Prospect Info: 2018 NHL Draft / Pick #28 - Nils Lundkvist (D)

[Dijock94]

I'd like to see him work on his spots and timing.

I think he's capable of good defense, and I think his offensive upside is very good. But it's a matter of learning to do both.

However, I think he's a kid who if given the ice time, and some patience, has tremendous growth potential.

While I was reading this description I just couldn’t stop thinking how similar this is to DeAngelo

 

[EdJovanovski]

I think he’ll definitely be a top 4 defenseman, potentially even a top pairing one. High boom potential, only critique I have is watching him play he often passes the puck to absolutely nobody.

 

[pblawr]

I thought this was an interesting exercise. Here are all the defensemen from the last 20 years (18 in total) who scored more than one point in the SHL before they turned 18:

Dahlin (31 points)
Adam Larsson (18)
Oliver Kylington (13)
Liljegren (10)
Tim Erixon (7)
Jonas Brodin (6)
Erik Brannstrom (6)
Victor Hedman (5)
Nils Lundkvist (5)
Sebastian Aho (5)
Adam Ginning (5)
Johan Motin (4)
Filip Westerlund (4)
Jacob Larsson (3)
Oscar Hedman (3)
Gabriel Carlsson (3)
Oscar Klefbom (2)
Anton Bjorkman (2)

That's not a bad cohort to be a part of. The hit rate on those guys turning into top 4 defensemen or developing into major prospects is pretty high.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

what's with some of those games having absolutely no one in the stands

SuperElit, the u20 league. Those don't really sell out regularly.

 

[Edge]

I thought this was an interesting exercise. Here are all the defensemen from the last 20 years (18 in total) who scored more than one point in the SHL before they turned 18:

Dahlin (31 points)
Adam Larsson (18)
Oliver Kylington (13)
Liljegren (10)
Tim Erixon (7)
Jonas Brodin (6)
Erik Brannstrom (6)
Victor Hedman (5)
Nils Lundkvist (5)
Sebastian Aho (5)
Adam Ginning (5)
Johan Motin (4)
Filip Westerlund (4)
Jacob Larsson (3)
Oscar Hedman (3)
Gabriel Carlsson (3)
Oscar Klefbom (2)
Anton Bjorkman (2)

That's not a bad cohort to be a part of. The hit rate on those guys turning into top 4 defensemen or developing into major prospects is pretty high.

I don't think the narrative for Lundkvist is all that different than it is for Boqvist. Not so much from an upside standpoint, but from the perspective of a player who needs time to cook, has shown flashes of impressive offensive capabilities and who is only scratching the surface of how good he can be.

 

[Kovalev27]

I think for where we took this kid it was a solid pick. There were definitely other guys I liked more but for his age and being a righty I like the pick.

The Miller pick bothers me for what we gave up to move up and the guys still on the board. But it’s a boom bust pick. I didn’t like what I saw at all from him during the U18s. Looked in way over his head

 

[kovazub94]

I don't think the narrative for Lundkvist is all that different than it is for Boqvist. Not so much from an upside standpoint, but from the perspective of a player who needs time to cook, has shown flashes of impressive offensive capabilities and who is only scratching the surface of how good he can be.

In before posters start putting "=" between these Swedes, let's be clear that Boqvist upside is higher and / or more certain purely where hockey perspective based on what they've accomplished. However, Boqvist's concussion concerns and also the difference of where Chicago vs NYR were making their picks makes Lundkvist a GREAT pick for us.

 

[LaffyTaffy]

bruh dahlin 31 points lol

 

[pblawr]

This thread on Lundkvist is interesting if no one has posted it yet.



Edit: HF doesn't post threads, so just click on the tweet and open the whole thread, there are something like 20 clips

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

I don't understand how these guys ranked Lundkvist ahead of Miller when Miller has so much more potential as well as huge size and strength advantage and wasn't just picked higher than Lundkvist but Rangers also gave up a 2nd round pick to trade up to get him.

Blueshirt Banter 2018 New York Rangers Prospect Rankings: 5-1

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I don't understand how these guys ranked Lundkvist ahead of Miller when Miller has so much more potential as well as huge size and strength advantage and wasn't just picked higher than Lundkvist but Rangers also gave up a 2nd round pick to trade up to get him.

