If you don't know about Oliver Wahlstrom, you should and you will after reading this article. Wahlstrom has always been awesome. He is currently being projected as a Top 10 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. As a 9-year-old, he went viral with his absolutely INSANE spinning backhand shootout goal and has not looked back since.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ERIXmJPEXk
Previously, I wrote an article about the
2018 NHL Draft and my favorite prospect, Quinn Hughes, but I also included a few more prospects who I like just as much. I had mentioned Oliver Wahlstrom as one of those top targets for the Blackhawks. Personally, Wahlstrom is one of my favorite players in the 2018 NHL Draft. I really hope he falls to the Blackhawks at number 8. Whenever he joins the NHL roster, he is the type of player who can come in and make an immediate impact and change the course of the franchise.
Who Is Oliver Wahlstrom?
Oliver Wahlstrom is a right-handed winger and can also play the center position. Wahlstrom stands at 6'1" and weighs 186 pounds. He just turned 18 in June. Oliver learned the game of hockey from his father, Joakim, who played well at the University of Maine and then went on to play a couple seasons in Sweden.
Oliver Wahlstrom analyzed his own game and said this about himself,
"I tHINK MY GAME IS (BEING) A BIG, STRONG POWER FORWARD WITH A LOT OF sKILL AND CREATIVITY BUT I THINK MY SHOT IS MY BIGGEST ASSET. HUMBLY, I BELIEVE I HAVE THE BEST SHOT IN THIS DRAFT. I WORK ON IT EVERY DAY."
Curtis Joe of
eliteprospects.com gave us his insight on Oliver Wahlstrom as well. Joe said this about Wahlstrom,
"[HE'S] A SENSATIONAL SCORING THREAT, OLIVER WAHLSTROM IS A FIERCE COMPETITOR THAT PREYS ON WEAK PLAY. HE EXPLOITS GAPS IN THE NEUTRAL ZONE; HIS POSITIONING ALLOWS HIM TO CARRY THE PUCK FORWARD IMMEDIATELY OR SHIFT UP AND INTO STRIDE OFF OF AN OUTLET PASS. HE PROMPTLY TAKES EASY LANES AWAY FROM THE OPPOSITION ALONG HIS OWN BLUE LINE, BUT COULD STAND TO BE MORE PROACTIVE DEFENSIVELY."
Joe then went on to describe Wahlstrom's elite skills on offense. He said,
"OFFENSIVELY, HE MIGHT BE DESCRIBED AS UNCONTAINABLE: THE CONFIDENCE HE HAS IN his individual puck skill, paired with a high level of thinking, makes him a difficult cog to take out of alignment. He is able to create opportunities for himself, as well as teammates, out of nothing; this, in turn, translates to energy on the ice and in the building as a whole. all in all, oliver wahlstrom is an instinct-driven hockey player gifted with the size, skating, skill, and smarts that coaches yearn for."
This almost sounds too good to be true, but it isn't. The Blackhawks might just luck out and get the guy they need. They can use another young, elite talent who is not afraid to make things happen for himself and teammates. Someone who likes to get to the dirty areas around the net, when necessary, is a rare breed. Wahlstrom would help round out their top two lines, especially with the retirement of Marian Hossa.
Hockey Comes Easy For Oliver Wahlstrom
Wahlstrom could easily be the best scorer in this year's draft. His shot is clearly his best attribute. When you think of great shots in the NHL, you think of players like Alex Ovechkin or Patrik Laine. Well, Oliver Wahlstrom is right up there with them. He actually modeled his shot after both of them. Wahlstrom was interviewed at the NHL Draft Combine and he talked about his path to the 2018 NHL Draft.
You can see for yourself here in this video of Wahlstrom's greatest hits from the 2018 IIHF U18 tournament in Russia. He shoots that puck like it's nobody's business and his one-timer is incredibly smooth. Watch out for number 18.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX98V5mqjfQ&t=32s
All Oliver Wahlstrom does is score, score, and then score some more. This kid makes it look so easy. Whether he is driving hard to the net or taking a slap shot from the slot, Wahlstrom is a threat to score at all times. He netted
94 points (
48G,
46A) in
62 games with the U.S. National U18 team last season. Those numbers are easily better than anything you could ever do in a video game. That type of production crazy to think about from anyone, let alone a 17-year-old. If Oliver Wahlstrom falls to the Blackhawks at the 8 spot, you know it is going to be hard as hell to pass on a player of Wahlstrom's caliber even with so many talented defensemen in the draft this year. That is why I would take him and not think twice about it.
Wahlstrom has actually been putting up these types of numbers for years now. Take a look at the rest of his impressive resume.
Offensive consistency is the name of the game. This is exactly what the Blackhawks need and could help the rest of the guys on the team get back to their usual selves and have a bounce-back season. Even though Oliver Wahlstrom committed to playing at Boston College next season, drafting him would set the Blackhawks up nicely for an accelerated rebuild which is exactly what the organization and the fans want. The 2018 NHL Draft will definitely be an exciting one, so don't miss it next week on June 22-23.
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