What else can I say that hasn't been said about Rasmus Dahlin. The team selecting first overall will not hesitate at the chance to select who might be the best prospect at the defense position in the last decade. It's easy to argue that most National Hockey League teams really don't have true number one defenseman, just players talented enough to play big minutes and do a decent job. Some of these number one defenders are average or under-sized players that push the pace and do a decent job in their own end. This young man, however, is capable of being a true number one, based on his stature, terrific puck skills, four-way skating ability, and an edge that sets him a notch above rookie status the first time he hits NHL ice.
The difference in his selection and those defenseman chosen early in past drafts is his world-class feet and puck-handling ability, combined with on-ice confidence and tremendous upside. You cannot teach the abilities that he displays and he basically is a plug and play first pair defenseman you immerse in the NHL game. Fairly thin but has room for muscle mass, he will need to add pounds and get thicker. There should be little apprehension if any regarding failure to improve to the level of impact NHL defender right away. He is going to be given a long rope ala Eric Karlsson to take chances with his carries and in his puck battles. His desire to win and his confidence in his own abilities sometimes result in questionable decisions or a result in under-disciplined penalties. All that is part and parcel of the aggressive package he is.
Represented his homeland, Sweden, at the U20 World Juniors Championships and Olympic games as a 17 year old. He is a winner and wants to win. No NHL club will complain about this if they are afforded the chance to chose the clear-cut best player and building block in this year’s draft. The description, "lightning is a bottle" suits him well, due to his high end skating, and dynamic stick handling, and the reckless abandon he approaches the game with. His tremendous mobility, accurate passing ability, and lack of shyness physically are the foundations he will build the rest of his game around. He still over-handles the puck, takes silly penalties and gambles trying to be the one man solution he has the capability to actually be a game-breaker. You can't ignore the world class skills he possesses, you simply help him hone them to fit the NHL attack.
--Bill Placzek--
