D Stian Solberg - Vålerenga, Norway (2024, 23rd, ANA)

LeProspector

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Another interesting prospect out of Norway for the 2024 NHL draft. Solberg played for his country’s u20 team as a 15 year old.

Was wondering if anyone could provide anymore information on this kid and his potential.
 

Joka12

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Scored his first Fjordkraft-ligaen goal (top league in Norway) today, and it was a pretty nice one. Found this bad quality video of it on twitter if anyone wants to see it:


He now has 3 points (1+2) in the first 5 games of the season.
 

GermanSpitfire

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Scored his first Fjordkraft-ligaen goal (top league in Norway) today, and it was a pretty nice one. Found this bad quality video of it on twitter if anyone wants to see it:


He now has 3 points (1+2) in the first 5 games of the season.

Wow - impressive rush.

Any player that is producing as a underaged against men is very impressive. He’s definitely on my radar
 
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apoptygma

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I believe Fjordkraft-ligaen is around ECHL level. Just from a stat-watching pov, the top american players and are comming from ECHL is putting up similiar kind of points over here.

Stats from Norrwegian U18 and U20 leagues is missleading, as many of the best teenagers in Norway go to Swedish clubs when beeing teenagers.
 

Joka12

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He is in the NT squad for the games against Latvia and Denmark 10th and 12th November. Still being 16 yo this will make him the youngest player ever to play for the Norwegian NT.

Michael Brandsegg Nygård (born in October 2005) is also in the squad.

Note: This is a NT squad consisting of younger players. I think they have been going for U26 or something.
 

GermanSpitfire

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He is in the NT squad for the games against Latvia and Denmark 10th and 12th November. Still being 16 yo this will make him the youngest player ever to play for the Norwegian NT.

Michael Brandsegg Nygård (born in October 2005) is also in the squad.

Note: This is a NT squad consisting of younger players. I think they have been going for U26 or something.
Appriciate the update on this player - impressive stuff without a doubt.
 
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Joka12

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On the radar for several SHL-teams. He's been visiting Karlstad (Färjestad) recently and Frölunda wanted to sign him already last season.

Hmm, not sure what is the best for him. Going to Sweden would ofc give him more exposure and probably make it easier for him to go high in the draft. But if it is junior hockey he will play in Sweden I would think senior hockey in Norway could be just as good for his development.
 

Dirtyf1ghter

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The Norwegian championship is not really visible. Typically the kind of player who will be difficult to estimate this year.
 

GermanSpitfire

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https://x.com/torha123/status/1691541942419460096?s=46&t=tOVQ0lqcay86aCdj_i8xaA

Goal from preseason. Interesting player, any scouting reports or viewings of him? Haven’t seen anything myself.
Yeah, he is a smooth skating defender that is able to create offence from the blueline with poise and confidence. He isn‘t afraid of shooting the puck and is quite good at getting the puck to the net from the point. He is A very good skater that isn’t afraid to join the rush, and carry the puck into the offensive zone in transition. He needs work on the defensive side of the puck, he tends to overcommit to attacking forwards, miss his poke check and get beat to the outside enough to take note of it. He has good positioning and has good gaps at points though, you can see the potentail is there for him to bea very effective defender at A higher level. He’s 6’2”, has good tendency’s and has been on an upward trajectory for a little while.
The Norwegian championship is not really visible. Typically the kind of player who will be difficult to estimate this year.
to some that don’t understand the league, maybe - but I’m confident he is a NHL Draft talent and I think there is a possibility he is a top-2 round kid.
 

mistaclick

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Yeah, he is a smooth skating defender that is able to create offence from the blueline with poise and confidence. He isn‘t afraid of shooting the puck and is quite good at getting the puck to the net from the point. He is A very good skater that isn’t afraid to join the rush, and carry the puck into the offensive zone in transition. He needs work on the defensive side of the puck, he tends to overcommit to attacking forwards, miss his poke check and get beat to the outside enough to take note of it. He has good positioning and has good gaps at points though, you can see the potentail is there for him to bea very effective defender at A higher level. He’s 6’2”, has good tendency’s and has been on an upward trajectory for a little while.

to some that don’t understand the league, maybe - but I’m confident he is a NHL Draft talent and I think there is a possibility he is a top-2 round kid.
Thank you, appreciate your insight.

Also I agree, there’s nothing to compare him to for previous Norwegian dman, but putting up any points against men in your D-1 is pretty damn good. Players are rarely drafted out of the Norwegian league, he needs to put up some numbers back home and then show out at WJC. I wonder what the production this year will be, I’m hoping to see 0.33 points/game or higher. If he goes for 0.5+ PPG that would be unprecedented for an 18 y.o dman in Norway, could be a real gem.

Last Norwegian taken was 2021 4th round and he was in his D+2, put up 4 points in 18 games in Norway men’s league, which is also what Solberg posted in his D-1.
Last Norwegian Dman to be drafted in their true draft year at 18 years old was in 2002 I believe, and he put up 6 points in 30+ games in Norway.

Not much to go off of from the past but Solberg looks to be in good company, I expect him to be taken this draft. We’ll see what round, most important games for him will be international play where he can get a lot more attention.
 

GermanSpitfire

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Thank you, appreciate your insight.

Also I agree, there’s nothing to compare him to for previous Norwegian dman, but putting up any points against men in your D-1 is pretty damn good. Players are rarely drafted out of the Norwegian league, he needs to put up some numbers back home and then show out at WJC. I wonder what the production this year will be, I’m hoping to see 0.33 points/game or higher. If he goes for 0.5+ PPG that would be unprecedented for an 18 y.o dman in Norway, could be a real gem.

Last Norwegian taken was 2021 4th round and he was in his D+2, put up 4 points in 18 games in Norway men’s league, which is also what Solberg posted in his D-1.
Last Norwegian Dman to be drafted in their true draft year at 18 years old was in 2002 I believe, and he put up 6 points in 30+ games in Norway.

Not much to go off of from the past but Solberg looks to be in good company, I expect him to be taken this draft. We’ll see what round, most important games for him will be international play where he can get a lot more attention.
With Norway joining the top division in the WJC - he, Straume Vante and Nygård should get a good amount of attention and will be a good event to see how they stack up to their peers.

I remember watching the U18‘s and he and Vante were the only two kids that could do anything of substance in the offensive zone.
 
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mistaclick

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Heating up a bit, goals in his last 3 games now. Last 5 games, 3 goals and 2 assists. Excited to see him, Lafton, Dehli, and Brandsegg-Nygard at WJC.
 
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cheesymc

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Interesting to see his rankings… some have late 1st, and others not in the first 2 rounds. Maybe he goes late 2nd similar to someone like Strbak last year.

Scouting reports say he’s a throwback, but I don’t see the nasty like a Gudas… is he more like a Whitecloud? Siegenthaler?
 

rt

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Interesting to see his rankings… some have late 1st, and others not in the first 2 rounds. Maybe he goes late 2nd similar to someone like Strbak last year.

Scouting reports say he’s a throwback, but I don’t see the nasty like a Gudas… is he more like a Whitecloud? Siegenthaler?
I think maybe more of a McNabb than a Whitecloud. Maybe a left-shot Connor Murphy is somewhere in the zone? Or maybe Martin Fehervary is a decent comp? I think his skating and puck movement could mean higher upside than these comps, though. I’ve just never watched Norwegian league play. Haha.
 
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