Top 25 Under 25: Ohgren debuts at No.6 on the list

Another year, another great draft for Judd Brackett and his team with the Minnesota Wild. The first round especially was shocking, as Liam Öhgren and Danila Yurov fell into their laps. We covered Yurov earlier in this ranking (you can find that article here or down below), but the other pick that they made five selections prior was even better. Öhgren is one of the most fun players I and many others had the privilege of watching, whether it be through film or during international tournaments like the World Junior Championships.

One of the more dynamic players that came through with his class, Öhgren has so much to offer the Wild forward core. Not only does he have speed and creativity, but he also has excellent hockey instincts and a good frame to build upon.

The Stats

Öhgren has yet to score a point this season on loan, and last season in the SHL he only scored two points in 25 games. However, he lit up the J20 Nationell league in Sweden, scoring 33 goals and 58 total points in 30 games with additional excellent tournament play.

Roll the Tape

What you will find with most of the clips involving Öhgren is tons of creativity with the puck, a nose for the net, solid hockey IQ, and some excellent speed. For example:

And another where he fights off the defender entirely and puts the puck in the back of the net:

One thing that these clips don’t show off but it’s something that Öhgren possesses as well is a desire to drive to the net and get in the dirty areas. So while I could not find usable clips of that, I can assure you it exists.

The Future

The way that Öhgren finds space or creates it by moving around players and maneuvering with and without the puck is going to be a huge factor in his success at higher levels. I wouldn’t be worried about his lack of production in the SHL, and there’s still plenty of time for him to prove himself in the Allsvenskan league. He’s still young, but there are plenty of positives to look for.

The combination of skating, speed, size, creativity and IQ that he possesses is going to help him a lot in the future, and I could see him being another top-six potential contributor in the future. The Wild have the players and staff to make players like Öhgren and Yurov better than they might be in any other system.

Hockey Wilderness 2022 Top 25 Under 25

25. Mason Shaw, C/LW
24. Sam Hentges, C/LW
23. Simon Johansson, D
22. Hunter Haight, C
21. Nikita Nesternenko, C
20. Marshall Warren, D
19. Filip Gustavsson, G
18. Mikey Milne, LW
17. Mitchell Chaffee, RW
16. Pavel Novak, RW
15. Ryan O’Rourke, D
14. Daemon Hunt, D
13. Jack Peart, D
12. Tyson Jost, C
11. Adam Beckman, LW
10. Connor Dewar, C, LW
9. Danila Yurov, RW
8. Carson Lambos, D
7. Marat Khusnutdinov, C/LW
6. Liam Öhgren, LW