LEO CARLSSON

6’3/185
Center/Left Wing
Left
Orebro/SHL

Leo Carlsson is a big kid who still has more filling out to do and will probably hit 200 pounds, but he’s also got the slick skill to complement his size, and regularly makes plays and manufactures offense for himself through little shakes and fakes, beating defenders one-on-one with his hands. Carlsson excels in all aspects on the ice as he’s quick, competitive, and has an insane work ethic. He displays excellent IQ and a sense of calmness whenever he has control of the puck, showing his soft hands and great patience. Carlsson started to come into his own last season when his play jumped exponentially from the 2020-21 season. In the 2020-21 season, only had 9 points in 19 games with Orebro HK J20, but in 2021-22, he had 10 goals and 27 points in 14 games in the same league. He played so well, he earned a promotion to play in the SHL, where he put up 9 points in 35 games. So Far in the 2022-23 season, Carlsson already has 7 points in 10 SHL games, which is absurd production for a 17-year-old playing in the SHL. Leo Carlsson is the complete package and with his potential could be a top 5 pick in the 2023 draft if he can keep up his production.

Bet Now

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

Strengths

1. Carlsson excels in all aspects on the ice as he’s quick, competitive, and has an insane work ethic.
2. He displays excellent IQ and a sense of calmness whenever he has control of the puck, showing his soft hands and great patience.
3. A terrific skated for any sized skater, Carlsson also happens to be 6’3. This makes him so incredibly dangerous as he attacks the offensive zone and hunts down loose pucks.

Areas of Improvement

1. have more filling out to do, as currently listed at 185 lbs.
2. Has a good shot but could be improved if he wants to be an elite scorer at the next level.

Scouting Report:

Leo Carlsson is an Offensively skilled and versatile forward with an excellent frame at 6’3/185; His combination of size and skill gives him a safe floor and he has the upside to develop into a superstar in the NHL. Carlsson played the majority of the 2021-2022 season against men in the SHL, recording nine points in 35 games. He also played 14 games in the J20 Nationell, recording a dazzling 1.93 PPG, which was miles ahead of any other draft-1 player in the Swedish J20 league ever. Carlsson was one of the leading forwards for Sweden’s U18 National Team the whole season as well and will probably be one of the leading forwards in next December’s World Juniors as well. Leo has a very complete toolkit as is good in practically every area and also has a projectable 6-foot-3 frame. He’s an excellent puck handler and a strong puck protector; His playmaking is very strong as he possesses excellent vision and is a precise passer. Although Carlsson didn’t have a strong shot last year, he was able to score a bunch of goals because he was always in the right place at the right time. This season’s U20 Four Nations tournament in August showed that he can be an elite scorer as well, as he scored four goals in three quality performances for the national team there. An NHL Comparable for Leo Carlsson would be Patrice Bergeron, someone who seemingly does everything right and has very few holes in his game, however, Carlsson is 6’3, so his potential really has scouts drooling over to prospects of landing a player of his caliber. The great thing about a player like Leo Carlsson is that there is very little risk in the pick because even if he doesn’t become a superstar, you are going to get a very reliable two-way forward. Leo Carlsson is a very rare package as he basically has everything you can ask for and he should be in the mix for a top-five spot in the 2023 NHL Draft.