consistently create potential openings and advantages with his feet, but couldn’t often capitalize on them.
As Elite Prospects lead scout David St-Louis summarized in one of his game reports, “Willander lacks the awareness and processing inside his moves to really make the best play. He activates, shifts alongside the blue, and makes some cheeky 1-on-1 moves and passes, but the offensive reads and creativity lag behind the toolkit".
A reported move to Boston College in his draft-plus-one season should serve him well in this regard.
Even if Willander doesn’t end up taking significant steps offensively, his floor as a prospect remains high. Becoming a complementary No. 4 blueliner who provides a lot of defensive value through his skating, motor, and physicality while being able to move the puck competently is definitely in the cards, even without any major developmental leaps. And if the offence does take off? Watch out.
