Prospect Info: Tom Willander: 11th Overall 2023 Draft (Rogle BK J20) - Part 02

[StreetHawk]

I think there were several factors involved. Notably previous management was quite accommodating in terms of working with the player, they provided an honest assessment of where they saw the player (not making false promises), and the player’s preference to stay in college rather than spend time in the AHL.

I don’t recall what happened with every player but I recall that the Canucks did want Boeser to go back for his sophomore year while they wanted to sign Hughes but Hughes decided to go back for another year.

Brock had a very good freshman year as did Quinn. Both could have signed and been ok in the nhl. But, both still benefited returning to the ncaa.

I don’t view Wallinder as having performed as well so far in college to warrant leaving now.

 

[F A N]

Brock had a very good freshman year as did Quinn. Both could have signed and been ok in the nhl. But, both still benefited returning to the ncaa.

I don’t view Wallinder as having performed as well so far in college to warrant leaving now.

I don’t disagree. The point I was trying to make is that there were several factors aside from the team being “patient.” With Brock, I seem to recall the Canucks suggesting he should return for another year. They obviously would have signed him had Brock wanted to turn pro but there is still the team’s plan for the player.

Likewise, Willander is going to have his own ideas but if the team doesn’t envision him in the NHL to start next year (if at all), Willander might be more motivated to play another year of college hockey. We do have new management but I do anticipate that Willander will return to college next season.

 

[JT Milker]

Reminds me of Victor Soderstrom. Lot of the same things said about Willander were the same as those said about Soderstrom and they are physically alike. Arizona pushed Soderstrom into the League too early and he's back in the AHL. Doing fine there and likely gets back up to the NHL next season.

Think there has to be some patience with this player and probably should be looked upon as fairly long term prospect. Another two years in the NCAA and a season or two in the AHL or on loan, if possible, back to the SHL. Makes him around 23 when he plays with the Canucks.

He could play on a bottom pairing in the NHL right now. He’s not going back for 2 more years of NCAA and then 2 years of AHL/SHL. He’ll play another year of NCAA, burn a year of his ELC in spring 2025, and be a full time NHLer from then on.

 

[Breakers]

Back to the SHL?

No thanks to that suggestion
Just confusing the hell out of a prospect for no reason

 

[HairyKneel]

Yeah if they are waiting five years for this player to break in that’s a bit much.

 

[Buresflyingelbow]

He will 100% be back in college next year. That’s been the plan the whole time and depending on the season next year will decide if he turns Pro or not.

Raty, Podkolzin and Bains should be fighting for a roster spot on the big club.

 

[F A N]

Reminds me of Victor Soderstrom. Lot of the same things said about Willander were the same as those said about Soderstrom and they are physically alike. Arizona pushed Soderstrom into the League too early and he's back in the AHL. Doing fine there and likely gets back up to the NHL next season.

Think there has to be some patience with this player and probably should be looked upon as fairly long term prospect. Another two years in the NCAA and a season or two in the AHL or on loan, if possible, back to the SHL. Makes him around 23 when he plays with the Canucks.

Soderstrom is smaller. He's listed as 5'11" while Willander is 6'1". Just like the ASP discussions, that extra two inches is the difference between being undersized and having an average/decent-sized frame to build of.

I'm also not sure that Soderstrom was really "pushed into the League too early." He spent his draft+1 year in the SHL and played World Juniors. Due to Covid he started in Sweden (albeit in a lower league) and played the WJC. Once the NHL season got under way he played 2 games before being sent down to the AHL where it looked like he was developing well. He certainly spent the vast majority of his drat+2 year in the AHL. He's been splitting his time ever since but even in his draft+3 season he started off playing more games in the AHL than NHL.

I think one could make the argument that college is better than the AHL for an advanced 19 year old defenseman, but I'm not sure that Soderstrom development was rushed unless you're saying the few games he played in the NHL set him back.

 

[Raistlin]

do you think willander has elite skating comparable to hedican? orr was done by the time i saw him so hedican is to me the second best natural skating defenceman i have seen play the game in my lifetime after paul coffey. there are better technical skaters but i think nobody but coffey has the natural stride in forward and reverse of hedican.

Hedican isn't even the best skater under his own roof.

 

[Nucker101]

I think he’s Swedish McAvoy

 

[Raistlin]

In theory, a championship caliber defense should consist of a Hughes, plus as many Brodin type defensemen as you can find. Maybe a Myers/Zadorov in the bottom pair for when they park a Wilson in front of your net. Willander has the tools to be Brodin, but right now he's just a great potential building block. The next two games will be exciting to watch, but ultimately, it's what he does next year in BU that matters to me.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Hedican isn't even the best skater under his own roof.

i'd like to see their kids skate.

