The San Jose Sharks should select Leo Carlsson at No. 4 in the 2023 NHL Draft.
The San Jose Sharks should select Leo Carlsson with the fourth pick in this year's NHL Draft.
Unlike Matvei Michkov, Carlsson is a center. Listed at 6'3, 194 lbs, Carlsson is not done growing into his body.
In Sweden's highest league, the SHL, Carlsson had 25 points in 44 games for Orebro HK. While those numbers don't jump off the page, the 18-year-old had nine points in 13 playoff games for the club.
He also finished the postseason as a +8 compared to a -5 during the regular season.
Carlsson is ranked fourth in his draft class according to TSN's Bob McKenzie's latest prospect rankings. Carlsson is ranked third on some other lists, but due to his reputation, McKenzie's list will be what I go off.
McKenzie compares the big centerman to Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom. Carlsson is bigger than Backstrom, but a playmaking center is comparable here.
His eight assists in the SHL playoffs showed that. Carlsson will continue to fill out his body, and his high skill level proves he can be a dynamic offensive player.
"His skill, hockey sense, and compete level are all excellent. He’s able to create a ton of offense in the high-percentage areas with game-breaking skill elements to boot," Corey Pronman of The Athletic said.
He has great skill, and the San Jose Sharks could definitely use some more skill. The future of Logan Couture is a bit uncertain, and Tomas Hertl seems to be here to stay, but the addition of Carlsson could boost the depth of the centers.
Not to mention the Sharks drafted another Swedish center, Filip Bystedt, 27th overall in last season's NHL Draft. I would argue that Carlsson has a higher ceiling than Bystedt, but clearly, the Sharks are wanting to build a specific type of center.
Bystedt is 6'4, and as I mentioned before, Carlsson is 6'3. The one knock on Carlsson is that his skating is slightly below average, but when someone is that big and that young, coordination can develop even further as they get older.
"Leo's another guy who's a good player. He played well in the World Juniors as a younger player, and he had a pretty good season in the Swedish Elite League for a guy who's 18 years old as well. He's another talented offensive player. Big, strong, and can make plays," Sharks GM Mike Grier said on Monday.
What I take away most from his quote is that Grier says that Carlsson can make plays. Much like I said with Michkov, the San Jose Sharks need a game-breaker. They need someone who can make a play out of nothing.
Now I am not saying if the Sharks do draft Carlsson at four that, he needs to score 90 points in his rookie season. I am saying that once he has been developed, he needs to become the team's No. 1 centerman.
The Colombus Blue Jackets select third in the upcoming draft, and if I had to guess, they will want to select a centerman. If the Sharks are thinking of doing the same thing, it looks as though the choice may hinge on if CBJ selects Carlsson or maybe Will Smith.
Leo Carlsson could be a dynamic piece the Sharks have needed if he falls to them at four. If the Sharks want to build a strong core at the center position Leo Carlsson is the guy to take.