Top-10 European Defensemen in the 2020 NHL Draft

Oct 5, 2020

This article originally appeared on AnaheimDucks.com on October 1, 2020.

By Kyle Shohara/AnaheimDucks.com

As we get closer to the 2020 NHL Draft on Oct. 6-7, AnaheimDucks.com is looking at some of the top-ranked skaters by position. We continue with the top-ranked European defensemen, in order of final draft rankings per the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau.

Several references were used when describing each of these prospects, including The Athletic's Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler, and TSN's Craig Button and Bob McKenzie.

The Ducks currently hold two picks in the first round (6th and 27th) and three in the top-36.

Visit the Gulls Draft Hub for all of your draft information!

1. Helge Grans

NHL.com Scouting Report: Big, strong, offensive-minded two-way defenseman. A smart playmaker and passer. Honest competitor who plays with confidence. Improved a lot during the 2019-20 season.

Final Rank: 6
Age: 18 (5/10/02)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 206
Birthplace: Ljungby, Sweden
Shoots: Right

Grans comes in as the highest-ranked European defenseman and the sixth highest among all skaters. The 6-foot-2, 206-pound blueliner split the 2019-20 season between Malmo's junior team (4g/23a in 27 games) and its pro team in the Swedish Hockey League (1g/2a in 21 games). Grans helped Team Sweden to a bronze medal at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and bronze at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Grans is currently playing for Malmo in the SHL for the 2020-21 season.

"Steady, two-way defenseman who can play in all situations. Reads plays well, both defensively and offensively and plays with an efficiency that is not flashy but highly effective." -- TSN's Craig Button

"Grans is an interesting player with a profile that tends to project out well. He's produced well at the junior level, played a lot of SHL games (albeit in limited minutes) and worked his way into a regular role on Malmo's power play. He's been a top player for Sweden's U18 team and often the anchor from the point on the power play. I've seen very good flashes from him over the years, as he can make some very good passes from both ends and has a hard shot from the point. There's a lot of times I'm left wanting more. I've seen a lot of games he makes little happen offensively and his average feet are exposed defensively. I wouldn't call him a top-end puck-mover or defender, but he's got enough tools and track record to make me think he has a fair shot to make it." -- The Athletic's Corey Pronman

"Grans' game still needs some refining but there's a lot to like about his raw tools. He's long, he can skate, he handles the puck well for his size, he can make plays as a passer on outlets or through seams in the offensive zone, and there's a confidence to his game that enables him to take risks and execute. It doesn't hurt that he's right-handed or that he dominated a top junior league as a 17-year-old, either. His skating will need to continue to progress as his feet can look heavy though. And I would like to see him clean up some of his mistakes with and without the puck (he turns it over a little too much for my liking and can get caught puck-watching defensively). But once he matures and tidies up some of that sloppiness, he's got a chance at serious upside. The combination of skill, production, size, age and handedness is worth betting on." -- The Athletic's Scott Wheeler

2. Topi Niemela

NHL.com Scouting Report: Skilled, quick defenseman who likes to join the rush. Reliable but not flashy. High Hockey IQ. Finesse-type defenseman with strong puck-handling skills.

Final Rank: 8
Age: 18 (3/25/02)
Height: 5-10
Weight: 156
Birthplace: Oulu, Finland
Shoots: Right

Experts praise Niemela's hockey IQ. As a smaller defenseman, Niemela relies on his smarts and mobility to make the right plays in all three zones. It was on display last season with Karpat in the Finnish Elite League where he appeared in 43 games (1g/6a). Niemela helped Karpat's junior team win the league championship during the 2018-19 season, posting eight points (1g/7a) in 39 regular-season games and four points (1g/3a) in 11 playoff appearances.

