Canucks: More on Brandt Clarke, Simon Edvinsson, Luke Hughes

Simon Edvinsson

Up next on the Canucks’ defensive rankings, just ahead of Clarke, is Edvinsson.

Edvinsson’s 2020-21 season began with Frolunda HC of the SHL, where he registered one assist in ten games, before being loaned to Västerås IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan league. He was able to improve upon his previous point totals, putting up five assists in 14 games with his new club.

Like Clarke, Edvinsson also represented his country on the international stage. He played seven games for Team Sweden during the U-18 World Junior Championships, and didn’t look too out of place throughout the tournament.

Of course, Edvinsson isn’t known for his offensive output. The 18-year-old Swede already clocks in at 6’5″ and 207 pounds, and is expected to fill out his large frame even more as he continues to grow and develop. Despite his intimidating size, Edvinsson is also still considered one of the smoothest, most agile blueliners available this year.

According to Elite Prospects, Edvinsson’s smooth-skating abilities are on full display when carrying the puck out of the defensive zone. He is often able to blow by the first set of opposing forecheckers, and can effectively utilize his toolkit of explosive movements and quick fakes to gain entry into the offensive zone. He’s also not afraid to showcase hard-hitting physicality to get past his opponents.

Unfortunately, one of Edvinsson’s biggest knocks is his overall speed.

There’s no doubt that he can move well for a towering, big-bodied defenceman, and it’s hard to truly evaluate his pace given that he dressed for three different clubs this past season. However, he has a tendency to misread on-ice situations, and it often results from his inability to carry the puck with dangerous speed. Edvinsson also has trouble finding and orchestrating passes for open teammates early on in the breakout, allowing forecheckers to close in on him often.

Despite his struggles with speed and on-ice decision-making, Edvinsson still plays with toughness, confidence and a high hockey IQ. He can handle the puck well under pressure, and has the ability to keep opponents to the outside with his large size and long reach. He would definitely need more time to develop his overall game but, if Edvinsson can build off of his already strong foundation and skillset while improving his pace and quickness, there’s no doubt that he could become a valued addition to any team’s blueline.

And if the Canucks end up snagging him at ninth overall, he could also become one of the best steals of this year’s draft.