Prospect Info: [2024] 4th rd selection - #120 OA - LD, Victor Johansson - Leksands IF, J20 Nationell (5′11″ - 156/159 lb. Updated Weight)

[Stringer Bell]

Marner is a skinny forward who loses just about every puck battle he engages in. Hence the trade talk. If Victor lost every puck battle in the pros as a D man he wouldn’t touch NHL ice.

Isn’t Marner as big if not bigger than Point? Marner’s problems are between his ears and between his legs.

When was the last time weight was the primary reason a player didn’t make it in the NHL?

 

[ULF_55]

Isn’t Marner as big if not bigger than Point? Marner’s problems are between his ears and between his legs.

When was the last time weight was the primary reason a player didn’t make it in the NHL?

Nic Borschevsky?

What did he ever do for the Leafs?

 

[Its not your fault]

Good Lord this kid needs to drink some protein shakes and down a ton of pasta

Just needs to eat North American in other words.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Adding 50lbs of muscle is no easy task.

50 lbs of muscle? What? When I made that post he was listed at 135. Now he is listed at 165. In either case, he needed to add fat AND muscle.

An 18 year old gaining 25-50 pounds in 3-5 years (depending on the accurate weight) with professional guidance on nutrition and fitness is not an issue at all.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

He’ll likely be 6’2” 190lbs by the time he’s ready to come over at around 22.

 

[123offtheglass]

Sounds like they’ve identified a late bloomer. For an 18 year old, weight and strength is what could change most drastically & make a huge difference.

Trust the scout, I’m for it.

 

[4thline]

He’ll likely be 6’2” 190lbs by the time he’s ready to come over at around 22.

Yeah, his brothers are listed at 6'2 194 and 6'4 196, Dad played at 6'1 203. Maybe he's just the runt, but I wouldn't bet against him hitting the same range

 

[francis246]

Adding 50lbs of muscle is no easy task.

With the right training staff and program anything is possible. Additionally some of it will just come naturally with puberty. When I entered my first year of uni athletes I was 5’9, 164. By the end of my first year I was 6’0, 185. Puberty and solid training program really helped me put on the muscle when my height shot up in a few inches in a short span. I was a late bloomer for sure

 

[Fogelhund]

""

 

[Fogelhund]

""

 

[crump]

""

lol He’s shrinking.

 

[ULF_55]

""

I'm guessing that before his 18 lb. of skates and equipment?

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I can’t believe the meltdown some of you had over a 4th round pick.
It’s not even about “trust the scouts” at this point in the draft the majority of guys won’t ever play a single game and even less will carve out effective NHL careers. Who cares. Wait and see and hopefully he works out. No point in getting all worked up about it either way.

Ya, it's not that I think we need to trust the scouts per se, it's more that I don't trust an prospect analysis/ranking of the armchair scouts here who read a bunch of lists and fall in love with a couple names that they don't actually know anything about. I believe they think their list reading and opinion's that come from it are infinitely more valuable than in reality.

Like someone said he wasn't on their 995 player list...NHL scouts only have 100-120 names on their final lists, so one in the 900s just sounds like a meaningless algorithm generated fan list as opposed to one made by someone whose put eye's on even a handful of players outside the first round (and even fewer with live viewings of literally any of the players in the draft). It's "your list" in as much as anyone with an algorithim can hit 'random generate'/'simulate' and claim it as their own.

 

[uncleben]

Ya, it's not that I think we need to trust the scouts per se, it's more that I don't trust an prospect analysis/ranking of the armchair scouts here who read a bunch of lists and fall in love with a couple names that they don't actually know anything about. I believe they think their list reading and opinion's that come from it are infinitely more valuable than in reality.

Like someone said he wasn't on their 995 player list...NHL scouts only have 100-120 names on their final lists, so one in the 900s just sounds like a meaningless algorithm generated fan list as opposed to one made by someone whose put eye's on even a handful of players outside the first round (and even fewer with live viewings of literally any of the players in the draft). It's "your list" in as much as anyone with an algorithim can hit 'random generate'/'simulate' and claim it as their own.

The 995 player list was me
But I was also the first one to admit I'm a hobbyist and these guys are professionals who know more and get to see way more
I aggregate lists all season long (actually I start years in advance, but really only go in and start doing my own recreational "scouting" during the given draft year), and create a consolidated list.
There are a few guys I followed and really liked, several more I read up on and tried to familiarize myself with, but I can't even pretend that I was familiar with all 995 of those players. That far down the list it was purely "if a player gets ranked or mentioned as draftworthy, add them to the list"


Toronto scouts obviously saw something there (and presumably some other teams did if Toronto felt he wouldn't last past the 4th round), but it's definitely interesting (whether you are for or against the pick), that Toronto went in on a guy that had such little attention this year

I mean, even Johansson himself was surprised by it

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808916806775484720

But he's a Leaf now, so I for one definitely know I'm rooting for him!

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Ya, it's not that I think we need to trust the scouts per se, it's more that I don't trust an prospect analysis/ranking of the armchair scouts here who read a bunch of lists and fall in love with a couple names that they don't actually know anything about. I believe they think their list reading and opinion's that come from it are infinitely more valuable than in reality.

