2019 NHL Draft Profile #5- Isak Walther
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| (Photo Credit: Per Eliasson Foto) |
Ed. Note: With the 2019 NHL Draft just hours away, all of my posts in the month of June will be focused on unranked yet intriguing prospects eligible to be selected in Vancouver later this month.
Travelling from the west to east coasts, our journey to find the best unranked prospects finished its North American leg in Illinois with goaltender Dylan Kruss. Crossing the ocean, we arrive in Europe and a country known for producing at least one superstar talent every generation -- and not only in the first round of the NHL Draft.
With its massive land mass and thus gargantuan pool of talent- from the top-tier Swedish Hockey League all the way down to a never-ending series of relegation circuits- despite the best efforts of NHL scouts, Sweden manages to surprise almost every year with a late-round find that defies the odds to become a productive pro.
My nominee for this year's Swedish Surprise is a strapping forward from one of the nation's best-known hockey programs who has nevertheless flown under the radar like no other prospect. The last such subject in our hunt before the NHL Entry Draft officially kicks off tonight, this one may well be the best -- not only for this particular blog, but the 2019 class overall.
Travelling from the west to east coasts, our journey to find the best unranked prospects finished its North American leg in Illinois with goaltender Dylan Kruss. Crossing the ocean, we arrive in Europe and a country known for producing at least one superstar talent every generation -- and not only in the first round of the NHL Draft.
With its massive land mass and thus gargantuan pool of talent- from the top-tier Swedish Hockey League all the way down to a never-ending series of relegation circuits- despite the best efforts of NHL scouts, Sweden manages to surprise almost every year with a late-round find that defies the odds to become a productive pro.
My nominee for this year's Swedish Surprise is a strapping forward from one of the nation's best-known hockey programs who has nevertheless flown under the radar like no other prospect. The last such subject in our hunt before the NHL Entry Draft officially kicks off tonight, this one may well be the best -- not only for this particular blog, but the 2019 class overall.
In our search for unheralded talent thus far, we've visited four leagues at two levels -- the KIJHL and GOJHL, which are BC and Ontario Junior B respectively, and two American prep schools against a mix of Midget, Prep and Tier II teams.
However, it's easy to forget that just as North America has a multitude of leagues stacked upon leagues, so too do the major hockey nations in Europe.
Sweden is no exception; with the SHL at the top of the hockey pyramid, the Allsvenksan follows as its foil to the AHL. Below that, there is Division 1 -- followed by Division 2, Division 3... and, well, you get the picture. The same applies to the youth side, wherein SuperElit is Sweden's answer to the CHL, and J20 Elit its version of Junior A.
Today's profiled player spent most of 2018-19 in none of those leagues.
Spread across four divisions, the closest North American comparable to J18 Elit is Midget AAA. Much like Midget, J18 serves mostly as a lay-over on the developmental flight plan for prospects 16, 15 and even 14 years of age. However, much of the league is towards the higher end of the age bracket, and August-born forward Isak Walther is no exception:
| Secret Scout Profile | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Isak Walther |
| Ht/Wt: | 6'3, 170 lbs |
| Position: | LW/RW |
| 2018-19 Team: | Södertälje SK J18 (J18 Elit East) |
| 2018-19 Stats: | 21 GP, 17-17-34, 6 PIM, +15 |
This time last year, the late-blooming teen was even less of a known quantity -- if such a thing is possible for a prospect unranked by any major service for the 2019 Entry Draft. Having worked his way up from U16 Div. 1, a league analogous to Bantam AA, Walther's size helped him make the jump to the J18 Elit team of Swedish mainstay Södertälje SK... albeit just barely. Given limited minutes, Walther registered a scant 12 points in 33 games as a third line forward.
Entering 2018-19 as he had each year prior- with a tantalizing yet unrealized combination of size and skating ability that had followed him all throughout minor hockey- the proverbial toolbox wasn't even nearby, it was still on the shelf at Ikea. But one fortuitous decision helped Walther finally tap into his immense potential:
Even if you can't speak Swedish, the "10-1" part should jump out immediately; during a December game against regional rival Flemingsbergs IK, Walther amassed five points in a 10-2 win. The Tweet above refers to his third goal of the contest. The boxscore for that game also transcends translation; two names- 2020 draft-eligible forwards Leon Wallner and Johannes Jämsén- appear again and again next to Walther's.
Thrown together in October, the trio became not only Södertälje's best line, but also one of the most productive in all of J18 Elit. With his large frame, excellent mobility and above-average vision, Walther was able to serve as hockey's version of a point guard, stretching the ice for the smaller Wallner and Jämsén to work their magic. Walther, for his part, went from a virtual no-name to the J18 East division's highest goal scorer and top point-getter -- a remarkable turnaround.
