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

[Mikos87]

Defensemen with poor decision making skills are a bigger liability with a faster game.

Thats why I see Wilde sliding.

 

[FIRE DRURY]

"good" is not good enough we always miss out on the best coaches and settle on "good enough" ones.

This conflicts with your username.

Your username suggests we never get a good coach.

Maybe you should change your name to WeNeverGetTheBestCoach. Cause we clearly have had good coaches.

 

[Fitzy]

I never said genius. But I thought you still needed really good grades even as a hockey player to get into Harvard. Maybe not on the same standards as getting in purely on academics, but still really good. And, at least when I was in high school (17 years ago...) no one had really good grades who I wouldn’t consider “smart”

Full honesty here, this is no longer the case in most high schools. Not even close.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

This conflicts with your username.

Your username suggests we never get a good coach.

Maybe you should change your name to WeNeverGetTheBestCoach. Cause we clearly have had good coaches.

Ok, I will change it to WeNeverGetaGreatCoach to avoid any further confusion.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Why did Veleno fall so much?

They said because nobody thinks he has much ability to be a 1st line or even a 2nd line center in NHL.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Not to sure I like this pick in the 1st round.

 

[Tawnos]

Full honesty here, this is no longer the case in most high schools. Not even close.

Ugh.

Well, anyway... I’m trying to think of a comparison for Lundkvist, because there aren’t a ton of undersized D whose strength is their defensive and transition games, but not their offensive game, that come to mind.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Tolvanen couldn’t get into BC because of his grades. Wilde committed to Harvard then changed his mind and committed to U of Michigan, then changed his mind again and decommitted from there too. That’s a TOTALLY different situation and speaks to a potential character issue for sure. Might not be in the end, but you can clearly understand why it might raise some flags, aside from some questions about his game. The kid’s going to get drafted one way or the other, though.

Maybe Lundkvist would be there at 39. The main prospects board seemed to have him 25-40. Bob Mack had him at 36. No reach at 28 really.

I agree that is very strange, indecisive defensemen is a dangerous on the ice.

 

[FIRE DRURY]

Ok, I will change it to WeNeverGetaGreatCoach to avoid any further confusion.

This is acceptable. I expect it done by 7am.

 

[Klaus3154]

They said because nobody thinks he has much ability to be a 1st line or even a 2nd line center in NHL.

Kept hearing before the draft that he was the most complete two way center available and now hearing this.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Ugh.

Well, anyway... I’m trying to think of a comparison for Lundkvist, because there aren’t a ton of undersized D whose strength is their defensive and transition games, but not their offensive game, that come to mind.

I know it is really a weird thing to draft. I am guessing they are thinking he will be like Stralman or Brodin? Does he play physical? Does he hit much, does he clear the front of the net?

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Kept hearing before the draft that he was the most complete two way center available and now hearing this.

Most likely 3rd line 2 way center. They really tore into him and said they see him as a 4th line/3rd line type.

 

[Tawnos]

I know it is really a weird thing to draft. I am guessing they are thinking he will be like Stralman or Brodin? Does he play physical? Does he hit much, does he clear the front of the net?

Doubt it on the last two. His biggest strength seems to be his smarts, from what I’ve read.

Maybe Brodin and (Rangers-era) Stralman are good comparisons. Lundkvist can still grow, so maybe he adds a couple of inches and gets around Brodin’s size. I always forget Stralman really is kinda small.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

I know @ManUtdTobbe is super high on Lundkvist, wya m8

 

[Lays]

On Lundkvist for those who don’t know much about him
A little undersize dman but can play the body and is not afraid of getting in dirty areas (unlike Boqvist.) good offensive instincts but his defense is so good. Always been a fan of him and I was really happy with this pick. If anyone wants to see video on him I reccomend going onto ProspectShifts.com and looking up shift by shift videos of him. Also, that Sami Vatanen comparison was spot on imo

 

[AIexisLafreniereNYR]

Nils looks like he has an incredibly hard shot. I'm intrigued

 

[Grifter3511]

Ugh.

Well, anyway... I’m trying to think of a comparison for Lundkvist, because there aren’t a ton of undersized D whose strength is their defensive and transition games, but not their offensive game, that come to mind.

Tanev?

 

[wolfgaze]

When you get past the first 15-20 guys then there's about 40 or so guys that are pretty close but pretty quality too. Lundqvist fits into that group.

Let the misspellings begin!

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Nils looks like he has an incredibly hard shot. I'm intrigued

a ton of NHL busts and their grandma had very hard shots.

 

[gravey9]

There are some good highlights of Nils on youtube. The thing that pops out after a while is just how he seems to know where to be. There were several highlights where he just made the smartest play possible. The best Rangers comparison is Stralman. A smaller version (for now). Just seems to have impeccable hockey sense and his skill flashes in more subtle ways than Boqvist or some of the other smaller puck moving D. I saw something that said, like Chytil, if he were three weeks younger he would have been drafted in next year. I think this kid can become a swiss army knife on D eventually. He's Lias Andersson if Lias was a D. Really intriguing prospect.

 

[Doctyl]

a ton of NHL busts and their grandma had very hard shots.

Agreed. Should only draft players with soft shots.

 

[Phnxldr]

Now Lindqvist needs to make the team.

 

[Pizza]

Why did Veleno fall so much?

This was actually discussed pretty extensively.

Not enough upside. Not top six.

Just a solid, very dependable two-way player

 

[Elvs]

Nils comes from the same little town as me (a population of just 23 000 in the city, 41 000 in the community). Somehow we had all of Mikael Renberg, Tomas Holmstrom and Mattias Ohlund playing in the NHL at the same time. But I don't think anyone has been drafted from here since Jan Sandstrom in 1999, who is Nils uncle btw. He looked very good with Lulea the past season, has the upside to be a PP QB threat. Good luck with him!

 

[Ola]

The best comparison for Nils Lundkvist, in terms of style, is definitely Charlie McAvoy. With that in mind, not surprised we got him!