Minnesota Wild Prospect Hallquisth Loaned to Sweden’s Second-Tier League

Minnesota Wild prospect Theodor Hallquisth (round 2 #52 overall, 2025) began the season in the Swedish junior league but is now headed on loan to HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier division. The move should serve the young defenseman well, especially since he has seen limited ice time during his brief SHL appearances.

Theodor Hallquisth has looked a step ahead of his opponents in the U20 Nationell during the opening games of the season. At 6'2" and 185 lbs, he moves with authority and shows upside at both ends of the ice. In the offensive zone, his strong vision stands out, allowing him to create plays through sharp passing. He can also sustain pressure by stepping up aggressively from the blue line. During his draft year, Hallquisth could at times be inconsistent in his decision-making in exactly this area. It will be interesting to see how he develops that part of his game over the coming year, especially as he gains experience against senior competition in Sweden’s second tier.

Hallquisth’s SHL club, Örebro, sees a lot of potential in the young defenseman, which their sporting director emphasized when announcing the loan.

“Theo is a player we have a lot of faith in and see great potential in. We’re really pleased and grateful to have found this solution together with Troja-Ljungby. We feel it’s exactly the right step for Theo at this stage, as it gives him the chance to develop his game at the senior level,” said Örebro’s sporting director, Henrik Löwdahl.

Hallquisth was excited after being drafted by the Minnesota Wild, something he emphasized during the press conference following the draft.

“It feels surreal. Hard to take in. I’m trying to enjoy it, but it almost feels shocking. It’s an unreal feeling. It hasn’t really sunk in yet, I’m still a bit overwhelmed,” said Hallquisth after being drafted by the Minnesota Wild. He went on to talk about the team’s interest in him and his impressions of the organization.

“I’ve tried not to speculate too much because it’s almost impossible to guess which team it might be. But when I heard Minnesota call my name, it was an amazing feeling. It’s an incredibly good organization, I’ve only heard great things about them. I feel very honored to become part of their organization. It’s only a positive that there are many Swedes there. I can learn a lot from them. It might even feel a bit like home.”

Having Jonas Brodin as a mentor could be an important part of his development, something Hallquisth views very positively.

“I’ve watched him a lot. The NHL games are in the middle of the night in Sweden, so I haven’t seen that much from there, but at the World Championship I watched every shift he played. He’s an awesome two-way defenseman and a great skater, and I think we’re pretty similar as players, even though I still have a lot to learn to reach his level. I’m really looking forward to meeting him and talking to him.” said Theodor Hallquisth at the draft.

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