Watch draft-eligible Carlsson score on fantastic solo effort in SHL

During his 18-year-old season in the SHL, Ottawa Senators star defenseman Erik Karlsson managed five goals and 10 points in 45 games. It would have been hard to predict that seven years later he would be one of the highest scoring players in the NHL. With that in mind, there might be reason for teams to get excited about another Karlsson — or Carlsson, we should say.

Lucas Carlsson, 18, plays for the SHL’s Brynas IF turned some heads this past weekend with a dazzling goal for his sixth point in 25 games in the SHL. Projected as the 22nd best European skater in the NHL’s mid-term rankings, Carlsson, a speedy young blueliner, may have seen his stock rise with a must-see solo effort:

17-year old defenseman Lucas Carlsson scored a beauty in the SHL today... pic.twitter.com/DtfGehvLsB

— Robert Söderlind (@HockeyWebCast) February 6, 2016

Carlsson’s first move is a subtle one in the neutral zone — his delay gets the defender to commit to the outside and Carlsson cuts back to the middle — but after that he spends the rest of the play embarrassing the Orebro defense. Carlsson stick handles the defenseman he goes one-on-one with into the ground and then absolutely rifles a shot glove side. Even his coach can’t help but laugh.

It was Carlsson’s third goal of the season and seventh career point in the SHL. If you didn’t know any better, though, you would swear you were watching a point per game defenseman flying down the ice. Carlsson’s unassisted goal helped Brynas to a 3-2 victory over Orebro.

(Video via Robert Soderlind)