What makes him so special? Before we dive into that, it's important to note that Walther is not alone among Swedish players in achieving recognition at the J18 level during their draft year. It just so happens that not only is there a 6'3 forward currently in the NHL who accomplished the feat, but he was a key cog on this year's Stanley Cup champs:
Entering 2018-19 as he had each year prior- with a tantalizing yet unrealized combination of size and skating ability that had followed him all throughout minor hockey- the proverbial toolbox wasn't even nearby, it was still on the shelf at Ikea. But one fortuitous decision helped Walther finally tap into his immense potential:
— Tommy Karlsson (@Bacciskungen) December 9, 2018
Even if you can't speak Swedish, the "10-1" part should jump out immediately; during a December game against regional rival Flemingsbergs IK, Walther amassed five points in a 10-2 win. The Tweet above refers to his third goal of the contest. The boxscore for that game also transcends translation; two names- 2020 draft-eligible forwards Leon Wallner and Johannes Jämsén- appear again and again next to Walther's.
Thrown together in October, the trio became not only Södertälje's best line, but also one of the most productive in all of J18 Elit. With his large frame, excellent mobility and above-average vision, Walther was able to serve as hockey's version of a point guard, stretching the ice for the smaller Wallner and Jämsén to work their magic. Walther, for his part, went from a virtual no-name to the J18 East division's highest goal scorer and top point-getter -- a remarkable turnaround.
What makes him so special? Before we dive into that, it's important to note that Walther is not alone among Swedish players in achieving recognition at the J18 level during their draft year. It just so happens that not only is there a 6'3 forward currently in the NHL who accomplished the feat, but he was a key cog on this year's Stanley Cup champs:
| Secret Scout Head-to-Head | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Oskar Sundqvist | Isak Walther |
| Draft Year | 22 GP, 13-23-36 (J18 Elit) | 21 GP, 17-17-34 (J18 Elit) |
| D+1 | 38 GP, 17-16-33 (SuperElit) | ? |
| D+2 | 51 GP, 6-10-16 (SHL) | ? |
| D+3 | 41 GP, 9-10-19 (SHL) | ? |
The 6'3 Sundqvist- whose breakout 2018-19 was a major reason why the Blues finally had the depth to make a successful title push- is in fact a J18 product, and what's more, posted nearly identical regular season numbers to Walther at the same age. The comp gets even spookier when we consider two additional data points: J18 playoffs- where Walther scored 6 goals in 6 games and Sundqvist 5 in 7, respectively- and their play, albeit brief, at the SuperElit level.
Both happened to earn a cup of coffee in Sweden's top junior league as a reward for their excellent J18 seasons. In his two draft-year appearances with Skellefteå AIK J20, Sundqvist potted a single goal -- a preface to his tremendous D+1 season that cemented him as a player to watch. This is where Walther has the advantage, however slight; appearing in five contests, his 2-2-4 stat line indicates that a 30+ point season at the SuperElit level is certainly attainable in 2019-20.
As for Walther's on-ice gifts, some of his plus attributes- skating, vision and of course size- were already sprinkled throughout the paragraphs above. And while all three adjectives certainly make up part of the story, it's the advanced maturity of his skills in each category that truly separates Walther from the rest of the prospect pack.
Let's start with his skating; while this same blog praised mammoth forward Jared Buckner for his overall mobility compared to similar prospects, his stops and starts in particular are well below average. Walther, meanwhile, has no such weakness; graceful in any direction from step one, his mobility was such an advantage at the J18 level that he was often able to recover and retreat back to his zone faster than any of his defensemen.
Blessed with a long reach in addition to his height, he is further able to use his length and speed to suck up loose pucks like a sort of ice hockey black hole. Finally, his effort level is not in question. The NHL is, as storied coach Ken Hitchcock once put it, a second and third effort league; Walther innately understands this, and combines his many physical gifts with a high-end motor. The end result is the perfect possession disruption machine for today's systems-oriented NHL.
Finally, from the wrists down, Walther is again in a different tier than most projects. His shot is not only hard, but difficult to track due to the way it pops off his stick at an earlier release point than most shooters. In this way, he embodies another NBA archetype: the "stretch-four". As a big man who can shoot, opposing D must respect his ability to snap home wrist and snapshots from distance -- forcing them to back off, and in turn opening up the ice even more.
If there is an area Walther can improve offensively, it's in pass speed and accuracy -- especially when moving the puck across the zone under pressure. At present, he is prone to turn-overs from poorly aimed or even whiffed dishes. To his credit, the savvy winger has learned to compensate by opting for short give-and-go passes instead. If Walther can become a more polished and dynamic playmaker, he will have all the skills needed to be a consistent producer in the NHL.
