Prospect Profile: Discussing the Merits of Magnus

A Double Draft Media Special

In another edition of high quality draft media produced by myself, today we will be talking about one of the more notable prospects available in the S53 SHL Draft. After a trade made yesterday between the Texas Renegades and the Winnipeg Jets that saw the first overall pick change hands, many speculated that it was a move the Jets had made firmly with this young man in mind. Yes that’s right, the player who will be receiving the superstar player in today’s article is none other than Detroit Falcons defenseman Magnus Liljestrom. Selected with the second overall pick by the Detroit Falcons what feels like no time ago, what is it that the young Liljestrom has done to not only secure his status as a worthy second overall pick, but also a leading front runner for the first overall pick in the SHL Draft? It takes a lot to establish yourself as a player of great value in a class like this, and Magnus has managed to do it on two different occasions. In this media piece I will be looking at exactly what it is about Magnus that makes him such a notable prospect, what drafting him means for the team who does so and where I see him projecting in the long term in the SHL.

Not much is clear about Magnus’ background based on the information available to us prior to the draft. It’s known that he was born and raised in Sweden but it’s not exactly clear where in the country even he came from. There have been rumblings that Magnus grew up playing hockey in Ornskoldsvik, the town that spawned the great Sven Karlsson, although there is little concrete to confirm that; for some reason the background of this young player is shrouded in mystery. But let’s turn our attention away from speculating on what we don’t know to focussing on what we can see in front of us. It is meant with no disrespect to say that if you were to base your scouting impression of Magnus just on his physical measurables he’d be far from the first overall pick in the draft. Standing only 6 foot 2 inches tall and weighing less than 200 pounds, he’s not really the sort of physical specimen that shoots to mind when you think of an elite SHL defenseman. He makes up for it however in the way he is able to move when out on the ice, possessing the kind of fast flowing and fluid skating that makes him look more like a figure skater than a hockey player. He can literally run rings around almost anyone on the ice, and it’s this ability to not only move at a high speed but successfully read and process the game at the same kind of rapid rate that has many scouts very excited about the level that he might be able to hit in the future. The thing that has perhaps enable Magnus’ game to translate so well to the higher level hes been able to play at is his on ice vision and the ability to see what his teammates can do before they do. He is a playmaking force when bringing offense from the blueline and although it may be a cliche to say, he makes everyone else on the ice with him better. His ability to make what would be low percentage passes for lesser players is incredible, and the different ways he is able to move the puck can burn any team.

Liljestrom has done a great job so far of playing sound defensive hockey additionally, and although far from a stay at home defenseman or someone who is likely to throw out a lot of physical force, he is someone who at the same time can do what he needs to do in his own zone and make a stop when needed. He is fantastic at using his stick to break up a play and can do what is needed when it comes to stripping the puck away from his opposite number. Is there anything negative to be said about Magnus game? Perhaps the one thing that stands out is he’s been slow so far to prove that he is a real goal scoring threat from the blueline. While it’s very true that it isn’t exactly the first thing that most scouts look for in defensemen, when you have a game that’s as exceptional in almost every other area as Magnus does it is somewhat notable that there’s an area that needs that kind of work to get to the same level. It would be encouraging to see some development in this area from Magnus during the offseason, and if he does grow his ability to score goals then he would be a truly terrifying opponent for any opposing team in the SHL going forward.

We’ve seen a lot of growth and development from Magnus during the year gone by, and it’s great to see a Falcon enter the draft as perhaps it’s most notable talent. While there is a long way to go on the road to stardom for the young Swede, what we’ve seen so far is certainly showing all the right signs about what the future holds for him and his potential. For the team that drafts him, they’re adding a supreme talent to their prospect pool. He has the ability to make every other player in their pipeline better, and will be a potential franchise cornerstone for a long time to come. I really do project Magnus to be a top pairing defenseman in the SHL, and with a truly elite ceiling. Through playing in Detroit with him I’ve witnessed  his passion for the game and enthusiasm for what the future holds, and I believe that if all goes well and his development continues as it has, he’ll be one of the most notable defensemen in the SHL a lot sooner than some people might think.