NHL Draft profile: Simon Edvinsson

BlueJackets.com is running feature stories profiling the top nine players in our consensus poll for the upcoming NHL Draft, which is scheduled to begin Friday, July 23. Columbus will select fifth overall in the draft with the chance to add a high-level player -- likely from this group -- to the organization.
It's not hard to compile a list of some of the top defensemen in the NHL who hail from Sweden.
Victor Hedman is a Conn Smythe Trophy winner from Ornskoldsvik who has been a finalist for the Norris for the past five seasons, winning it once, while skating for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Such names as John Klingberg, Jonas Brodin, Mattias Ekholm and Erik Karlsson are also thought to be among the top players in the league, and Rasmus Dahlin was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft and could be a future superstar in the game.

Yet as good as the crop of current Swedish defenseman is, one name stands above the rest in the history of the country's ability to develop blueliners. Nicklas Lidstrom played 20 seasons in the NHL with Detroit, racking up seven Norris Trophies, six top-10 finishes in the Hart Trophy voting and a Conn Smythe , not to mention 12 All-Star bids and four Stanley Cups.
So it's no wonder young Swedish defensemen want to be just like Lidstrom, including Simon Edvinsson. The massive 6-4, 198-pound skilled blueliner -- who placed seventh in our consensus poll of the top 2021 draft picks available, per prospects experts -- is one of those players who still tries to model his game after the Tre Kronor legend.
"Of course, he is a legend here in Sweden, and I think every defender here in Sweden knows who he is," Edvinsson said. "He is a terrific guy and he is an easy player who makes great effort for the team. I think that's what every defender wants to achieve, being there for the team and to play easy, to be strong, aggressive, win one-on-one, to be harder to play against. That's what I like about him. When he played, he was a leader, and that's the goal."
Those of course are big shoes to fill, as Lidstrom was able to blend offensive abilities -- 1,142 points over his career in 1,564 games, including a career-high 80 in 2005-06 -- with standout defense, as evidenced by the fact he finished just one of his 20 seasons with a minus rating.
Yet Edvinsson, the No. 2-ranked international skater available in the draft by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau, could reach similar lofty heights. A highly respected player as he's come up through Frolunda HC's youth system -- he has been a member of Sweden's Under-17 and U-18 national teams -- he made his debut in Sweden's highest level this past season.
In all, he played at three different levels this past year, playing 14 games for Vasteras IK of the Allsvenskan (minor leagues), 14 games with Frolunda's U-20 team and 10 games with Frolunda's senior team in the SHL. In those 38 games, he combined for one goal and 11 assists, and he also had a 1-3-4 line with Sweden's team at the U-18 Worlds.
It was a pretty strong start to what should be a long pro career, and even if he doesn't turn out to be Lidstrom, Edvinsson has plenty of other inspirations he can draw from. He mentioned Heiskanen, Hedman, Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes as players he watches at the NHL level as he continues to try to grow his game.
"I watch a lot of players right now," he said. "A lot of defenders that are good on different stuff that I try to bring into my own game. I just try to watch as many good players as possible to fill out my game with what they are good at."
Edvinsson comes upon his athleticism naturally, as his father Tobbe is a police officer and his mother, Åsa, is a trainer. He's no stranger to hard work, putting in the time to improve his game and even taking MMA classes in an effort to work on cardio and physicality.
And if you're an NHL team, the good news is unlike many of the North American prospects in the draft, he didn't miss much time this year because of COVID protocols, playing a full season in Sweden.
"I don't think I have been disturbed by the pandemic so much," he said. "I have been pretty lucky to train with the Frolunda pro team, and I have been training the whole season, so I have just been lucky to have to get to train and develop myself as a player the whole year. The pandemic hasn't disturbed me. Of course it's been terrible when we didn't go to different sorts of tournaments like the (Ivan) Hlinka and such, but I am happy I have been on the ice and have trained with Frolunda."

What they're saying

Draft Prospects Hockey draft guide:
"Ultra-aggressive, puck rushing, offensive minded defenseman. His fluid and smooth rushes up ice with the puck are something to behold. He uses a long, strong stride to cover ground and really is an elite skater due to his speed and edge work. He loves to rush the puck from the back end and is a problem for defenders in transition once he builds up to his top speed. ... Defensively his immense size allows him to clear the front of his own net with ease, tie up players down low, and win contested puck battles. … Has plenty of high-end next level upside but also some risk."
HockeyProspect.com Black Book:
"It's extremely rare to find a high caliber defenseman who can skate like he does, has the skill set that he possesses, all while consistently maintaining a high pace in one of the top leagues in the world at his age. If he can learn to leverage his offensive advantages by relying less on his 1 on 1 instincts and more on his adaptable vision, then he can be an indispensable defenseman on the ice, who's capable of taking games over, while displaying a considerable presence. There's an opportunity for Edvinsson to potentially develop into the best defenseman in this class."
Chris Peters, Hockey Sense:
"The upside of Edvinsson is tantalizing. There just are not many players like him in the world. A 6-foot-5, skilled defenseman who has confidence with the puck? It just doesn't come along very often. … There are holes that need to be plugged in his game, but if you're working with a player of his size, mobility and skill, you've already got some of the most difficult things covered."