William Lundqvist (D, L, 6’5″, 207, Leksands IF J20, 11/08/2007) William Lundqvist is a 6’5′, 207-pound left-shot defenseman who brings NHL size and a physical presence, but his current overall impact is limited offensive ceiling depth defender rather than a sure fire NHL prospect. His game is built around size, reach, and defensive-zone usage, reflected in his playing time(16:55 TOI, 2:19 SHT, minimal PP time) and willingness to engage physically (0.63 hits per game, 48% puck battle win rate). He plays with an edge and competitiveness, but at times he can be undisciplined and run around in the neutral zone looking to make something happen which leads to open ice and his opponents having scoring opportunities. He shows defensive zone awareness, blocking shots (1.43 per game) and maintaining structure as the weakside defenseman in his own zone, and his 88% pass completion shows he can make simple, low-risk plays to move pucks out of danger. However, his overall puck management under hard F1 pressure is a concern as he can jam pucks up the strongside, and he lacks composure and poise when forced to make plays under forecheck pressure. Offensively, he offers very little upside (4 points in 31 games, 2.5 shot attempts, 0.3 Grade ‘A’ chances per game with 0% conversion), and he does not show the ability to create or contribute meaningfully from the offensive blue line, relying instead on safe puck placement to the corner. Despite his size, he does not consistently dominate physically or control play along the walls and net front. His skating is functional but currently will limit his match-up abilities as it prevents him from closing quickly or recovering against faster opponents. Overall, Lundqvist has pro size and some defensive habits that can translate to the highest level, but without improved puck management, greater physical assertiveness, and added four-way mobility, he projects as a depth defenseman rather than a top-six NHLer. I would not recommend drafting him in the top three rounds but in the fourth round I feel he is well worth the investment in development.