Lasse Boelius (D, L, 6’0″, 179, Assat U20, 03/16/2007)
Lasse Boelius is a poised, mobile, two-way defenseman with a mature understanding of where he fits in the game. His skill set is marked by elite passing accuracy, strong skating mechanics, and the ability to generate offensive transition while maintaining defensive reliability. Though not a standout physically or offensively, his well-rounded abilities and hockey IQ make him a valuable asset for a National League organization. With further development in his defensive positioning, release and deception, and physical engagement, Boelius has the potential to grow into an NHL-caliber top-four defenseman.
Strengths
Mobility and Skating:
Boelius glides smoothly across the ice with excellent edge work, footwork and agility.
His skating allows him to transition effectively between offense and defense, escape pressure in his own zone, and contribute to rushes as a secondary option.
Passing and Vision:
Elite passer with a 94% completion rate, ranking among the best that we’ve seen in his age group.
Excels at making deceptive, hard, and accurate tape-to-tape passes.
Demonstrates excellent vision, particularly on the power play, where he can act as a reliable quarterback to distribute the puck and generate scoring opportunities.
Game Processing and Awareness:
Boelius has a high hockey IQ, enabling him to anticipate plays on both sides of the puck and win puck battles (50% success rate).
His ability to read the game allows him to recover loose pucks after shots (4.1 per game) and make quick, effective decisions under pressure.
Defensive Stick Work:
While not a physical defenseman, Boelius uses his stick effectively to disrupt passing lanes and knock pucks loose to start offensive transition.
Aggressive in his approach to closing gaps and often engages opponents as they receive the puck.
Transition and Offensive Support:
A dynamic puck mover who excels in creating quick breakouts and supporting the attack as the second wave.
He reads the play well and pinches at the right moments to keep offensive pressure alive.
Areas for Improvement
Physicality:
Boelius is not a punishing defender and lacks a consistent physical presence.
He needs to add strength and engage more assertively along the boards and in net-front battles to handle larger, stronger opponents at higher levels.
Defensive Positioning:
At times, Boelius is too focused on offense, leading to lapses in his positioning in the defensive zone.
Improving his awareness and consistency in tracking his assignments will be essential to rounding out his defensive game.
Gap Control:
While he shows promise in defending the rush, there are times when he sets his gap early but is not assertive enough at his defensive blueline, allowing opponents to enter the zone with speed.
With more experience and adjustment to faster-paced competition, this aspect of his game should improve.
Shot Accuracy and Effectiveness:
Boelius generates 3.8 shot attempts per game but has issues with shot selection and deception, as 0.98 of his shots are blocked and 0.94 miss the net.
Developing a quicker, more deceptive release and improving his ability to hit the net consistently will enhance his offensive threat.
Puck Management:
While a high-level passer, Boelius occasionally makes risky passes through the neutral zone, leading to giveaways (4.6 per game).
He must refine his decision-making to avoid unnecessary turnovers, particularly in high-pressure situations.
Key Development Goals
Increase Physical Engagement: Focus on strength training and becoming more assertive in battles along the boards and net-front coverage.
Improve Defensive Positioning: Work on maintaining awareness in the defensive zone and avoiding lapses that lead to lost coverage.
Improve Shot Selection: Develop a quicker release and improve shot accuracy to increase scoring impact, particularly from the blue line.
Polish Gap Control: Focus on more assertive gaps against speedy forwards to limit zone entries and reduce scoring chances against.
Puck Management: Avoid forcing risky passes and focus on simplifying decisions when under pressure.
Projection
Boelius projects as a middle-pairing, two-way NHL defenseman with secondary offensive upside. His mobility, puck-moving ability, and hockey IQ are valuable traits that make him a likely top two-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. With the right development—focusing on physicality, defensive positioning, and shot accuracy—he could evolve into a reliable top-four defenseman capable of contributing on the power play and in transition.
Draft Outlook
Boelius is likely to attract interest as an early-to-mid second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Player Comparison
Jonas Brodin: Boelius mirrors Brodin’s smooth skating, elite hockey sense, and ability to quietly stabilize play on both ends of the ice. Like Brodin, Boelius has the potential to provide reliable defense while supporting the transition and contributing to the attack in a secondary role.
Final Assessment
Karl Boelius is an intelligent, mobile, and highly skilled defenseman who excels in transition and puck movement. With continued development, particularly in his physical game and defensive consistency, he has the potential to be an impactful, well-rounded NHL defenseman. His combination of hockey sense and skating makes him an enticing prospect with significant upside.
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images