LW Viktor Klingsell - Skellefteå AIK, J18 Nationell (2025 Draft)

[hockeyprospects9]

Consistently playing Klingsell with Ölund is insane

 

[theslatcher]

Consistently playing Klingsell with Ölund is insane

Their handling of Klingsell has been absurd. Bad enough you can't even call it questionable.

 

[hockeyprospects9]

I feel there are quite divided opinions on where Klingsell ranks for the upcoming draft, probably due to his difference in production for the national team and J20. Some believe he’s a first round talent, some have him towards the third round. I’m interested in hearing some opinions on where you think he should rank and why. Are his flashes of brilliance enough to justify a first-round selection?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I feel there are quite divided opinions on where Klingsell ranks for the upcoming draft, probably due to his difference in production for the national team and J20. Some believe he’s a first round talent, some have him towards the third round. I’m interested in hearing some opinions on where you think he should rank and why. Are his flashes of brilliance enough to justify a first-round selection?

I think the issue with taking a 5’10 player first round is you have to be sure he projects as top 6. Maybe there’s a good reason for lack of J20 production, but the lack of production still makes it more of a risk. He’s a scorer. You’d rather be able to say he’s done everything he can pre-draft wherever he’s played to make his case. The first round case is only really being made with Team Sweden. He’s not going to lead the team in hits or blocked shots, so if you get the J20 production down the road you aren’t getting an NHL’er.

 

[Briser la glace]

I feel there are quite divided opinions on where Klingsell ranks for the upcoming draft, probably due to his difference in production for the national team and J20. Some believe he’s a first round talent, some have him towards the third round. I’m interested in hearing some opinions on where you think he should rank and why. Are his flashes of brilliance enough to justify a first-round selection?

He is definitely talented, but I'm really not sure he has NHL Top-6 upside. I liked him at the Hlinka and he was a 1st rounder for me at that time. I haven't watched him since October to be 100% transparent, but here are the notes I took after my last two isolated viewings :

"I was not impressed by Klingsell. Except for a few good puck retrievals, he was not involved in the play, stayed in periphery, was not taking any risk or showing creativity, avoided contacts, and had a very disappointing shot and pass selection."

"Boring game. He is clearly very talented, but his style is too junior to my taste and maybe not transposable to the NHL. He was invisible without the puck and stayed on the outside."

So yeah... Two very bad viewings in a row, and I then did not take the time to watch him again. He is not even my Top-80 at the moment. Maybe that'll change once I watch him again in January, but for now, no, I would not draft him in the first round.

EDIT: Eric Nilson is so much better ^^