With the second pick of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the Anaheim Ducks have selected Leo Carlsson from Örebro HK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL)
About Leo Carlsson
While a lot of the attention has been on both Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson is right up there as one of the top centres in this class. While he may not have the high-end flash and upside as those two, he’s just as smart and competitive with a strong two-way game. He’s always finding the rights spots for an opportunity and capitalizing on them.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft Live Tracker
Carlsson has been garnering so much attention as a teenager in the SHL as he has been consistent in every aspect of the game. After a strong rookie season where he had nine points in 35 games, he followed that up with 25 in 44. He stood out at the recent World Hockey Championship, finishing with five points in eight games. That alone shows Carlsson’s ability to succeed at all levels as he shows great composure, maturity and poise. The fact that he has those pro habits makes him extremely valuable.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“Carlsson is a very strong and talented playmaker that shows excellent poise and confidence when he has control of the puck. From his puck handling, to constantly finding the open spaces, everything he does is effortless. A natural centre, he has seen time on the wing, but no matter what position he plays, he remains extremely effective as he lets his skillset and high-end IQ take over any situation. He’s extremely calm as he shows no panic in high pressure situations as his awareness and smarts allows him to be a threat in all three zones to find the open space and attack. Even at the 2023 World Junior Championship, he was given every opportunity to succeed in a top-line role and he certainly made an impact with six points in seven games.
“Carlsson’s greatest asset is his high smarts and situational awareness as he processes the game extremely well at a fast pace. Whether he has the puck or not, he’s always in the right place at the right time to create a play or potentially finishing one off. To always be in those spots and constantly read the play effectively is very impressive at his age. He has an intense compete level and work ethic while also showing great strength in battles along the boards or when chasing down loose pucks. When he has the puck, he utilizes his size extremely well to get the inside edge on opposing players, drive to the middle of the ice and to create space for his teammates by drawing in players and making a crisp pass for his teammates.
“Even when he doesn’t have the puck, he’s always making himself open for a shooting opportunity, providing support for his teammates or sneaking in and driving hard to the net undetected for a scoring chance. He can make highlight-reel plays but also play a simplistic and effective game as well.”
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Ducks’ Plans
It’s interesting to see this selection unfold considering the Ducks already have Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish up the middle of the ice. Carlsson envisions himself as a centre more than a wing and moving him to that position is definitely questionable. If the Ducks do see him as a centre, then it’s possible that one of Zegras or McTavish could be on the wing to accommodate Carlsson.
Carlsson is exactly what you want as a top line centre. He has the ability to change the tide of the game and show a high-end compete level in regards to puck battles and positioning in front of the net. To have an all-situation type player like him in the system is a great addition. He could be a consistent 60-point producer in the NHL, as he’s everything a team wants in a reliable centreman.