![]() Lind walks the line but is a constant pain in the rear to play against for his opponents. He has the puck skills to beat defenders consistently and do so at full speed. I gave it an NHL average grade but it could easily be above NHL average. He’s got a technically smooth stride with good power. He’s good at both ends of the ice and can play both center and wing. He was the sixth pick in his WHL Bantam Draft and is the younger brother of Kole Lind.Īnalysis: Lind is an easy player to like with a lot of NHL attributes. Saskatoon following a hit to the head that knocked him unconscious. Lind was briefly hospitalized in the playoff series vs. ![]() He was the third-line center for Canada’s Hlinka team in the summer. I don’t know if the toolkit stands out enough overall, but he has a real chance to play games in a bottom six.īackground: Lind has been an important part of a top WHL team this season in Red Deer. He’s not explosive, but he can carry pucks up ice and create off the rush. Nilsson isn’t highly physical, but he shows up every night, gets to the net and gives a solid effort. ![]() His shot is good enough to be a threat that way but he’s more of a natural playmaker. Inside the offensive zone he’s an excellent passer who can create a lot off the perimeter. He has strong stickhandling abilities and can often beat checkers with skill. His role with Sweden’s U18 team grew as the season progressed but he couldn’t play in the U18 worlds due to a wrist injury.Īnalysis: Nilsson is a skilled forward. He got extended time with Rogle’s SHL team but didn’t score a point. (SWEDEN-JR.)īackground: Nilsson was over a point per game in Sweden’s J20 league this season. After being a defense factory for so long, Nashville hasn’t invested much draft capital of late high on defenders, so this is a much-needed boost to their system.Ĥ3. He’s not the biggest guy, but he reminds me of guys like Alexander Romanov and Mario Ferraro, and I think he could be a second-pair defenseman. He’s an outstanding skater who plays hard and I think moves the puck well enough too. Thoughts on the pick: Tanner Molendyk is a favorite of mine. I think he checks a lot of boxes and projects to be a top-four defenseman. His size will be a minor issue as a defenseman in the NHL, but he plays hard and doesn’t shy from physical play often landing hard hits at the junior level. Molendyk has strong offensive instincts and skills, and can make plays from off the blue line and on the move. His top speed is good, not great, but he can lead a rush in the NHL. He closes on checks like a pro, and is able to evade pressure at a high level. This is because of his excellent skating ability and strong work ethic. He was the fifth pick in his WHL Bantam Draft.Īnalysis: Molendyk is a strong two-way defenseman despite not being the biggest defender. He measured in during the summer at 5-foot-10 and 3/4 inches and is close to six feet now. Molendyk grew significantly in a short period of time. He led Canada in ice time in their Hlinka semifinal win over Finland and was second in ice time in the gold medal win over Sweden. He hasn’t put up big point totals but often isn’t on PP1 for them. Tanner Molendyk, LHD, SASKATOON (WHL)īackground: Molendyk has played a ton of minutes for a strong Saskatoon team this season. He needs to round out his game and with his OK footspeed he may need two to four years before he’s ready for the NHL.Ģ4. The Predators have a lot of needs for their rebuild, but they need high-end talent most of all, and Wood provides that. It’s not easy to find first-year draft eligibles who led their NCAA team in scoring, never mind at 6-foot-4. Thoughts on the pick: Wood is a very talented offensive player. I think he’ll be a quality top six winger who will be a big part of an NHL power play, but he may frustrate his coaches at times. ![]() I wouldn’t call him an overly physical or high compete type, and I’ve seen him take nights off, but Wood is a big body who can use his frame to win battles and gets to the inside parts of the offensive zone well enough. However, his skating is an issue as he lacks the ability to separate and the pace of the NHL will challenge him. Wood is a big winger as well, so the size/skill combo has a lot of upside. He also has an excellent wrist shot and one-timer, making him a major asset on the power play. He has the ability to hold onto pucks for an extra second and knows how to beat defenders with skill. He has excellent one-on-one skills and offensive IQ. At both this past summer’s Hlinka Gretzky and the 2022 U18 worlds, Wood played a limited even-strength/heavy power-play role for Team Canada but at the 2023 U18 worlds he was a top forward at the tournament.Īnalysis: Wood is a very gifted offensive player. As a 16-year-old he led the BCHL in goals and points. Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup playerīackground: Wood had a highly productive 17-year-old freshman season at UConn scoring a point per game.
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