On the international stage, Niemela helped Team Finland to a silver medal at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

"His game seems to be weighted towards being an offensive-type player. Good deception along with puck skills allows him to make plays that create offensive opportunities." -- TSN's Craig Button

"Niemela stuck as a regular all season on one of the best teams in Liiga. He's often played ahead of his age group the past few years. Niemela may not be a very flashy player, but he is a play-driver. He's a very smart puck-mover who makes a lot of clever zone exits. He has good mobility and skill to evade pressure and make some plays in open ice, but his brain drives his value. Niemela has enough skill in his game to move the puck up well and make some plays off the offensive blue line, but I doubt whether he's a true power play type in the NHL. Despite his size, I see someone who will be quality in his own end because of his great feet and brain, and will be good enough offensively to take a regular shift." -- The Athletic's Corey Pronman

"Niemela is one of those defenders who just makes the game look easy. You can describe it in whichever terms you'd like. Comfort. Poise. Calm. Cerebral. He sees the ice in front of him, he processes his options, and he usually makes the right play. That can mean executing a smart little five-foot bump pass when a forward tries to close him out along the wall. It can mean stretching the ice with a three-zone pass. It can mean using his footwork to walk the line and create a lane on net. It can mean using his light edges to build speed through his crossovers or weave through the neutral zone. And his game is the same without the puck. He plays a tight gap when he needs to, he angles players out wide, his backwards recovery never really falters or looks flat-footed. He's not likely going to be a power play guy and he doesn't have the size you'd like in a penalty killer, which could limit him as more of a third-pairing option, but he still feels like an NHLer." -- The Athletic's Scott Wheeler

3. William Wallinder

NHL.com Scouting Report: Big, mobile, two-way defenseman with good passing skills and hockey sense. Plays with confidence and authority. Likes to join the offense.

Final Rank: 14
Age: 18 (7/28/02)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 191
Birthplace: Solleftea, Sweden
Shoots: Left

With a late July birthday, Wallinder is one of the youngest players in the draft. He's also one of the most imposing. Already 6-foot-4 and nearly 200 pounds, Wallinder's size, reach and skating ability makes him an intriguing prospect heading into the draft. He put up 24 points (5g/19a) in 37 games for Modo in Sweden's top junior league last season and skated in 18 games with the men's club in Sweden's second division. At the international level, Wallinder helped Team Sweden earn bronze at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and skated in the 2019 and 2020 5 Nations Tournaments.

"Excellent skating defenseman who can chew up ice quickly and get the play moving forward. Has a very good skill level with a desire to impact the game. As he matures, can only get better." -- TSN's Craig Button

"Wallinder has intrigued NHL teams because of his significant athletic tools. He's 6-foot-4 and a good skater for his size, and it's possible the skating gets even better given he's one of the younger players in the draft. When you see a guy his size easily closing a gap or rushing a puck up the ice, you can see how it translates to the higher levels. With his reach and feet, he is quite solid defensively and projects to make stops at the higher levels. Wallinder has good flashes with the puck. I've seen him occasionally stretch the ice or make a very creative play from the offensive blue line, which is why I have his IQ at 60, but I did so with hesitancy. I wouldn't call him a natural puck-mover though. I could see him becoming a real player from what I've seen of his best days, but I want to see those best days more consistently." -- The Athletic's Corey Pronman

"When you're 6-foot-4 and your four-way mobility is a strength, you've got my attention. Wallinder still has some work to do to round out his game with the puck. He can look off-balance through his shot, which speaks to some technique that needs cleaning up because he's not getting the most out of his big frame. But he can make plays in transition, his head is always up, he's got enviable length and he's only going to get better. The combination of his late July birthday and his exciting combination of skills suggests he's just scratching the surface, too. There's more work to be done with Wallinder's game than there is with the other top D in this draft, though. He makes a lot of mistakes with the puck from the offensive zone blue line in and I've seen some boneheaded reads (though I would say he's more polished in his own zone than a player like Grans). Whichever team takes him will be trusting their player development program to tap into his obvious upside. Wallinder was impressive in Team Sweden's U20 schedule and it was good to see him asserting himself offensively (he executed a couple of tough backdoor passes) against his peers. If he can build on his offensive tools, then I won't be surprised if he's a first-round talent when I re-draft this class three years." -- The Athletic's Scott Wheeler

4. Emil Andrae

NHL.com Scouting Report: Offensive-minded mobile defenseman. Compensates a lack of size with skating, vision, puck handling and fine overall skills. A creative player who is smart in traffic.

