2020 NHL Draft: Top European Defensemen

William Wallinder

Big-bodied (6’4″ 192 pounds) defender William Wallinder is likely the first European defenseman to come off the board. His blend of size and skill, along with the ability to join the rush, offer an intriguing mix.

Wallinder also displays the ability to transition the puck safely from the defensive zone, with crisp, accurate passes. Wallinder managed 24 points in 37 games for Modo in the junior circuit while playing 12 games for the parent club in the Allsvenskan, a second-tier men’s league. His agility and balance are the strengths of his skating ability, along with a powerful stride. Wallinder, in my opinion, has the most significant upside of any defenseman in this year’s draft class.

Emil Andrae

Undersized in terms of height (5’9″ 183 pounds), Emil Andrae is a typical new-age defenseman. Offensively gifted, terrific edgework and exceptional vision led to almost a point per game production for the HV71 defender in the SuperElit this past season. Andrae produced 11 goals and 38 points in 40 games and was promoted to the SHL for ten matches, but failed to produce any points in limited duty. His creativity and vision make him a very efficient powerplay quarterback. Tremendous edgework and agility allow him to maintain strong positioning in the defensive zone. Andrae’s battle level is impressive, particularly for his size.

Helge Grans

Helge Grans is a player that is consistently ranked quite high in various rankings. While I see some desirable characteristics in his game, I also find aspects that are concerning. His defensive positioning, ability to join the rush and shot are all admirable qualities. However, in the games that I watched, he frequently turned the puck over and seemed to lack vision and creativity in the offensive zone.

Grans is someone that I intended to watch more closely at the U18 World Championships, but that didn’t transpire due to their cancellation. The 6’3″ and 192-pound right-handed defender registered 27 points in 27 games for Malmo in the SuperElit, in addition to three points in 21 games at the SHL level. So there is a lot to like about his game.

Topi Niemela

Playing a full season in the Finnish Liiga in your pre-draft year is a rare feat, particularly for a defenseman, but that is what Topi Niemela accomplished this past season. Niemela is a two-way defender with tremendous offensive upside. Although none of his skills seem to be elite, they are all well above average, with no glaring weaknesses.

His poise and hockey sense are his best attributes. Niemela may hear his name called early in the second round at the 2020 NHL draft.

 Shakir Mukhamadullin

Russian defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin played the majority of his season in the Kontinental Hockey League with Salamat Yulaev Ufa. At 6’2″ and 170 pounds, Mukhamadullin offers a compelling skill set. He skates extremely well and possesses a hard point-shot.

Although he saw limited ice-time with minimal production in the KHL, his numbers in the junior ranks (ten points in 13 games) were more indicative of his offensive capability. Mukhamadullin was a member of the Russian squad that won the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer. He is a candidate for second-round selection at the 2020 NHL draft.

Related Articles: 2020 NHL Draft: Top Russian Forwards and 2020 NHL Draft: Top Finnish Forwards

Rick Warman is a Vancouver Canucks and prospects contributor for Overtime Heroics. Follow him @statman1956 on Twitter

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