ELIAS SALOMONSSON

Defense
6’1/161
Right
Skelleftea AIK J20/J20 Nationell

Related: David Jiricek

Elias Salomonsson is one of the Best Defenseman in the 2022 NHL Draft; he hails out of Sweden and has already accomplished quite a lot in his young career. Salomonsson established himself as a top defenseman in Sweden in the 2020-21 season, when he put up the most Assists (11) and Points (15) by a defenseman. He also won a Bronze Medal at the U18 WJC in 2020 and at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2021. His development throughout this season is worth monitoring, and he could very well work himself into the top 10 if he plays well enough.

Size/Strength Good
Skating Great
Shot/Scoring Good
Puckhandling Great
Physical Play Good
Offensive Play Great
Defensive Play Great
Hockey Sense Great
Competitiveness Great

Strength

1. A good two-way defenseman, a credible puck-mover, strong both on and off of the puck.
2. Smooth puck mover with impeccable passing execution.
3. Possesses swift hands that he can use to manage the puck in tight spaces

Areas of Improvement

1. Has a good frame, but needs to bulk up.
2. Needs work on his defensive positioning and reads.

Scouting Report:

Elias Salomonsson is a 6-foot-2, mobile defenseman with great offensive instincts. He’s an efficient and competitive defenceman, who plays well on both sides of the puck; Salomonsson is smart and plays with a strong understanding of what is necessary to get the job done. Through each step of Salomonsson’s career, offensive production has been his area of dominance but he has to focus on his defensive positioning to continue his growth as a two-way defenseman. He shows poise with the puck on his stick and can execute under pressure to push offense from the back end. His defensive game has some warts and positioning and reads can be sloppy, but some of that will polish over time. The comfort level he has under pressure and confidence for a player as young as he is incredible. Elias Salomonsson is comparable to a poor mans Erik Karlsson in terms of his playstyle. Karlsson was taken 15th in his draft year,
so I think Salomonsson could be taken at a similar spot in the upcoming draft.

Skill: Two-Way defenseman, with swift hands, and impeccable passing ability.

NHL Comparison: Erik Karlsson

NHL Potential: Top 4, Puck-Moving Defenseman Defenseman

Season	Team	League	GP	G	PTS
2020-21	Skellefea AIK J20	J20 Nationell	14	4	15
	Sweden U18	WJC-18	7	0	0
2021-22	Skelleftea AIK J20	J20 Nationell	10	5	8