Final Rank: 15
Age: 18 (2/23/02)
Height: 5-8
Weight: 181
Birthplace: Vastervik, Sweden
Shoots: Left

Right behind 6-foot-4 Wallinder in the rankings is another Swede, the 5-foot-8 Andrae. Labeled as a high-end puck-moving offensive defenseman, Andrae led all d-men in Sweden's top junior league in scoring last season with 38 points (11g/27a) in 40 games with HV71. He also got a feel for the top men's league last season, appearing in 10 games with HV71. He's a two-time medalist for Team Sweden, earning a bronze at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He's currently playing for HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League this season.

"Andrae was a top defenseman in the Swedish junior circuit and versus his age group. He brings a lot of elements to the table. Offensively he's highly skilled and creative. He has the hands to make crafty 1-on-1 plays off the rush, and at the offensive blue line he shows no hesitancy to walk the line and make skilled plays. He sees the ice very well, finding options through tight seams at a high level. He's not that fast, but he's elusive in tight spaces, allowing him to evade checks. Andrae isn't that big, but he plays hard, closing well on checks and using his body to separate pucks. Not having a great top gear at his size isn't ideal, but his game is well rounded enough that I think he can make it to the NHL even with the size and skating combination." -- The Athletic's Corey Pronman

"Andrae has most of the qualities I look for in a draft-eligible defenseman. He's calm under pressure. He can lead a rush in transition. He has the puck handling ability, east-west vision and four-way mobility needed to run a power play. He's strong on his feet, which he leverages effectively along the wall. He's physical for his size. And he's calculated enough with the puck to recognize when he needs to hang onto it and when he just needs to advance the play (though, like every young player with his talent, he can try to do too much). I have been surprised by the caution so many have about him. If he's available into the second round, I wouldn't hesitate in taking the swing. I also think we'd be having a different conversation about him as a first-round talent if the U18 worlds had taken place. His size and risk-taking approach are normally central to reservations some have with him. I don't see it as much of an issue, though. He's good defensively for his size and we shouldn't mistake his lack of height for a lack of sturdiness. Plus he has been unbelievable since the restart. If anyone's play in the last two months has helped their draft stock, Andrae creating goals every time he touched the ice in the SHL preseason has to be at the top of that list." -- The Athletic's Scott Wheeler

5. Eemil Viro

Final Rank: 16
Age: 18 (4/3/02)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 165
Birthplace: Vantaa, Finland
Shoots: Left

Viro spent most of last season with TPS in the Finnish Elite League where he recorded three assists/points in 29 games. He also played for the junior club, earning six points (1g/5a) in 15 games. On the international stage, he skated for Team Finland at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, 2019 and 2020 5 Nations Tournaments and helped his country earn silver at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

"Very good sense and feel with a calm and poise in his play. Makes plays under pressure with his skating and puck skills. May not be a prolific offensive producer but he's solid." -- TSN's Craig Button

"Viro played a significant role with Finland's U18 team and was up in Liiga all season. Viro is a high-end skater. His edgework is fantastic, with the ability to walk the line at a high level and spin off forecheckers, and the speed to turn the corner on checkers on rushes. There are shifts where he looks like a no doubt NHL player. Those shifts he'll close quickly on a check using his great feet, turn the puck over and quickly rush or pass the puck up. I've seen offensive plays where he looks like a difference-maker. I've also seen a lot of plays where he causes the chance against for his team. His puck management is not the best, and I've seen a lot of grade A turnovers when he's on the ice, making me question if he's a natural puck-mover or more just a great skater with OK offense." -- The Athletic's Corey Pronman

"Draft-eligible prospects almost always get a boost from playing their draft year at the pro level and Viro is one of just two draft-eligible Finnish defensemen who played regularly in Liiga in 2019-20. And while it's easy to see why in watching the other, Topi Niemela, I could never wrap my head around why Viro was rushed to Finland's top professional level this season. Viro plays a smooth game with the puck, he's a good outlet passer, he's got above average footwork laterally and he plays a predictable game with the puck that has shown real flashes against his peers when he has played at the Jr. A level. I remain a little lower on him than most though. That's because Viro also lacks strength on the puck and in man-on-man battles, he's not a particularly talented player offensively (though he will join the rush) and his head just isn't always in it without the puck. There were too many times in 2019-20 where he looked out of it in the defensive zone for him to merit being a top 62 prospect in this class." -- The Athletic's Scott Wheeler

6. Shakir Mukhamadullin

Final Rank: 17
Age: 18 (1/10/02)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 178
Birthplace: Ufa, Russia
Shoots: Left

Mukhamadullin spent most of the 2019-20 season with UFA in the KHL where he appeared in 27 games with limited minutes. He also played for UFA's junior team, earning 10 points (2g/8a) in 13 appearances. Mukhamadullin delivered on the international stage, scoring the gold medal-winning goal in double overtime for Team Russia at the 2019 World Junior A Challenge.

