Abel to Yzerman

Abel to Yzerman

Simon Edvinsson Is Just Getting Started

08/14/2022 at 3:38pm EDT

from Steve Ellis of The Hockey News,

"He can break you down all by himself."

USA coach Nate Leaman couldn't have said it better about Simon Edvinsson, the 6-foot-6 hulking blueliner from Sweden. He was drafted sixth overall by Detroit in 2021, and with Calder Trophy Winner Moritz Seider already in the lineup, he's not far from giving the Red Wings one of the most feared 1-2 defensive duos in the NHL.

It pays to be bad in some cases. And the Red Wings aren't far away from escaping the bottom.

"Congrats to Detroit," Swedish coach Tomas Montén said with a smile after Sweden's victory over Switzerland to open the 2022 World Junior Championship....

"He's a unique talent," Montén said. "I think it's his size and how he moves, that's what first comes to mind. He's big and can skate and can handle the puck. Usually, those size defensemen are more like stay-at-home D and just rim it off the glass and things like that. Not him... He's an '03, he has some experience, but he's always cool. I think it's a strength."

Edvinsson has made his mark as one of the top players to watch in Edmonton, and that'll sentiment will only continue to grow as the tournament wears on. It can't be understated how good of a prospect he is right now -- like his coach said, he has the speed and size you're looking for, but plays with the mobility you'd expect from someone standing six inches smaller. Throw him beside the 6-foot-4 Seider on the Wings blueline and you've got one tough group to penetrate. Edvinsson's size alone is intimidating, even ignoring the other attributes of his game.

"You see how he handles the puck and just on the blueline how he stands there, it's huge," Austrian forward Ian Scherzer said.

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