The Vegas Golden Knights could pick the top defenseman in this years NHL Entry Draft.
Even though the 2017 NHL Entry Draft has a bunch of talented forwards, the defensemen in this draft is lackluster. If you’re a team that’s hoping to get a solid defenseman to add to your blue line you may be in for some bad news this year. The Vegas Golden Knights are fortunate enough to be selecting in at least the top seven in this years draft.
This would allow them to possibly select the top defenseman in this years draft Timothy Liljegren. Liljegren plays in his home land of Sweden and he looks like he’ll be a force on the blue line. This season in 54 games played altogether for multiple clubs, he’s accumulated nine Goals, 20 Assists and 29 Points.
The stats may be a bit low but that’s due to the fact he’s playing against much more experienced players. Liljegren is far and away the best available defenseman in the draft. He’s not the biggest d-man at 6’0 and 192 lbs so he’s going to need to pack on some more muscle to make an impact at the NHL level.
There are a few kinks to Liljegren’s game. One being his work defensively which is rather ironic. Liljegren needs to be more physical if he wants to become a top-tier defenseman at the NHL level. Not only that but Liljegren sometimes pinches far too much in the offensive zone.
The Swedish born defenseman has all the tools to become a great player. Being paired with the right defenseman has a lot to do with it as well. But what does Liljegren bring that makes him standout from other defensemen in this draft?
Liljegrens skating ability is already at elite status. His speed is at an all world level and he’s very strong on the puck and doesn’t turn the puck over much at all. As far as Liljegrens offensive game goes, he looks like he can step in and contribute on the powerplay.
The 17-year-old looks like he can be the main man on the back end of a powerplay. Liljegrens excellent vision and hockey IQ is deadly for the opposing teams penalty kill. Liljegren also has a great shot with a ton of power. His shot may not reach the power of the likes of Zdeno Chara or Shea Weber but his accuracy makes him even more lethal.
Liljegren makes those tape to tape passes look rather easy and he’s very good at moving the puck out of danger. One thing that stands out about his game is his composure and keeping things simple. He’s not too erratic with the puck and tries to make the simple play. Most players his age would try to be flashy and make the home run pass to send a player out on a breakaway.
Offensively Liljegren likes to keep other defenses guessing. He likes to make those short outlet passes, carry the puck into the zone himself and likes to make the stretch pass at times. He’ll never give the opposing team predictable opportunities to retrieve the puck which is important to know at his age.
All in all, Liljegren should be a top five draft choice in my eyes. He’s fallen off a lot of boards due to being diagnosed with mononucleosis and missed time because of that. However, that should not sway away the fact that Vegas Golden Knights General Manager George McPhee has the chance to draft Timothy Liljegren in the top five.