"Rangy with good skating ability. His mobility is solid and he takes space defensively. Reads plays well and doesn't play back on his heels. Plays with an assertiveness that can be imposing." -- TSN's Craig Button

"Mukhamadullin didn't get much ice time at the KHL level this season, so the evaluation of him is based on the little junior time he saw at the club level, and his international appearances the past two seasons. Mukhamadullin is a 6-foot-3 defenseman who can move the puck and that makes him appealing. He's not very flashy, but he can handle the puck very well and can make crisp passes out of his zone. He's not a top-end playmaker, but I've seen him stretch the ice and make highly creative offensive plays. Defensively he uses his length and brain well to make stops, and is a reliable two-way defender. His skating is good for a player his size, he can join a rush and close a gap well, but his quickness isn't a selling point. He's a tough evaluation. I could buy a very optimistic projection given the tools and the way he's handled himself at the KHL and U20 international levels. But I could buy that he hasn't excelled at a top level anywhere yet and lacks great offensive upside to be a high pick." -- The Athletic's Corey Pronman

"Mukhamadullin spent most of last season in the KHL, where he never played more than eight minutes in a game and his development was probably done a disservice. But in his 13 games in the MHL, against his peers, he was as dominant as any Russian defender his age that I can recall. He's a smooth north-south skater whose feet rarely drag through his extensions or his pick-up, which is a selling point for a player his size. But he's also a mobile east-west skater, who despite being long and lanky does an excellent job opening up his stride to go heel-to-heel. Offensively, he likes to use his one-timer but his follow through on his wrister lacks coordination and balance. He also does a good job anticipating the play with the puck, which helps him in the offensive zone to sneak off the blue line and on zone-exits as an outlet passer. He's not a particularly physical player for his size but some of that should come with some added strength and it's not particularly noticeable in the way he defends, which is disruptive and calculated. He has become a source of debate in the public sphere, but he's held in higher regard privately and I see a player who has room to continue to build on some standout raw tools, even if he never becomes a particularly dangerous O-zone player." -- The Athletic's Scott Wheeler

7. Joni Jurmo

Final Rank: 20
Age: 18 (4/19/02)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 190
Birthplace: Espoo, Finland
Shoots: Left

Jurmo ranked tied for 10th among defensemen in Finland's top junior league last season with 28 points (5g/23a) in 43 games with Jokerit. On the international stage, Jurmo skated at the 2019 5 Nations Tournament and 2020 4 Nations Tournament.

"Good skating defenseman who likes to get into the offensive play. Good range with good puck skills and is confident with the puck. Improvement has been very good and has good potential." -- TSN's Craig Button

"Jurmo is one of the more polarizing prospects in this year's draft. There are moments and games where he looks like a top-end player. He's 6-foot-4 and a true high-end skater. When he's on, he shows skill and offensive creativity, making plays all over the ice. He's one of the best puck rushers in the draft and shows no fear to go end to end - something he does a lot of during games. I've seen flashes of great vision from him, I've also seen times where it seems like he gets tunnel vision and just wants to do it all himself, so I debated between a 55 and a 60 on his hockey sense. He's also not great defensively, with iffy gaps and stick play, which isn't ideal given he doesn't put up big numbers. He can rub some scouts the wrong way with his approach to the game and coaches don't lean on him, but in terms of pure tools he checks a lot of boxes." -- The Athletic's Corey Pronman

"Given the sum of his skills and how confident and aggressive he is on the attack, I would've liked to have seen Jurmo even produce more last season than he did at Finland's top junior level. He's long and his skating is a major asset, particularly for a player his size, so his ability to play in transition and carry instead of pass on exits and entries makes him a fascinating prospect and potential project for an NHL club. There are some warts in his game, primarily in his decision-making with and without the puck, but the raw tools are exciting and he can take over a shift." -- The Athletic's Scott Wheeler

8. Alexander Nikishin

Final Rank: 24
Age: 18 (10/2/01)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 196
Birthplace: Orel, Russia
Shoots: Left

Nikishin, who turns 19 tomorrow, spent most of the 2019-20 season with Spartak in the KHL, earning three assists/points in 29 games. He also had three helpers in six games with Spartak in Russia's top junior league.