 

[Javaman]

Hedican isn't even the best skater under his own roof.

Bit of sidebar here but with their pedigree, you'd have to figure his daughters ought to be the best skaters in the history of skating.

 

[Vector]

My friend once taught their daughters’ dance in San Diego. That’s the entirety of the story.

 

[StreetHawk]

Bit of sidebar here but with their pedigree, you'd have to figure his daughters ought to be the best skaters in the history of skating.

Not every kid will take an interest in their parent's prior careers. For sure learned how, but we've seen plenty of NHL kids who have not learned to skate as well as their fathers, like the Reinharts, Cassels, etc.

 

[Javaman]

Not every kid will take an interest in their parent's prior careers. For sure learned how, but we've seen plenty of NHL kids who have not learned to skate as well as their fathers, like the Reinharts, Cassels, etc.

In my defense, I wasn't actually being serious lol. I should have thrown in an emoji, dammit.

 

[F A N]

Not every kid will take an interest in their parent's prior careers. For sure learned how, but we've seen plenty of NHL kids who have not learned to skate as well as their fathers, like the Reinharts, Cassels, etc.

I suppose genes (including the other parent) have something to do with it. As for Cassels, was Andrew better than Cole skating wise? Andrew was hardly known for being a good skater.

 

[lawrence]

Willander had the 3rd most ice time among his entire team. Even more than EP80.

 

[LordBacon]

NCAA has been a very good development path for as far as I remember.
Cant wait to see the kid in 2 years.

 

[TruGr1t]

Don't think his performance to date has really changed the timeline. Probably realistically hope he starts taking NHL minutes in his D+2.

 

[StreetHawk]

I suppose genes (including the other parent) have something to do with it. As for Cassels, was Andrew better than Cole skating wise? Andrew was hardly known for being a good skater.

Cassels was no Geoff Sanderson, but he wasn't as poor as Cole from what I can recall. Surprised that a kid who was good enough to make the OHL, that he didn't learn to skate better at a younger age given that the family had money to afford lessons to help him improve if he was one of the better kids at this age group.

I mean, I don't expect each kid to be as good as their parent. Niedermayer & Marleau, has 4 sons, so asking a lot for them to be as good as their dads who were among the very best skaters of their time. Just figured that if you have the financial means to afford lessons for your kid if they display the ability and desire to make it to a higher level of hockey as a teenager, that their skating would not end up being a weakness on scouting reports.

 

[F A N]

Cassels was no Geoff Sanderson, but he wasn't as poor as Cole from what I can recall. Surprised that a kid who was good enough to make the OHL, that he didn't learn to skate better at a younger age given that the family had money to afford lessons to help him improve if he was one of the better kids at this age group.

I mean, I don't expect each kid to be as good as their parent. Niedermayer & Marleau, has 4 sons, so asking a lot for them to be as good as their dads who were among the very best skaters of their time. Just figured that if you have the financial means to afford lessons for your kid if they display the ability and desire to make it to a higher level of hockey as a teenager, that their skating would not end up being a weakness on scouting reports.

I get that but genes play a role. The Tkachuk brothers aren't great skaters either (especially the older brother) and Cole also grew up in a different era than kids these days. Cole kind of moved around with Andrew but spent a lot of time in the States and if you look at his draft year, the US development program isn't where they are now. Andrew probably wanted to Cole to be a grittier version of himself (i.e. smart playmaking C with great hands who played with an edge).

 

[Diversification]

Cassels was no Geoff Sanderson, but he wasn't as poor as Cole from what I can recall. Surprised that a kid who was good enough to make the OHL, that he didn't learn to skate better at a younger age given that the family had money to afford lessons to help him improve if he was one of the better kids at this age group.

I mean, I don't expect each kid to be as good as their parent. Niedermayer & Marleau, has 4 sons, so asking a lot for them to be as good as their dads who were among the very best skaters of their time. Just figured that if you have the financial means to afford lessons for your kid if they display the ability and desire to make it to a higher level of hockey as a teenager, that their skating would not end up being a weakness on scouting reports.

 

[Raistlin]

uh...how did we get here?


Willander is a lock as an NHLer per Button, he wasn't as convinced with EP(D). His conservative game may reduce his potential impact down the road, but I cannot see his game not translating in the smaller ice. I dont need extra convincing to say picking him over Benson is the more astute and gutsy move @11.

 

[Jyrki21]

Interestingly, it looks like the younger Hedican-Yamaguchi daughter was into skating (not sure about now), whereas the older one (as that story says) preferred the arts.

https://kurtfiles.com/images/photos/2015/Golden%20Moment%20Nov%2021/IMG_8942.jpg

 

[Bankerguy]

Stats, minutes aside, he passes the eye test for sure...he just looks so fast out there.