2021 Flames First Round Targets: Jesper Wallstedt

Wallstedt is an elite NHL goalie prospect who has the potential to be a starter and a top goalie in the league in his prime. He is the best Swedish goalie prospect I have seen, and I would be surprised if he does not end up getting drafted in the first round, which would make him the first Swedish goalie ever to do so. We have seen Spencer Knight (13^th overall) and Yaroslav Askarov (11^th overall) getting picked high the two last years. I would say that Wallstedt is in the same category of talent as those two. Both, but especially Askarov, are more athletically spectacular than Wallstedt but I would give his hockey sense and composure a higher praise than either.

 In a day and age where – partially due to the trapezoid – many goalies struggle with the puck on their stick Wallstedt is an exception. He grew up playing both goalie and skater, and his puck-handling makes you think he could have been a success had he never decided to don the mask. Impervious to pressure with the puck on his stick behind the net, Wallstedt can deceive forwards and is comfortable passing both forehand and backhand. At times he acts as effectively a third defenseman, and it is not a rare site seeing him head out of net to claim loose pucks in-front of him and dish out pin-point passes.

On October 7th, 2006 at 15 years, 9 months and 19 days old, Victor Hedman became the youngest goal scorer in SuperElit history.

For Wallstedt, just breaking one of Hedman’s records wasn’t nearly good enough. This is because on October 25th, 2017 at 14 years, 11 months and 11 days old, Jesper Wallstedt scored a goal in a game against Brynäs IF, the same team Hedman scored on 11 years prior. The goaltender not only scored the empty net goal, but also assisted on VIK Västerås’ first goal of the game.