"Nikishin played most of the season in a limited minutes role in the KHL. Because of that usage and no appearances on the Russian national team, a lot of what you have to go on with him is how he looked last season at the junior level. He's interesting as a 6-foot-3 defenseman who can move and shoot pucks well. Nikishin won't dazzle you with speed or skill, but he makes good passes out of his own end and has some poise at the offensive line. Even with his average feet I never had an issue with his defensive play and thought he disrupted a fair number of plays." -- The Athletic's Corey Pronman

"Nikishin's not typically the kind of defenseman I'm fond of, in that he doesn't have one high-end offensive tool and his footwork still needs a little refining if he's going to be able to play at NHL pace. But I do think there's more offence to his game than meets the eye. We didn't get to see it in his draft year because he spent most of the season in a depth role in the KHL due to his advanced physical maturity and November 2001 birthdate. But I saw some real signs in 2018-19 when he produced at a high age-adjusted clip for an MHL defenseman, especially one who is 6-foot-3, when he was an all-star in the under-20 league at 17. He'll be 19 on draft day and that has to color any analysis of his early progression to the KHL, but I've been impressed with what I've seen defensively in terms of his ability to read the play, get into lanes, close off the wall and gap-up off the rush. At this point in my list, where most of the prospects have depth projections anyway, I'm comfortable with where Nikishin is at and where he might be able to get." -- The Athletic's Scott Wheeler

9. Michael Krutil

Final Rank: 27
Age: 18 (6/3/02)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 202
Birthplace: Prague, Czech Republic
Shoots: Right

Krutil spent most of last season with Sparta's junior club in the Czech Republic, tallying five points (3g/2a) in 19 games. He represented his country at the 2019 5 Nations Tournament (four games) and 2020 5 Nations Tournament (two games). Additionally, Krutil appeared in three games for the Czech Republic's U18 team vs. Russia and skated in the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

10. Anton Johannesson

Final Rank: 31
Age: 18 (3/26/02)
Height: 5-9
Weight: 154
Birthplace: Gnosjo, Sweden
Shoots: Left

Johannesson averaged more than a point per game with HV71 in Sweden's top junior league with 24 points (8g/16a) in 20 appearances. He represented Sweden at the 2020 5 Nations Tournament as well as the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

"When healthy, Johannesson has a lot of intriguing tools, has looked like a top defenseman in his age group and did very well at the club level. He's a great skater. He has the ability to walk the line at the NHL level due to his great edge work, and he has enough speed to lead an attack. He moves the puck with poise and creativity. He can stretch the ice and make high-end plays inside the offensive zone. Coming into the season and prior to the injuries, some scouts expected a huge offensive season from him. Johannesson isn't the biggest defenseman, and scouts have questions on his ability to defend versus men in part due to how small and slight (144 pounds) he is. His club and international coach didn't have Johannesson on the PK but did play similarly sized teammate and defenseman Emil Andrae is those situations." -- The Athletic's Corey Pronman

"He's short and light as a defenseman, he dealt with injuries throughout his draft year and it took him longer to get to Sweden's top junior level than most, which may have limited his exposure to some scouts. That's the trifecta of reasons a player falls at the draft. Johannesson is an effortless four-way skater who flows up the ice, sidesteps pressure and walks the line with ease to create lanes for himself. When he has the puck, the game comes easy to him. He can play in transition or dictate in the offensive zone and you'll rarely see him bobble the puck. I also like some of his defensive qualities well enough to project him to the pro level as an adequate 5-on-5 defender. Johannesson gaps well and turns back on chipped pucks so effectively that he's able to neutralize opposing rushes before teams have the time to get set in the zone (where his strength deficiencies can be drawn into focus a little more). I can't wait to see what he does with a full season of uninterrupted growth. Johannesson's going to need a couple of years to find his footing at the pro level in Sweden before he gives the AHL a go but he can drive possession, make his teammates look good, run a power play and complement a more reserved D partner." -- The Athletic's Scott Wheeler

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