Blueshirt Banter 2018 New York Rangers Prospect Rankings: 5-1

Maybe if you read the article you're linking to, you'd be able to answer your own question.

Perhaps he does not have the raw upside of K’Andre Miller or a few other players drafted after him, but I don’t think he’s very far off, and he’s as polished as any player drafted outside the top-10.

 

[kovazub94]

Maybe if you read the article you're linking to, you'd be able to answer your own question.

I was going to make the same post but quote a paragraph just before yours.

 

[Edge]

Lundkvist and Miller are two guys who I think are going to need some time to cook. Really like the upside of both, but I'm eyeing the horizon of 2020 or 2021 with them.

To a lesser extent, I'm taking a somewhat similar approach to Kravtsov. Though not as far off, there's still quite a bit of cooking to be done there.

 

[NYR Viper]

Lundkvist and Miller are two guys who I think are going to need some time to cook. Really like the upside of both, but I'm eyeing the horizon of 2020 or 2021 with them.

To a lesser extent, I'm taking a somewhat similar approach to Kravtsov. Though not as far off, there's still quite a bit of cooking to be done there.

For Miller and Lundkvist, I would think the McDonagh/Skjei timetable is probably right. That's 3 1/2 - 4 years. And that's a good timetable honestly because guys like Hajek, Lindgren, Rykov should either be NHL regulars or gone from the organization by that time so that would be a good time for the next wave to come up.

 

[McSauer]

Why do I foresee Nils becoming that prospect we end up dealing at the deadline in a few years when we are first trying to make our cup push?

I see him as a solid but unspectacular prospect that will end up being a commodity in the future. I just don't see him lacing up for us.

 

[Edge]

Why do I foresee Nils becoming that prospect we end up dealing at the deadline in a few years when we are first trying to make our cup push?

I see him as a solid but unspectacular prospect that will end up being a commodity in the future. I just don't see him lacing up for us.

Probably because he projects to be in that 6-10 prospect range and those are usually the guys included in those type of deals.

Having said that, he's a righty defenseman. That alone could make him a more protected commodity in this organization's cupboard.

 

[kovazub94]

Probably because he projects to be in that 6-10 prospect range and those are usually the guys included in those type of deals.

Having said that, he's a righty defenseman. That alone could make him a more protected commodity in this organization's cupboard.

And this is why I don't share the trade-for-push sentiment given the state of NYR RD unless a young but established RD would be coming back.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

First game of the season is at 12PM.

 

[Fvital92]

His 1st pass and defense look pretty good.

 

[Roo Returns]

I'd hold onto him. I know Stralman is an extremely lazy comparison and I hate comparing players of the same nationality, so maybe MEV in SJ? Just someone who is very good at everything, not a monster, will have above average point production, but not someone who will ever be an All Star. A very very good second pairing DMan.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I'd hold onto him. I know Stralman is an extremely lazy comparison and I hate comparing players of the same nationality, so maybe MEV in SJ? Just someone who is very good at everything, not a monster, will have above average point production, but not someone who will ever be an All Star. A very very good second pairing DMan.

...who is saying not to?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I'd hold onto him. I know Stralman is an extremely lazy comparison and I hate comparing players of the same nationality, so maybe MEV in SJ? Just someone who is very good at everything, not a monster, will have above average point production, but not someone who will ever be an All Star. A very very good second pairing DMan.

Vlasic is a 1D. It would be like saying Chytil is comparable to Malkin, but a lot worse. Do those types of comparisons actually tell you anything?

 

[Roo Returns]

...who is saying not to?

Just some talk earlier in the thread about moving him down the line for a playoff run boost.

 

[Roo Returns]

Vlasic is a 1D. It would be like saying Chytil is comparable to Malkin, but a lot worse. Do those types of comparisons actually tell you anything?

It was more about MEV's point production. Lundkvist probably won't ever be a 40 point player and he's not as physical as MEV.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Just some talk earlier in the thread about moving him down the line for a playoff run boost.

I don't think we need to worry about a playoff run boost anytime soon