Red Wings Select Simon Edvinsson with the 6th pick in the NHL draft

Well after all the waiting, Detroit got their 2021 Entry Draft started with the team selecting defenseman Simon Edvinsson from Frolunda.

With William Eklund still on the board, I was hoping that Yzerman would take the forward, but instead he took a defenseman who could have some people looking back in a few years and wondering how Detroit was able to draft another great defenseman at #6.

Date of Birth: Feb 05, 2003
Position: D
Age: 18
Height: 6’5” / 195 cm
Place of Birth: Onsala, SWE
Weight: 207 lbs / 94 kg
Nation: Sweden
Shoots: Left

Ranked #7 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #8 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #7 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #4 by NEUTRAL ZONE
Ranked #3 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #11 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #8 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #2 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Skaters)
Ranked #3 by SPORTSNET
Ranked #3 by ISS HOCKEY
Ranked #14 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #8 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #11 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #6 by SMAHT SCOUTING
Ranked #7 by THE PUCK AUTHORITY

From Future Considerations:

What stands out about Edvinsson’s game is the phenomenal fluidity in his skating stride and how effortlessly he’s able to move around the ice, especially for a player of his stature. He is able to generate speed quickly and effortlessly with just a few long strides, while demonstrating great control with his edges, using crossovers to quickly change direction.

The transitional upside with Edvinsson is enormous, as he’s most effective on the ice at moving pucks up the ice and securing zone exits and entries with control. He consistently has his head up while handling the puck and does well at evading pressure from oncoming forecheckers, using his edgework, puck skills, and long reach to turn away from opposing attackers while also being willing to make simple, small passes to teammates to efficiently move the play up ice. He has very soft hands for a big blueliner, able to handle and protect the puck well in tight spaces. Having that long reach to add to his quick hands make him very effective and hard to take the puck off.

Edvinsson passes the puck very well while in transition, making it easy on teammates to receive. He does very well while under pressure, staying calm and focused on the play ahead of him. One thing he will need to manage better is his decision-making on when to pinch. as he’s very aggressive. Edvinsson is a talented enough skater to keep up with opposing attackers while skating backward, though there are occasions where he shows difficulties controlling gaps on faster opponents. The biggest area for improvement for Edvinsson is his in-zone defensive awareness. He can get caught puck-watching, allowing passing lanes to open up around him by failing to keep his head on a swivel and keeping track of opposing attackers away from the puck.

Edvinsson competes hard, but his overall awareness and ability to read and react properly to opposing offenses in his own zone is an issue that will need to be ironed out. At the same time, the defender played 11 games in the SHL and 20 games in the Allsvenskan this season, the top-two men’s leagues in Sweden, which should aid in his transition to that North American game. “A two-way defenseman with great offensive instincts,” said one FCHockey scout. “He is also a great skater with good mobility. His decision-making is a question-mark and he can be inconsistent at times.”

TL;DR: Edvinsson is a big defenseman who boasts a fluid skating style. He excels at moving the puck in transition and staying calm under pressure. He’ll need to work on his defensive positioning and awareness.

UPDATE: Our very own Sara did some digging, and what she found really sold me on this pick: