2021 NHL Draft: Simon Edvinsson is a big boy

Big defensemen in any NHL Draft is easily the most controversial picks. On one side you have the traditional scouts that love the big body of players and believe that is what wins you championships. On the other side, there’s the more progressive scouts that believe size is still beneficial, but would rather have a player that can provide more benefits to the game, other than being taller than everybody else.

Luckily, Simon Edvinsson has a little bit of both. He’s a very big Swedish defender, standing at 6-foot-5 (sometimes 6-foot-4 depending on what database you look at) but he also gives more offense than we’re used to from those towering defensemen selected in the first round.

There are plenty of things to like about Edvinsson’s game and the team selecting him in the first half of the first round — as projected — will certainly have lots to talk about and the fan base will have debates amongst themselves if someone more skilled but smaller is still available.

There’s always one defenseman that can cause a ruckus.

Pre-Draft Rankings

#2 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)

#12 by Corey Pronman/The Athletic

#9 by Elite Prospects

#2 by FCHockey

#7 by Dobber Prospects

What Scouts Are Saying

-Corey Pronman, The Athletic

-Mikael Holm, Dobber Prospects

-Smaht Scouting

-Madeline Campbell, Broad Street Hockey

Would He Fit In With The Wild?

Edvinsson would certainly be the tallest defenseman on the blue line, but with the amount of indecisiveness he sometimes possesses with the puck would not be the kind of hockey we’re used to in Minnesota. Certainly every skater in the current Wild top-four is just extremely calm with possession and has some top-tier awareness for where their teammates and the opposition is on the ice.

The tall Swede is still young and will develop, but as he plays right now, I feel like it would be an uncommon player to see on the Minnesota blue line.

Could The Wild Get Him?

Honestly, Edvinsson isn’t the type of player that just falls. Despite his ranking being all over the place and mock drafts having him wherever the writer’s personal preference lies, he’s a Big Hockey Player, so if anything, he’s going to be taken earlier than projected. Hell, he might be a surprise top-5 pick just because some team doesn’t like the way William Eklund interviewed or some shit.

Minnesota currently possess the 21st and 25th overall selections, so they are a far way off from getting hold of Edvinsson.

A Minnesota Relation

In the most polite way possible, Edvinsson’s freakish height and hint of offensive ability reminds me of Kurtis Foster, but if he remained in his mid-20’s for the rest of his career.

From 2005-07 Foster earned 51 points in 115 games. Not the most dynamic offensive blueliner, but was certainly there and ready to contribute when needed on a team that wasn’t really doing much in terms of offense. Realistically, the Wild have had a history of just solid normal-heighted defensemen have been responsible in both ends. For decades now that has been the mold that Minnesota blueliners have been cast out of. So, Foster is probably the closest — and somewhat obscure — meaningless comparison you’re going to get surrounding Edvinsson this draft season.

2021 NHL Draft Board