Maple Leafs bolster blue line, draft Rasmus Sandin 29th overall
The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Rasmus Sandin with the 29th overall pick in the NHL draft on Friday night.
Position: Defense
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 190 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Soo Greyhounds (OHL)
Nationality: Sweden
| GP | G | A | P | 5v5 GPG | 5v5 PPG | 5v5 GF% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | 12 | 33 | 45 | 0.16 | 0.55 | 62.4 |
(Five-on-five stats courtesy: prospect-stats.com)
Sandin is a new-age defenseman. He's smart, elusive, has great vision, and makes an excellent first pass. He also has a sneakily good shot with a quick release and can get off a decent one-timer.
The knock on Sandin is that despite being a smooth skater, he lacks an explosive first step. This could limit his upside at the next level considering he's undersized.
"Transition defender who offers strong vision and crisp passes," said Cam Robinson of DobberProspects.com. "A smart player who knows when to pinch and can read the play happening at both ends of the rink. Lacks elite quickness but has a knack for changing gears to create separation while on the attack."
To view highlights of Sandin, click here.