DRAFT: Get to Know Leo Carlsson

With a little over two weeks remaining until the 2023 NHL Draft, draft prospects from around the world attended the 2023 NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo in a week-long event filled with fitness tests and interviews with all NHL teams.

One of the top prospects to stand out during the combine included center Leo Carlsson, who represented Team Sweden in both the World Junior tournament and the IIHF World Championship contests. The 18-year-old forward noted that being able to represent his country at top international tournaments this past year helped him going into the draft process.

"It's been good," Carlsson said. "[There were] some up and downs as well, but pretty good, pretty good in the World Junior tournament and great playoffs and had to go to World Championship."

In the final NHL Central Scouting ranking on April 18, Carlsson held the number one ranking among international skaters. The Swedish native played 44 games for the Örebro HK in the Swedish Hockey League where he also produced 25 points (10G, 15A) on top of his tournament appearances.

After Team Sweden fell to Team USA in the bronze medal match of the World Junior competition, Carlsson ranked third on the team in points (6) through seven contests scoring three goals and three assists. Following the tournament, the 6-foot-3 center continued to play in the SHL before being named to Sweden's roster for the IIHF World Championship.

While he didn't expect to hear his name announced to the roster, Carlsson still produced three goals and two assists in eight contests before losing to Latvia in the quarterfinals. While ranking fifth on the team in offensive production, he noted that one of the biggest takeaways he took from the tournment was being able to learn from current NHL players on the roster.

"When I got home from World Junior, I didn't expect it at all," Carlsson said. "I learned some good stuff from [Jakob] Silfverberg, [Lucas] Raymond, [Rasmus] Sandin and those guys, so it's been good."

Carlsson and current Detroit Red Wings forward Lucas Raymond played together on the team's first line throughout the tournament and connected on points together throughout the matchups.

For Carlsson, he was able to learn from the fourth overall pick of the 2020 draft and take some advice on how to handle the change to the NHL as he continues through the draft process leading up to June 28.

"They gave me some small tips on living out there in the first year and the first month and stuff," Carlsson said. "[Raymond is] fast and skilled, so he taught me a lot."