What about the players themselves? Should we trust their self-assessment?

Victor Johansson on when he expected to be drafted this year:

"Not at all, or the seventh round. I felt like there was so much other players that were better than me."

youtube.com/watch?v=6udhdRLVQXw

 

[darrylsittler27]

What a fuss over a 4th rounder who won't play for 5 years i.e Niemela. Any 4th rounder who plays is a good 4th rounder.

 

[ULF_55]

The 995 player list was me
But I was also the first one to admit I'm a hobbyist and these guys are professionals who know more and get to see way more
I aggregate lists all season long (actually I start years in advance, but really only go in and start doing my own recreational "scouting" during the given draft year), and create a consolidated list.
There are a few guys I followed and really liked, several more I read up on and tried to familiarize myself with, but I can't even pretend that I was familiar with all 995 of those players. That far down the list it was purely "if a player gets ranked or mentioned as draftworthy, add them to the list"


Toronto scouts obviously saw something there (and presumably some other teams did if Toronto felt he wouldn't last past the 4th round), but it's definitely interesting (whether you are for or against the pick), that Toronto went in on a guy that had such little attention this year

I mean, even Johansson himself was surprised by it

https://x.com/i/web/status/1808916806775484720

But he's a Leaf now, so I for one definitely know I'm rooting for him!

As I have said, facetiously, it isn't like we can get lists that cover every player under the age of 20 from hundreds of teams?

So a billion dollar company, in the business of hockey, are going to have data we do not and would not be able to acquire. Even scouting agencies have a budget whereas MLSE decides whether they do or don't limit expenses for scouting.

Taken early?

For me that's exciting, that's impactful.

If they took him in the 7th. round pffft not something that makes you go hmmm?

 

[ULF_55]

What about the players themselves? Should we trust their self-assessment?

Victor Johansson on when he expected to be drafted this year:

"Not at all, or the seventh round. I felt like there was so much other players that were better than me."

youtube.com/watch?v=6udhdRLVQXw

Actually, I'd say not a chance you trust a 17 year old player's self evaluation.

To start with he's a mortal. He has limited knowledge. He has no unbiased ability to compare what or who he is to hundreds of others who have gone on before. Professionals have seen those 100's / 1000's to compare.

You talk to one and he's the next Gretzky talk to another and he only see unattainable gods while he might never see himself shooting across the sky with people on their knees worshipping him.


And it makes for good discussion.

Seems like a great kid.

 

[stanleyorbust]

What about the players themselves? Should we trust their self-assessment?

Victor Johansson on when he expected to be drafted this year:

"Not at all, or the seventh round. I felt like there was so much other players that were better than me."

youtube.com/watch?v=6udhdRLVQXw

That comment is not a self assessment.

He could very confident in himself and ability to be an impact player but also self aware that he needs to bulk up.

Actually, I'd say not a chance you trust a 17 year old player's self evaluation.

To start with he's a mortal. He has limited knowledge. He has no unbiased ability to compare what or who he is to hundreds of others who have gone on before. Professionals have seen those 100's / 1000's to compare.

You talk to one and he's the next Gretzky talk to another and he only see unattainable gods while he might never see himself shooting across the sky with people on their knees worshipping him.


And it makes for good discussion.

Seems like a great kid.

I swear the reading comprehension for some posters are pretty low.

Agree with your point - and would go further to say I don't take his quote as a self assessment. He was not talking about his potential, confidence in himself, or skill set. Sounds like he is self aware that he needs to bulk up and did not have the stats this past season to make him believe he would be drafted. That is not him saying he doubts he is good enough to make it.

I have to believe the leafs scouts did their home work and spoke with Victor and decided he has the right raw skills and attitude to potentially make it. Realistically a 4th rounder has a pretty small chance of making it and they must believe he has a chance.

 

[crump]

I’d like to see some video of him. His description of himself as a 2 way defenseman with a physical competitive style. Love the attitude. Weight jokes aside, he sounds like maybe a Gunnarsson comparison in a few years.

 

[Da Mash]

I never worry about later picks. It’s such a crap shoot.
Were some of our picks reaches?
I have no idea because I don’t do it for a living.

I look at the NFL and all the mediots throwing out their opinions about a player drafted where they were and a lot of times they were wrong.

Damn Raiders hired one as GM and he was terrible

Let’s see how these kids develope and grow.

 

[ULF_55]

I’d like to see some video of him. His description of himself as a 2 way defenseman with a physical competitive style. Love the attitude. Weight jokes aside, he sounds like maybe a Gunnarsson comparison in a few years.

It's a shame drinking age in Sweden is 18.

Dos Equis

 

[WTFMAN99]

I’d like to see some video of him. His description of himself as a 2 way defenseman with a physical competitive style. Love the attitude. Weight jokes aside, he sounds like maybe a Gunnarsson comparison in a few years.

Loved Gunnar

147 lbs...I mean you have like 60 lbs to go and ideally another inch in height, if the skating/hands are average, you probably have a good defender with average-good hockey IQ.

 

[JEI]

RemindMe! -3 years.

 

[ULF_55]

View attachment 892555

RemindMe! -3 years.

Except he seems an interesting follow though.