Omasta mielestä Berglund (191 cm / 95 kg) oli dieselmäisestä liikkeestään huolimatta Ruotsin paras sentteri U18-kisoissa, joten siinä valossa ihan ok fiilis jäi tästä, joskin olisihan tuolla pickillä muutama muukin nuori mies kiinnostanut. Heikkoon keskushyökkääjä-pooliin saatiin kuitenkin jo toinen uusi nimi, joten tämän draftin painotus tuntuisi selvältä. Tuskin tämä synnytti kenellekään sen suurempaa värinää kummassakaan päässä kehoa, mutta mielestäni ihan ymmärrettävä valinta.
Elite Prospectsin draft-bookista ne olennaisimmat:
"A hulking two-way centre who supports the play well in all three zones, and has skill as a handler and as a passer; will need to develop his skating to reach his ceiling as bottom-six NHLer. When Jack Berglund’s at the top of his game, he looks like a player with the potential to centre an NHL third line.
With the puck, Berglund is inside-driven, decisive and patient in equal measures, able to move the puck with pace or wait patiently as plays develop before making his decision. He can spin off checks along the wall, work the give-and-go game to gain the inside, and cut through traffic to get quality looks.
Away from the puck, the Karlstad-born forward supports his linemates, sneaks into soft-ice, and creates space by driving through traffic, often on his way to the net-front. He’s a punishing forechecker, an enthusiastic backchecker, and a diligent defensive player.
Even at his best, though, Berglund is often undone by two acute deficiencies. First and foremost has to be his skating stride. He’s a little knock-kneed, prone to crashing down on his inside edges, lacking any real quickness or agility. Not all that far behind would be his puck skills. He’s not a particularly creative or cunning handler and sometimes struggles with the most basic stuff, like taking a pass clean."
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Tämän jälkeen tekivät Nashvillen kanssa kaupan, jossa 77. varaus (3. kierros, 2024) ja viime yönä saatu Minnessotan kolmonen kesälle 2025 vaihtuivat 59. varaukseen, jolla siis nappasivat QMJHL:stä raamikkaan rightin puolustajan Spencer Gillin (192 cm / 84 kg).
Itselle Gill on asteen oudompi tapaus, sillä QMJHL:ää tuli seurattua jälleen Kanadan juniorisarjoista selvästi vähiten, enkä Rimouskiltakaan nähnyt peliäkään. U18-kisoissa pelasi puolestaan hyvin pienessä roolissa Kanadan takalinjoilla. Hirveästi ei siis omaa sanottavaa pojasta ole. Jätti aika harmaan ja mitäänsanomattoman kuvan U18-kisoissa itsestään, mutta eipä sitä vastuutakaan suuremmin ainakaan näkemissäni Kanadan peleissä tullut.
Elite Prospects:
"A physical and imposing defenceman who flashes impressive playmaking and scoring abilities every other game. He’s in the best development system for players of his type in the QMJHL.
There’s a clear offensive touch in his game. He can hit the smallest of passing lanes, beat opponents with fakes and float shots to the top of the net from the point. Operating with confidence and timing, he’s constantly attacking space and participating in all his team’s plays in the offensive zone. With continued improvements to his skating and playmaking, he could become a solid power play quarterback.
“He’s awkward and shaky at times, and certainly not explosive,” wrote Elite Prospects Dir. of North American Scouting Mitch Brown in a January game report. “But Gill clearly exploits momentum, anticipates activation opportunities well in advance, and even manipulates opponents to create lanes in all three zones. The mechanical instability means it doesn’t consistently appear – or work – on breakouts, but it could as he grows in coordination, strength, and confidence.”
Gill’s shakiness reduces his effectiveness right now. Opponents can manipulate him and leave him behind. He misses some rotations and his gap gets too loose, at times, but he can engage, rotate, and close down on opponents off the rush. And his 6-foot-3 stature, reach, and physical side will translate well to the NHL and give him an advantage in the defensive zone.
All signs say that Gill is going to continue to develop and grow in his frame. Born on August 17, 2006, the defenceman is one of the youngest prospects available in the draft. He lacks the strength and the mobility necessary to take advantage of his natural gifts, right now, and he will have plenty of ice-time and opportunities to continue pushing his skill in an up and coming Oceanic team.
Gill’s high potential, NHL projectable tools and flashes of deceptive offensive skills make him an interesting project for a team in the second or third round of the draft."
Tästä kiekollisesta puolesta ei kyllä U18-kisoissa näkynyt suuremmin merkkejä, mutta roolikin oli toki pieni, joten uskotaan viisaampia. Flyers kannattajille Rimouski on aiemmin tuttu Samuel Morinin junioriseurana. Se ei kauniiksi kukaksi kedolle noussut, joten toivotaan Gillin kanssa käyvän paremmin. Rimouski on kuitenkin näitä QMJHL:n menestymään tottuneita joukkueita ja isännöivät muistaakseni ensi keväänä Memorial Cupiakin, joten varmasti niitä paljon huonompiakin paikkoja kehitykselle löytyy.
