If memory serves me right, I attended Nils Lundkvist’s SHL debut (it was certainly one of his first appearances, perhaps the first in which he received ample opportunity) in a road game at Malmö. He was a skinny 17 year old kid, called up to share the ice with his uncle Jan Sandström, who was playing out his last games of a 21 year SHL career.
I’d never seen a 17 year old defenseman walk into the SHL with such maturity in his game. He was weak at the time, I think it was only in his final season really where he could begin to assert himself with any success, but he had the puckskills and a remarkable calmness to make the right play from day one. It was fun following his rise from obscurity to becoming a 1st round draft pick that spring, and only improving from then on before making the jump to the NHL.
Alas, at 24, he doesn’t seem to have made too much of an impact at the NHL level. Last game he was apparently injured, after two healthy scratches. Averaging about 14 minutes a game for a player his type, at his age, it seems he’s threading water at this point.
I’m asking you who’ve seen more of him, how’s he been doing and what are your thoughts and predictions for the rest of his career in the NHL?
My read from mostly stat-watching, and what I thought to expect from a prospect of his type, is that perhaps the Stars aren’t working out for him. I never thought he possessed any elite skills really, but he held a top-4 ceiling where given the right partner on D, he could become a serviceable, non-physical two-way defenseman who rarely makes highlight reels, for either his team or the opponents, but ends up a plus more often than not and contributes offensively, mostly by making plays. I don’t know how realistic this is today, though.
Do you think another change of scenery could bring out his potential, or is he pretty much stuck in development?
I always root for former Luleå players chasing their NHL dreams, but you start to look at the potential of seeing them return when they’re yo-yoing in and out of lineups and not catching a break. Return to Luleå, or padding their wallets as a Swiss mercenary.