This is where we'll break from the rather staid nature of these blog posts to date; while Walther's statline matches up almost perfectly with Sundqvist's, there is an intelligence to his play that almost overshadows all of the above. Simply put, he has a sense for the pace and rhythm of the game few others do. Of all the video and in-person games I've watched this season featuring under-the-radar players at every level, Walther has that rarest yet impossible-to-define quality: "it".
I'll go even further, and make a series of predictions that may well age poorly -- but what is the NHL Draft for, if not prognostication? Isak Walther will not only be drafted tomorrow and become an NHLer, but will in fact develop into a very good one -- a better-skating Mark Stone who scores 65 or more points while earning a reputation for his all-zone acumen. Like Stone, he excels at cutting off zone entries and passes, often thinking two steps ahead of his opponents.
Of course, this begs the question: if the above is even vaguely possible, why and how is he flying so far under the radar? As mentioned, all of the tools that will make him a successful pro were already in place well before the 2018-19 season began. It was merely that merger of mind and body- a poorly-understood phenomenon with seemingly no predictable trigger or timing- that finally allowed him to combine all of his on-skills with those between his ears.
Thankfully for Walther, it all came together not a season too soon. Despite being unranked by everyone- even by Central Scouting- this blog believes that he will not only find a home tomorrow when the NHL Entry Draft resumes, but will make his way to the best league in the world very soon.
Secret Scout out. Enjoy the Draft everyone!
Both happened to earn a cup of coffee in Sweden's top junior league as a reward for their excellent J18 seasons. In his two draft-year appearances with Skellefteå AIK J20, Sundqvist potted a single goal -- a preface to his tremendous D+1 season that cemented him as a player to watch. This is where Walther has the advantage, however slight; appearing in five contests, his 2-2-4 stat line indicates that a 30+ point season at the SuperElit level is certainly attainable in 2019-20.
As for Walther's on-ice gifts, some of his plus attributes- skating, vision and of course size- were already sprinkled throughout the paragraphs above. And while all three adjectives certainly make up part of the story, it's the advanced maturity of his skills in each category that truly separates Walther from the rest of the prospect pack.
Let's start with his skating; while this same blog praised mammoth forward Jared Buckner for his overall mobility compared to similar prospects, his stops and starts in particular are well below average. Walther, meanwhile, has no such weakness; graceful in any direction from step one, his mobility was such an advantage at the J18 level that he was often able to recover and retreat back to his zone faster than any of his defensemen.
Blessed with a long reach in addition to his height, he is further able to use his length and speed to suck up loose pucks like a sort of ice hockey black hole. Finally, his effort level is not in question. The NHL is, as storied coach Ken Hitchcock once put it, a second and third effort league; Walther innately understands this, and combines his many physical gifts with a high-end motor. The end result is the perfect possession disruption machine for today's systems-oriented NHL.
Finally, from the wrists down, Walther is again in a different tier than most projects. His shot is not only hard, but difficult to track due to the way it pops off his stick at an earlier release point than most shooters. In this way, he embodies another NBA archetype: the "stretch-four". As a big man who can shoot, opposing D must respect his ability to snap home wrist and snapshots from distance -- forcing them to back off, and in turn opening up the ice even more.
If there is an area Walther can improve offensively, it's in pass speed and accuracy -- especially when moving the puck across the zone under pressure. At present, he is prone to turn-overs from poorly aimed or even whiffed dishes. To his credit, the savvy winger has learned to compensate by opting for short give-and-go passes instead. If Walther can become a more polished and dynamic playmaker, he will have all the skills needed to be a consistent producer in the NHL.
This is where we'll break from the rather staid nature of these blog posts to date; while Walther's statline matches up almost perfectly with Sundqvist's, there is an intelligence to his play that almost overshadows all of the above. Simply put, he has a sense for the pace and rhythm of the game few others do. Of all the video and in-person games I've watched this season featuring under-the-radar players at every level, Walther has that rarest yet impossible-to-define quality: "it".
I'll go even further, and make a series of predictions that may well age poorly -- but what is the NHL Draft for, if not prognostication? Isak Walther will not only be drafted tomorrow and become an NHLer, but will in fact develop into a very good one -- a better-skating Mark Stone who scores 65 or more points while earning a reputation for his all-zone acumen. Like Stone, he excels at cutting off zone entries and passes, often thinking two steps ahead of his opponents.
Of course, this begs the question: if the above is even vaguely possible, why and how is he flying so far under the radar? As mentioned, all of the tools that will make him a successful pro were already in place well before the 2018-19 season began. It was merely that merger of mind and body- a poorly-understood phenomenon with seemingly no predictable trigger or timing- that finally allowed him to combine all of his on-skills with those between his ears.
Thankfully for Walther, it all came together not a season too soon. Despite being unranked by everyone- even by Central Scouting- this blog believes that he will not only find a home tomorrow when the NHL Entry Draft resumes, but will make his way to the best league in the world very soon.
Secret Scout out. Enjoy the Draft everyone!
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