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

[VanJack]

Granted I've only seen the YouTube highlight packages featuring Wilander; and followed him in last year's WJHC.

The thing I've noticed is that there really aren't any holes in his game. He's got superior skating skill for effortless gap control; and he's equally proficient in head-manning or skating the puck out of trouble.

I know some posters are concerned about his offense, but there's nothing wrong with his shooting skills. He gets a lot of mustard on his shot and he's very proficient at the one-timers from the sidewall.

Most every player coming out of junior or the NCAA has holes in their game. When Quinn Hughes graduated from Michigan, he had a muffin of a shot. But now, it's a 95mph-plus howitzer.

Wilander won't need much if any time to adjust to NHL hockey imo.

 

[Grantham]

Granted I've only seen the YouTube highlight packages featuring Wilander; and followed him in last year's WJHC.

The thing I've noticed is that there really aren't any holes in his game. He's got superior skating skill for effortless gap control; and he's equally proficient in head-manning or skating the puck out of trouble.

I know some posters are concerned about his offense, but there's nothing wrong with his shooting skills. He gets a lot of mustard on his shot and he's very proficient at the one-timers from the sidewall.

Most every player coming out of junior or the NCAA has holes in their game. When Quinn Hughes graduated from Michigan, he had a muffin of a shot. But now, it's a 95mph-plus howitzer.

Wilander won't need much if any time to adjust to NHL hockey imo.

I suggest catching his games live if you can. He is good, and a surefire NHLer imo, but his shortcomings on offence and being too passive are real. Highlights always look great. Sprong looks like McDavid in highlights.

I don't doubt he'll overcome some of these, but he'll never be an offensive star, he just isn't wired that way.

 

[Flik]

I suggest catching his games live if you can. He is good, and a surefire NHLer imo, but his shortcomings on offence and being too passive are real. Highlights always look great. Sprong looks like McDavid in highlights.

I don't doubt he'll overcome some of these, but he'll never be an offensive star, he just isn't wired that way.

Which is fine I think. If he hits a Hamhuis 2.0 level, we're absolutely gold for a long time.

 

[Breakers]

Pandolfo hoping a change in pairings stops this roster from taking a million penalties

 

[credulous]

Which is fine I think. If he hits a Hamhuis 2.0 level, we're absolutely gold for a long time.

hamhuis (and tanev) are terrible stylistic comparisons. willander's closest comparables in the nhl imo are guys like slavin and mikey anderson at the high end and more realistically whitecloud and siegenthaler

 

[Flik]

hamhuis (and tanev) are terrible stylistic comparisons. willander's closest comparables in the nhl imo are guys like slavin and mikey anderson at the high end and more realistically whitecloud and siegenthaler

Fair enough, I just meant in terms of offensive output, we don't really need Willander to be that guy