Though as well all know centres don't spring out of thin air, and free agency is fairly sparse in that regard. They'll have to pay a high price on the trade market it seems if they want improvement in that regard
Just think if Columbus had won the Connor Bedard lottery, but will be drafting
#3 overall in the 2023. They're perhaps hoping to get their #1C in this draft in a few weeks,
This is where Leafs got their core stars from Matthews, Marner and Nylander at the beginning of entry drafts.
The best way to get your highend talent is to self draft it and get your ELC and cheaper contracts and not sign a UFA for $11 mil because anyone can do that.
Seems like CBJ wants to build a real strong defense core around a young star centre and a stable environment.
Leo Carlsson - Position: Centre/Winger - Height/Weight: 6’3″/194 lbs
Analysis & NHL Projection
Carlsson spent his year in the top league in Sweden, playing against men, and he raised a lot of eyebrows. The Swede put up 25 points in 44 games for Örebro HK and added 9 more in 13 playoff games. His 25 points are the
fifth most for a draft-year player in the SHL, just behind some elite company like Nicklas Backstrom and the Sedin twins. Carlsson also performed well internationally at both the World Juniors and World Hockey Championships, putting up a combined 11 points in 15 games.
Carlsson is one of the more complete players in the draft, as he’s an effective player at both ends of the ice. When you talk about intelligent prospects that can do a little bit of everything, that’s Carlsson. He’s big, skilled, and incredibly smart on the ice, which helps pretty much every aspect of his game. The list of players with a better hockey IQ than Carlsson is a short one if the list even exists at all. When you talk about transferable skills to the NHL game, there might not be a better skill to have.
He could easily become an NHL All-Star with point-per-game capabilities pretty early in his career, and I’d be shocked if he never becomes that. He quite easily projects as a #1 centre on most teams, and he could maybe win some hardware while doing so. I’ve seen some people compare him to that of
Anze Kopitar, a two-time cup champ and selke winner. That’s a pretty high bar to meet, but the Swedish forward certainly has the potential to meet it.
Carlsson is the kind of prospect NHL teams drool over, as he has the total package. He’s big, looks to be a 200-foot player, and is still incredibly gifted offensively. And yet, he could go anywhere from two to five. As good as he is, he won’t dethrone
Connor Bedard from the top spot. Carlsson will go in the top five, barring something unexpected, which is certainly possible. In other years, he might even be a first-overall pick, he’s just in a really strong draft class.
