RD Victor Soderstrom (2019, 11th, ARZ)

[Castle8130]

To me, he looks just like Dahlin when he takes the puck up.

 

[VictorLustig]

Looked really solid in his first SHL game.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Halfway between Boqvist and Brannstrom. Right shot.

 

[DDRhockey]

Looked really solid in his first SHL game.

Not surprised he was solid at hlinka before his injury

 

[Hammer Slammer]

Did a shift by shift of his first SHL game

Victor Söderström vs Malmö IF | Oct 18 2018 - ProspectShifts.com

 

[VictorLustig]

Did a shift by shift of his first SHL game

Victor Söderström vs Malmö IF | Oct 18 2018 - ProspectShifts.com

Love these.

Had a really strong game today as well. Played over 16 minutes, was +2 and was able to show more in the offensive zone. Oozes hockey sense.

 

[DDRhockey]

Love these.

Had a really strong game today as well. Played over 16 minutes, was +2 and was able to show more in the offensive zone. Oozes hockey sense.

Better than adam boqvist at same age imo

 

[Haanz]

Soderstrom to me is an absolute blue chipper. Firmly in my top 10.

 

[VictorLustig]

Better than adam boqvist at same age imo

I wouldn't say so, better in the SHL for sure though. Söderström is stronger and more mature in his game and it helps him. I like Boqvist more as a prospect but that could change over this season, gap isn't huge.

 

[DDRhockey]

I wouldn't say so, better in the SHL for sure though. Söderström is stronger and more mature in his game and it helps him. I like Boqvist more as a prospect but that could change over this season, gap isn't huge.

Söderström has been underrated for a while now.

 

[Lays]

2nd best D in the draft class and easy top 10 for me.

 

[TheWhiskeyThief]

I wouldn't say so, better in the SHL for sure though. Söderström is stronger and more mature in his game and it helps him. I like Boqvist more as a prospect but that could change over this season, gap isn't huge.

He played better in the SHL game I saw him in than he did for the J20 games in Stockholm. Competent defender, read the game well, minimal offense. The J20 side was a bit of a mess against AIK both days.

 

[Kevin Musto]

2nd best D in the draft class and easy top 10 for me.

Also could be 2nd best D for me. Between him and York right now. If Soderstrom gets some quality SHL time that'll really sway things in his favour.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He played better in the SHL game I saw him in than he did for the J20 games in Stockholm. Competent defender, read the game well, minimal offense. The J20 side was a bit of a mess against AIK both days.

Minimal offense?

I don't think he's the offensive defenseman that Boqvist is, but he should be a PP player at the NHL level. Could be PP1 on a team without an elite PPQB or PP2 on a team with an elite PPQB.

 

[TheWhiskeyThief]

If he’s the 2nd best D in the draft, then D is really gonna be down next year. Nice enough player, but at his size, not sure nice is enough at the NHL level. Yes, Nils Lundkvist got drafted in the 1st, but the Rangers scouting in Sweden is a bit of a mess right now.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

If he’s the 2nd best D in the draft, then D is really gonna be down next year. Nice enough player, but at his size, not sure nice is enough at the NHL level. Yes, Nilsson Lundkvist got drafted in the 1st, but the Rangers scouting in Sweden is a bit of a mess right now.

It is a bad year for D. That doesn't mean Soderstrom is a bad defenseman.

He's better than Lundkvist. I agree that the Rangers Swedish scouting is a complete mess and Lundkvist shouldn't have been a first rounder, but Soderstrom should be a first rounder.

 

[Habs76]

Honestly, it's not too bad of a year for defensemen.

Byram, Broberg, Soderstrom, York, Seider, Robertson, Honka, Vujokevic, Has, Kokkonen, Knyazev, Bjornfot, Brinkman and potentially some sleepers such a Lee or Thrun who have the potential to make a case as the year goes on could all find themselves in the first round. It's definitely a year for the centers and goalies though.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Honestly, it's not too bad of a year for defensemen.

Byram, Broberg, Soderstrom, York, Seider, Robertson, Honka, Vujokevic, Has, Kokkonen, Knyazev, Bjornfot, Brinkman and potentially some sleepers such a Lee or Thrun who have the potential to make a case as the year goes on could all find themselves in the first round. It's definitely a year for the centers and goalies though.

Make a list of the best 10 defenseman from the past two drafts. How many would come from 2019? 2-3?

 

[Habs76]

Make a list of the best 10 defenseman from the past two drafts. How many would come from 2019? 2-3?

I could see it playing out something like:
1. Dahlin
2. Heiskanen
3. Byram
4. Dobson
5. Soderstrom
6. Bouchard
7. Hughes
8. Boqvist
9. York
10. Alexeyev

3/10. Almost a third, not bad, especially considering how phenomenal the 2018 draft was for defensemen.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I could see it playing out something like:
1. Dahlin
2. Heiskanen
3. Byram
4. Dobson
5. Soderstrom
6. Bouchard
7. Hughes
8. Boqvist
9. York
10. Alexeyev

3/10. Almost a third, not bad, especially considering how phenomenal the 2018 draft was for defensemen.

Heiskanen is from 2017. I don’t think it needs to compare favorably to 2018, but I think it’s below average either way. Probably only one top ten guy with Byram. A couple could go in the 11-20 range, but that’s still a huge discrepancy that we almost never see.

 

[teemussalami1]

Heiskanen is from 2017. I don’t think it needs to compare favorably to 2018, but I think it’s below average either way. Probably only one top ten guy with Byram. A couple could go in the 11-20 range, but that’s still a huge discrepancy that we almost never see.

We also don't see this many elite centers or just forwards in general typically. There's no standout defenseman, but I think there will be a few sleepers in this years draft.

 

[helax]

Just shows that the talent factory Brynäs is still going strong!

 

[Habs76]

Heiskanen is from 2017. I don’t think it needs to compare favorably to 2018, but I think it’s below average either way. Probably only one top ten guy with Byram. A couple could go in the 11-20 range, but that’s still a huge discrepancy that we almost never see.

I read your previous post as the top defensemen from the past 2 drafts (2017 and 2018) combined with 2019

 

[TheWhiskeyThief]

Honestly, it's not too bad of a year for defensemen.

Byram, Broberg, Soderstrom, York, Seider, Robertson, Honka, Vujokevic, Has, Kokkonen, Knyazev, Bjornfot, Brinkman and potentially some sleepers such a Lee or Thrun who have the potential to make a case as the year goes on could all find themselves in the first round. It's definitely a year for the centers and goalies though.

I got waaay more time for Bjornfot, Kokkonen & Broberg (seen 2 of 3 last week, gonna see Broberg tonight) than Söderstrom.

 

[Zaddy]

I got waaay more time for Bjornfot, Kokkonen & Broberg (seen 2 of 3 last week, gonna see Broberg tonight) than Söderstrom.

Unsurprisingly the guy who had a heavy dislike for Boqvist last year doesn't like Söderström.

I haven't seen Broberg much, but I easily take Söderström over Björnfot and Kokkonen.