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

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My scouting report on Nils Lundkvist from April:

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28. Nils Lundkvist, RD, 5'11" 174 lbs

Nils Lundkvist is one of the more underrated Ds in this draft IMO. He has had Boqvist and Dahlin ahead of him on the power play for Sweden’s junior national teams over the years which has kept him out of the spot light a bit. He has a very well developed offensive game and is dangerous as a PPQB as well as on the rush with his RHS. He is also very responsible defensively and is the type always liked and trusted by his coach. Good skater. Some guys at this age could pass for being 25 off the ice, other for being 14. Lundkvist belongs to the later category. If he can grow a couple of inches and fill out – he could even turn out be a great value pick at this range.
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Fitzy Duke of NY said:
Full honesty here, this is no longer the case in most high schools. Not even close.
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Pizza said:
This was actually discussed pretty extensively.

Not enough upside. Not top six.

Just a solid, very dependable two-way player
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He was outplayed in the Q consistently, even against non NHL prospects, often.
 
ManUtdTobbe said:
Bode Wilde is dumb on the ice, meanwhile hockey IQ is Lundkvists biggest strength, i love the pick.
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Another kid that was getting many props from a lot of places when I was listening to NHL Network Radio. Absolutely thrilled with this pick. I think Gordie and his crew had an excellent night. Now get me Jake Wise.
 
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This kid is from my old neck of the woods, when speaking with people who saw all Luleå games last season many say the same thing, he wasn’t just good for Luleå he was there best player when he played, period.

Then I look at the stats and see like 16 min/G and 5 pts and 27 games or whatever. But take it for what it’s worth, these guys are like you and me. The team was struggling a bit, they had issues with other overpaid vets. Etc.

With that said, and like I said in my scouting report from April, Lundkvist plays a really good game of hockey. He is very responsible and gets the job done. He is still very young (17 y/o) and a physical specimen, he destroyed many of the combine tests and beat everyone in the jumping things. I would definitely compare him to Charlie McAvoy in terms of style and potential.

He is another kid who has suffered a bit from usage on the national teams. Lundqvist is an offensive D — but how much PP time will you get if you have Dahlin and Boqvist ahead of you? Lundkvist got top PP time for Sweden over Boqvist at times.
 
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I have to run, but does anyone want to compile how Lundkvist did at the combine?

I only looked through the top 10s fast before the draft, but my impression was that might have been one of the kids with the best testing combined, if not the best...
 
Ola said:
This kid is from my old neck of the woods, when speaking with people who saw all Luleå games last season many say the same thing, he wasn’t just good for Luleå he was there best player when he played, period.

Then I look at the stats and see like 16 min/G and 5 pts and 27 games or whatever. But take it for what it’s worth, these guys are like you and me. The team was struggling a bit, they had issues with other overpaid vets. Etc.

With that said, and like I said in my scouting report from April, Lundkvist plays a really good game of hockey. He is very responsible and gets the job done. He is still very young (17 y/o) and a physical specimen, he destroyed many of the combine tests and beat everyone in the jumping things. I would definitely compare him to Charlie McAvoy in terms of style and potential.

He is another kid who has suffered a bit from usage on the national teams. Lundqvist is an offensive D — but how much PP time will you get if you have Dahlin and Boqvist ahead of you? Lundkvist got top PP time for Sweden over Boqvist at times.
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One of the stories I heard on Thursday was that a couple of the observers kept confusing this kid for Boqvist, and not because of the name. It was how he could dart and dance in and around the offensive zone and how well he moved the puck. I was thrilled when they took him.
 
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Pavel Buchnevich said:
No, he was a reach, in my opinion.

I had him 42, we picked him 28. What should I call that?

Miller we picked 22, I had him 51.

I don't really care what the experts think. I form my own opinions.
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But we should care what you think, not what the experts think? LOL.

The consensus in this draft is that 20-50 could be ping pong balls in a hopper and you're just as likely to be successful pulling one of those as you are listening to you or experts.
 
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Vinny DeAngelo said:
All i heard all night was people couldnt tell him and boqvist apart on the ice. Excellent value IMO.

If his offensive game never develops hes Anton Stralman, imo.

In 5 years Team Sweden is going to have 100 good defensemen
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I said before last year’s draft, when I was in love with Brannstrom and really like Liljegren, that the Rangers should just start hoarding Swedish defensemen, seems like the easiest way to get someone who can become a really important player with a non-top 10/15 pick
 
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Ola said:
I have to run, but does anyone want to compile how Lundkvist did at the combine?

I only looked through the top 10s fast before the draft, but my impression was that might have been one of the kids with the best testing combined, if not the best...
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He was 2, 3, 7 and 9 in for of the tests. IE top 10 in four of like 12 tests.
 
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I saw pretty much every game with him in the SHL, and he really had an astonishing development curve. While he looked a bit out of place in the first 2-3 games, not surprising given his age and size, he immediately showed that he has an incredible sense of the game on the ice and for every game played he grew in confidence so that at the end of the season he consistently played in the top two pairings. Especially his defensive skills progressed a lot during the season, and by the end he was completely reliable even against the best forwards. Lacks in size which is noticed in front of the goal (not so much on the boards, he plays quite physical for his size and age) but still very young and'll probably grow a bit more.

His biggest asset definitely is the way he sees the ice, he finds ways out that no one else on the team does, quickly gets the puck up to the forwards and rarely makes mistakes in the process. And he has the skating to do the job himself if needed. Nice vision on the PP line as well.

In the games against Boqvist's and Dahlin's teams he actually outshined these two, although one shouldn't be carried away and think he's a Dahlin-level prospect. But he should have about the same high potential as Boqvist (he also had a lot more SHL ice time than Boqvist, at 16 min/game against B's 7, and played twice as many games). Although, on U18 Boqvist has had more PP ice time and more points so I guess the coaches sees Boqvist as the better PP QB of the two.

I fully expect him to be one of the very best D's on our team this coming season, and if he continues to develop he'll become a very good NHL'er. I guess Stralman is the best comparison to make, quite similar type of player. But he's put up Stralman numbers in SHL one year earlier than Stralman himself. It's a good pick at no 28, and with Miller at 22 you have two quite different D prospects that's complementing each other rather than competing.
 
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Savant said:
Wahlstrom decommitted Harvard too. I think it says more about Wahlstrom and Wilde that they were able to get into Harvard in the first place. I think not having grades to get into school is much more of a red flag.

Again, like Kravtsov, I actually don't have a problem with Lundkvist. There are just players that I liked better.
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The rumors are that Wahlstrom didn't get in Harvard because of his grades, that is why he "decommitted".
 
He compares favorably to Brannstrom so IDK why so many hate the pick. And he's a Righty so he'll automatically make the team soon lol
 
Tawnos said:
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.
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Stralman.
 
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Vinny DeAngelo said:
All i heard all night was people couldnt tell him and boqvist apart on the ice. Excellent value IMO.
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Except Boqvist was the one putting up points, which still counts.

I have never watched Lundkvist play and he seemed like a late first rounder, so I don't hate the pick...but why pick him over Sandin who TOR took 1 pick later? What can he do better than Sandin?
 
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