Photo Credit – Nathalie Andersson
Player Profile
D.O.B – July 28, 2002
Nationality – Sweden
Draft Eligibility – 2020
Height –6’4
Weight –192 lbs
Position – Defense
Handedness – Left
Wallinder’s Style Of Play
Wallinder is a physical freak. He has a beautiful stride, and is very mobile and agile. The big blue-liner is also a very confident player, who likes to rush the puck up ice, and can dangle when he needs to. His transition play can be a job to behold as he scythes through pressure in the neutral zone. He also has a nice shot, and is good at quarter-backing a power-play once it is set up. However, at 5v5 the creatively he brings in man-up situations is not as noticeable, and at 5v5 he can go completely missing in terms of his offensive game once through the neutral zone, barring a big shot here or there. At times his offensive IQ in EV situations seems to be a question, with poor decision making and not seeing a play developing in front of him.
Defensively Wallinder is very solid, even versus men in the Allsvenskan. He can be physical and deliver big hits, even if he does not look to engage on a regular basis. The big Swede also has an active stick that he uses very well at his own blue-line, and is good at channelling opponents to the areas he wants them to be when he has his gap. He is also, however, prone to inconsistency, and at times gets outsmarted or overwhelmed in all zones playing against men. Some of this may well be due to the fact he is a late-bloomer, who does not have the experience playing at a high level prior to this season many of his peers have, as before this season he had only played two SuperElit games.
Wallinder is a project, who will certainly take time and patience to develop, but it is easy to see him becoming a great middle pairing defenseman with the combo of size, skating and skill.
Comparison
Colton Parayko, Defense, St. Louis Blues
While they differ in handedness, the MODO man has numerous aspects of his game that echo the 2019 cup-winners. Both physical freaks with beautiful skating and pace to burn, they transition the puck up ice with aplomb. Furthermore, they both have fantastic shots that they could maybe look to use even more than they do, and are very dangerous once set-up in the offensive zone as a result. Like Parayko, despite being highly skilled Wallinder is not the most creative player in the offensive zone, and produces at 5v5 in a utilitarian manner. The two are also physical around the net and along the boards, and are great at their own blue-line in terms of breaking up plays with aggressive stick-work. If Wallinder can improve his consistency and have a higher “minimum level” going forward he could have a similar impact at NHL level.
Stats from EliteProspects
Prospect report written by Alexander Appleyard. If you would like to follow Alexander on Twitter, his handle is @Avappleyard.
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