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2018 NHL Draft – European Defenseman

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In the past seven draft there were 118 European defenseman chosen. On average it was 5 in the first three rounds and 12 in the later rounds.

Here is a list of defenseman that played in Europe last year that could potentially be drafted inside the first three rounds.

Rasmus Dahlin (D) – Prediction 1st

  • The best defensive prospect since Hedman and arguably since a young Denis Potvin patrolled the blueline of the Ottawa 67’s.  Dahlin is the complete package a smart, smooth skating defenseman that can play both ends of the ice extremely well.  He’s been compared to fellow Swed’s Karlsson and & Lidstrom.
  • HockeysVerige.se – Nic Lidstrom on a Dahlin comparision, “one I’m thinking about is Brian Leetch and his skating especially when he was with the Rangers. He dared to go up with the puck and take advantage of his speed and take ice when there.”

Adam Boqvist (D) – Prediction 5 – 10

  • Boqvist has been compared to Karlsson (7 minute mark) and his PPG are similar (.96) to what Karlsson (.97) had in his draft year in the same league.  His numbers are a little behind to Erik Brännström’s numbers last year.
  • Craig Button had him rated 2nd in his January rankings.  “Boqvist’s resemblance to Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson is marked. The high skill, brilliant creativity and daring that allow Karlsson to command a game and capture the attention of his audience are present in Boqvist’s game.”

Danila Zhuravlyo (D) – 2nd – 3rd

  • Could be a steal in the draft.  He’s a defenseman with good size, he has excellent mobility.  Is a solid puck-moving defenseman and plays well in his own end.  Only he and Boqvist averaged 1 PPG at the U18.

MHL Defense in their first eligible draft year.  For example Yegor Rykov was drafted as a +1, he was eligible in 2015 but drafted in 2016 where he put up (.5 PPG in the MHL).

Player League PPG
Nikita Nesterov MHL 0.413043
Alexei Marchenko MHL 0.790698
Yegor Rykov MHL 0.5
Yegor Zaitsev MHL 0.545455
Andrei Mironov MHL 0.152542
Karlis Cukste MHL 0.267857
Vladislav Gavrikov MHL 0.266667
Ziyat Paigin MHL 0.26087
Valeri Vasiliev MHL 0.111111
Rushan Rafikov MHL 0.188679

 

Axel Anderson – 2nd – 3rd

  • He’s a smart right-hand shot puck moving defenseman that from Sweden.  He put up solid offensive totals this past season in the SuperElit league.

Nils Lundkvist (D) – 2nd – 3rd

  • Speedy, undersized right-hand shot puck moving defenseman defenseman.  He split the year beteween the SuperElit (.55 PPG) and the SHL.

Filip Johansson (D) – 2nd – 3rd

  • Johansson is a really solid skater and he’s really improved his defensive game.  Makes a solid outlook pass.  Projected to be a mid-2nd round pick.  There’s some concern over his offensive numbers this past season.

Adam Ginning (D) – 2nd – 3rd

  • Has good size and projects as a shutdown defenseman.  He played more than half the season in SHL.  He doesn’t project to have high-end offense.  Scored .35 PPG in SuperElit.

Martin Fehérváry (D) – 2nd – 3rd

  • Good size mobile defender that plays a physical game and has good leadership qualities.  Likely projects as a defensive defender.
  1. Jacob Ragnarsson (D) – He’s a late birthday, was a week away from being eligible last year.  Smart player, solid in his own zone and put up decent numbers in the Allsvenskan league.  Son of Magnus Ragnarsson.
  2. Danila Galenyuk – He’s a bigger defenseman that can skate and play a physical game.  Not much of a puck moving defenseman.  He’s a defender you would put out on the ice to protect a lead.
  3. Toni Utunen (D) –   He’s an undersized puck moving defenseman with solid hockey IQ.  Skating has gotten mixed reviews.
  4. Santeri Salmela – He’s playing in the top Finnish league against men.   He’s a smart defensive zone player, that can make a good first pass.  He’s never had offense, projects as a defensive dman.
  5. Juuso Ketola – He’s a RHS defenseman with a solid offensive skill-set.  He’s only 5’11 but engages physically.  He’s an average skater.
  6. Jan Dluhos – Small mobile offensive defenseman with a nice shot.  He needs to improve in his own end and decision making.
  7. Dmitri Semykin – Big (6’3) RHS defenseman plays a physical game.  Development pick as he was Central Scouting has him as a potential late round pick.
  8. Ondrej Buchtela – Smooth skating right hand shot defenseman with a puck moving skillset, he was a late 99 birthday and played in the Czech2 league this past year.
  9. Fredrik Granberg – Big, left hand shot Swedish defenseman that plays a physical game.  Doesn’t have much offense to his game.
  10. Bogdan Zhilyakov – Smooth skater, that makes smart plays in his own zone.  Good first pass and a nice shot from the point.
  11. Daniel Kowalczyk – He’s a big defenseman (6’3) that played in the Czech-U20 league.  His stock dropped this year, but he has good range of skills.
  12. Henrik Malmström – A big overage defenseman from Sweden who played in the Allsvenskan league this season and put up 9 pints in 47 games played.
  13. Simon Johansson – He’s an overage big right hand shot defenseman from Sweden.  Put up 34 points in 42 games in SuperElit league.
  14. Vladislav Syomin – Second year draft eligible played in the VHL this past year.  He has good size, plays a physical game but skating is a bit of a concern.
  15. Peetro Seppala – He’s a good sized defensive d-man from Finland.  He’s got good size a young birthday