Ducks surprise with Leo Carlsson at No. 2
The Anaheim Ducks selected Leo Carlsson with the 2nd overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
"I was a bit surprised but super blessed," he said on hearing his name called right after phenom Connor Bedard.
Leo Carlsson
Position: Center
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 198 lbs
Shoots: Left
Age: 18
Club: Orbero (SHL)
Nationality: 🇸🇪
NHL Central Scouting final ranking: 1st among European skaters
2022-23 stats
| GP | G | A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orbero | 44 | 10 | 15 |
| World juniors | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| World Championship | 8 | 3 | 2 |
Carlsson had an impressive year, holding his own in Sweden's top league while also becoming the youngest player to ever score for his native country's senior men's team at the world championship in May. He couldn't help Sweden earn a medal at the world juniors but was second on the team in scoring with six points in seven games.
Carlsson brings an enticing blend of size and skill, and he has experience down the middle as well as on the wing. His point total in the SHL this past season appears modest, but Carlsson was the sixth-most productive player on Obero and the highest-scoring teenager in the league. He has high-end offensive instincts in his repertoire, evidenced by his 1.92 points per game clip in Sweden's J-20 league in 2021-22. He projects to be a strong contributor at the NHL level in short order.
What they're saying
"Carlsson routinely shows the ability to beat pro defenders with skill," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman. "He gets a ton of chances in the high-percentage areas, both due to his hands and his willingness to attack the net. He's an excellent playmaker as well, with a very imaginative offensive mind (and) can run a pro power play and often played the flank in the SHL on the man advantage."
"Carlsson's a big kid who has begun to come into his body … but he's also got slick handling and finesse for a forward his size, regularly finding his way through traffic or around it by outwaiting defenders one-on-one in shielded puck protection off of his hip," wrote The Athletic's Scott Wheeler. "He stays on pucks, he's got great instincts and takes smart routes around the ice, he's sound positionally, he applies pressure off of the puck and comes up with possession despite not being very physical, and he just always seems to be involved in positive things inside the offensive zone."
Click here to watch Carlsson's highlights.