BSH 2023 Community Draft Board, No. 4: Leo Carlsson

Leo Carlsson is a joy to watch play. When you watch him on the ice, you can see exactly why there’s a solid chance he is going to be selected with one of the top 3 picks once the Draft rolls around.

Carlsson stands at 6-foot-3, weighs 194 pounds, plays center, is a silky smooth skater with fantastic one-ice vision, and possesses the ability to both create and finish plays on offense. Simply put, he is a scout’s dream. He has been ranked among the top 5 draft eligible prospects for virtually the entire season, and is either the best, or second best European skater in this year’s class depending on who you ask. There is not much at all to dislike here from a projection standpoint, he has all the tools necessary to succeed at the next level.

Statistics

Pre-Draft Rankings

No.1 (EU skaters) by NHL Central Scouting

No.3 by McKenzie/TSN (midseason)

No. 3 by EliteProspects (March)

No.4 by Sportsnet (March)

What’s there to like?

Carlsson’s strengths on the ice are tailor-made to compliment the NHL’s play style. He is exceptional at moving through the neutral zone with the puck and entering the zone with speed, while still being able to play make for teammates.

It has become somewhat of a cliche in scouting circles, but it is still nonetheless impressive how much of a force Carlsson was in the SHL, being an 18 year old playing against grown men. His 25 SHL points tied him for the 10th best single-season point total by an 18 year old in the history of the Swedish first division.

Those 25 points gave him a higher total this season than former NHLers like Tobias Rieder, Leo Komarov, and Loui Eriksson – and as a plus, Carlsson only upped his play in the playoffs.

With 9 points in 13 games, he tied for 6th among all SHL playoff scorers. In addition, that also tied him for 6th all-time in single-season playoff points. That number eclipses the tallies of former fellow 18 year old SHLers like Mats Sundin, Jakub Vrana, and Alexander Steen.

His skating ability and edgework are NHL quality already, and in the offensive zone he is rarely ever out of place. In addition to being a player that can create for others, his capable shot and deft hands make him a threat around the goal mouth, with the ability to make a cross the seam pass or simply roof it on his own. He makes opponents pay for backing up on him or giving him too much time and space.  

Carlsson also played a huge role for the Swedish National team, particularly in the World Junior Championship, where he led all Swedish draft eligible players with six points in seven games.

He is a multi-faceted nightmare in the offensive zone, and thus could work wonders on the man advantage with his skillset, particularly setting others up on the half-wall, or curling at the top of the circle. Carlsson has multiple ways he can beat you, and that is so important in today’s NHL.

What’s not to like?

There aren’t many holes in Carlsson’s game, you don’t get to be the top rated European skater in your draft year without being well rounded. However, his shot isn’t exactly elite, and while it is more than serviceable, he could become even more dangerous if he is able to develop it.

I hazard to really critique his physical play that much, given that he is, again, a boy amongst men in the SHL. However, his physical profile suggests that he could be more belligerent in the corners than he was this past year, and there’s a good chance that comes with age. His defensive game will also need a little work if he truly wants to reach the mantle of a classic 200-foot center, but all signs point to him being able to do so.

How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?

Carlsson has the ability and potential to be the crown jewel in the middle of a questionable Flyers center corps.

The biggest difference Carlsson could make however, would be in helping to revive a power play that has been woeful for the better part of half a decade. His puck skills and vision would make him an easy choice to man the half wall on PP1 for the foreseeable future, if he was to end up in Philadelphia.

Could the Flyers actually get him?

Short answer, no.

The 7th overall pick is just a stretch too far for Carlsson, who should be gone in within the top 4 picks, if not top 3.

What are Scouts Saying?

“There are just so many translatable tools in Carlsson’s game that he’s just starting to wield to their full effect in the highest level of Swedish professional hockey. He’s playing some of his best hockey of the season right as the games matter most. Carlsson’s stock is already sky-high, but he may well challenge for the No. 2 overall spot in this year’s draft”. – Jimmy Hamrin, Elite Prospects

“The Swedish centre, who can also play on the wing, is a smooth-skating, smart and skilled dual threat to score and make plays. His 6-foot-3, almost 200-pound frame provides a power element to his slick offensive game and he, too, like Fantilli, is projected as a 1B or 2A NHL centre”. – Bob McKenzie, TSN

Another addition to the poll today, and it’s another winger. Welcome Eduard Sale!

Sale is a pure offensive talent who carries himself with incredible confidence in the offensive zone. His offensive toolkit is very exciting. His puck-handling skills, along with high-end offensive hockey sense, are what separates him from other players his age. Sale is very crafty with the puck and has an innate ability to stickhandle out of crowded areas with a clear vision of what to do next. He’s able to pass or shoot out of dekes, which makes him unpredictable in the best way possible. His ability to stickhandle and release the shot quickly often catches opposing goalies off guard, and the same can be said about his passes. Defensemen don’t have time to read Sale’s intentions before the pass has already been delivered. – Sasha Lagarde, Dobber Prospects

Who should be No. 5 on the Community Draft Board?

Previously on the 2023 Community Draft Board…

1. Connor Bedard
2. Adam Fantilli
3. Matvei Michkov
4. Leo Carlsson
5. ????