2022 NHL Draft: Wild select Liam Öhgren at 19th overall

After 18 grueling picks had been made and we had been compelled to attend till our favourite membership might make their choice, the Minnesota Wild and GM Invoice Guerin lastly stepped as much as the rostrum and made their decide. And at nineteenth general, the Wild chosen Swedish winger Liam Öhgren out of Djurgardens IF within the SHL.

Öhgrenis a 6-foot-1, 201 lbs winger that may be a hard-working ahead that thrives in transition. After scoring 33 objectives and 58 factors in simply 30 video games within the J20 Nationell (Swedish junior league), Öhgrenwas named the highest ahead of the league — to associate with the Below-18 Worlds gold medal. Already a participant that has plenty of character and is claimed to be captain materials (one thing that the Wild clearly worth), and ability to slot in with the all-out Minnesota system.

The Stockholm native was ranked as excessive as thirteenth general by some retailers. He can be enjoying within the Swedish Allsvenskan subsequent yr, however who is aware of after that! He will definitely be an attention-grabbing participant to maintain tabs on it doesn’t matter what.

Right here is The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler on the participant:

Öhgren put collectively probably the most productive age-adjusted seasons within the historical past of Sweden’s high junior stage and two robust performances internationally for Sweden (first ultimately yr’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup, after which extra just lately at U18 worlds, the place he was additionally the workforce’s captain) in his draft yr. He’s an even bigger, stronger participant than his two contemporaries in Djurgården and whereas he doesn’t have Lekkerimäki’s dynamism or Östlund’s breeziness, that doesn’t make him any much less attention-grabbing because the shot-and-pass, power-and-finesse mixture participant that he’s. I like the best way he shades into and away from strain in management. His shot comes off his blade fast, arduous and naturally, rocking it again into his stance and letting it go (it actually pops). His offensive arsenal is multi-faceted and he’s received some actually sneaky craftiness and evasiveness to his sport to enrich the instruments of power over the puck/via his shot which might be apparent. He’ll want to choose up a step to translate his sport to the professional stage, however I wouldn’t name his skating an obstacle (it’s higher than he often get credit score for) and he’s all the time discovering methods to get to pucks and/or get open across the house plate space contained in the offensive zone, the place his ability and shot take over. — The Athletic