NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Jesper Lindgren

Get to Know Jesper Lindgren

Date of Birth: 5/19/1997
Place of Birth: Umea, SWE
Ht: 6’0″ Wt: 161 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: Defenseman
Team: MODO (SHL)

Statistics

What Scouts See

Elite Prospects:

Jesper Lindgren, an impressive blend of skill, speed, determination, and intelligence, is the one player you don’t want to see carrying the puck if you are his adversary. The nimble puck-carrying defenseman plays above his age, and is confident enough in his abilites to make creative plays under pressure. He is poised with the puck and possesses a high level of hockey sense; he is always aware of what is unfolding in the play, and never seems to make irrational decisions or bend under adversity.

What he lacks in size, he makes up for in spirit and cunning. However, he doesn’t shy away from puck battles, and will use his body to barge his way in and swoop out with the puck. All-in-all, a talented offensive blueliner who plays an adaptive, new-age style of hockey.

Future Considerations:

A smooth skating offensive minded blueliner…more agile and fluid than a speedster…has impressive hockey sense and vision…makes some incredible high-end passes…not only hitting targets through skates and sticks but also finding open spots to head the puck…has a good hard shot that is has good placement…good defensively as well…while not a bruiser by any stretch physical play is solid, he never shies away from fighting along the boards…

Likes to use his body to separate the puck from the opponents in one on one situations…reads passes well and can step up to intercept before quickly transitioning the play…offensive puck moving is where he stands out most.

Bill Placzek:

An aggressive offensive player you will jump up in pinches and fake defenders to him and place the puck to an opponent or simply freeze the defender and blow on by. Incredibly cool and confident, with legs and moves that sometimes don’t work, but cause defenders to think about what they might encounter on the next touch.

He has elusive puck control that isn’t going to ever stay back if he has an inkling he can make a play. His feet let him get back when the puck is turned over in transition. A bold gunslinger who needs to get stronger, bigger and continue to progress.

Highlights…were not found when searching for them.

NHL Potential

Lindgren is a definite sleeper in this draft. Not highly rated by anyone but still talented, Lindgren’s career has been a slow development. Whoever selects him should expect to wait a few years for him but if he does blossom as he faces tougher competition, he could be a power play quarterback and a middle-pairing defender in the NHL.

Expected Draft Position

Lindgren’s highest ranking across the services we use is 77th by Future Considersations. He came in as ‘Honorable Mention’ on Corey Pronman’s Top 100 list but didn’t make an appearance elsewhere. His success in the Swedish juniors this past season provides plenty of reason for optimism but I see nothing to suggest he’ll be selected earlier than the 4th round. His rankings are simply too low and his measurables and output simply don’t scream early draft pick.

How Prospect Fits in Avalanche Organization

Lindgren is an interesting prospect in that he has produced at a high level but simply hasn’t spent much time against top competition yet. He’s a talented offensive-defenseman but hasn’t had the chance to prove himself against tougher competition. Because of that, Lindgren is likely a mid-round selection with the third round likely being the highest he should start looking for his name.

Were the Avs to use one of their mid-to-late round selections on Lindgren, it would be a curious decision. He’s not a big or particularly physical player, two things Colorado has been coveting in recent years, but towards the end of the draft it makes more sense. I have no realistic expectation of where Lindgren is going to be drafted so it makes it tough to assess value when he is eventually selected. I think anytime before the fourth round is reaching for a player they simply don’t need.

Should the Avs take the plunge with Lindgren in the 4th round, it’s an intriguing gamble. Lindgren has intriguing upside but not much of a track record yet and Colorado might simply be more comfortable staying with a prospect that’s a bit more proven.

Style-wise, Lindgren doesn’t really fit Colorado’s current needs. There are already a glut of talented puck-moving defensemen in the system and Lindgren wouldn’t likely jump any of them on the depth chart upon being drafted, making him a questionable organizational fit.