Milan Sundstrom (C, L, 6’2″, 207, MODO, 05/06/2009)
2027 Draft Grade: A
Skating: 4.0
Passing: 4.25
Shot: 3.75
Puck Handling: 4.0
Defense: 4.75
Size/Strength: 4.25
Compete: 4.0
IQ: 4.75
Upside/Projection: Top Line NHL
Player Type: Cerebral Forward
Comments: SKATING: Knee over toe posture with his chest high that translates to improved acceleration and top speed as he continues to develop. PASSING: Poised and confident. SHOOTING: Still developing deception, but can get it off quickly. Confident in his backhand. PUCK HANDLING: Strong hands. Pulls pucks off the wall easily and looks to attack. DEFENSE: Very aware. Constantly in skating lanes with a strong stick. SIZE/STRENGTH: Has an NHL frame right now. With a few more years of off ice strength training he has a chance to be a physically dominant 200′ center. COMPETITIVENESS: Owns his ice and wins his battles. Plants his inside edges and can be immovable versus his peers. HOCKEY IQ: High end. Is the type of player that allows teammates to take chances because of his anticipation. OVERALL COMMENTS: Milan Sundstrom possesses all the physical baseline traits, high-end 200-foot processing, and power-center instincts required to project as a top-six NHL center or high-impact middle-six driver. Standing 6’2″ and 207 lbs at just 17 years old, Sundstrom already exceeds average NHL player measurements and uses his frame to dominate low in the defensive zone as a pseudo-3D defender while acting as a heavy puck-retrieval presence down low to create offensive transition. His current 2026/27 campaign across the U20 Nationell, HockeyAllsvenskan, and Hlinka Gretzky Cup confirms his dual-threat identity, showcasing exceptional playmaking vision (1.75 PSP, 90% P%) alongside dominant international tournament usage (22:33 TOI, 59% FO%) where he drove Sweden’s attack with 6 points in 4 games. I noted his net-drive technique, power-play quarterbacking, and heavy shot, but rightfully flagged minor red flags regarding explosive straight-line speed, a tendency to go quiet for consecutive shifts, and occasionally settling for perimeter play rather than consistently imposing his physical will. His current combined profile shows significant maturation as he is averaging 3.4 takeaways to just 5.1 puck losses and holding a strong 54% faceoff win percentage across mixed pro-and-peer levels. This proves that his passing “zip,” high-end hockey IQ, and puck-protection mechanics translate cleanly against older, professional competition. While his straight-line acceleration and game-to-game physical consistency still require development, Sundstrom’s elite 200-foot foundation, NHL frame, and projectable dual-threat offensive ceiling make him an absolute lock as a high-lottery 2027 NHL Draft pick with first-line power-center upside.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images