Scouting Report: Ragnar Lothbrok, 16-year-old Left-shot Defenseman

Height: 6’
Weight: 179 lbs

Lothbrok has a plethora of upside to how he plays the ice. A slight-of-frame defenseman, he can throw the body around with the best of them, able to lock down the corners and make any player bearing down on him wish he was heading to a different side of the rink. His reading skills are phenomenal, and his positioning allows him to make good use of it, stopping plays before they happen and converting that into scoring chances on the back end. With an impressive shot and excellent passing and stickhandling ability, he can turn those chances into goals himself, while using his agility and ability to get open makes him a dangerous fourth option on a powerplay. On top of that, he has an extra gear he can hit to beat an opponent, with the stamina top play the whole game and the strength to physically compete with any player.

But where his physical skill makes him a strong player on the ice, he’s not a common sight in the corners for long periods of time. Questions about how determined he is to go to the dangerous areas and make the plays he needs to on the defensive side of the puck. Because of this, his ability to get his stick or his body into the tough areas is diminished, and he struggles to screen effectively for the sake of his body. Ragnar has offensive promise, but he needs some work to be the strongest player he can be.

Eddie Morozov signing off for now. Stay tuned for more info and more reports from my trips abroad scouting the next SHL stars!

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