2022 Flames Second Round Targets: Ludwig Persson

Smooth skating offensively-minded forward. Needs to round out the rest of his game to earn opportunities to let his offence shine but possesses legitimate upside as a scoring threat at the NHL level.

Persson is a slippery and very explosive winger that outskates most players over short distances. He goes from stationary to full-out really quick and takes advantage of that when he challenges opponents. When Persson has the puck, he is effective and often makes things happen and he could break the normal pattern. It could be anything from the easy and obvious pass but also the unpredictable that opens up things, which is something he uses from the right circle in a man advantage. Persson covers the puck well in tight areas and often takes himself into scoring chances. Persson is a weapon in the offensive zone with his smooth puckhandling and a good vision. He also has a quick, hard wrist shot that he likes to use. Without the puck, Persson does not rest. He plays both ways and works hard. To be even more effective, I would like Persson to be more straightforward and go for more shots. He has the potential to score more, but he could from time-to-time play more direct.

Persson’s release is quiet and quick, especially his wrister which he also can release with good power and accuracy. His strengths is in his offensive game, but I would like to see more improvement in his defensive game based on what I saw today. I want to see movement and activeness in his own zone all the time, not only at some parts of the game. He tends to be passive, standing still and puck watching when defending. I would like to see him being more aggressive and active, but also using more shoulder checks to know what is happening around him. With his skating, elusiveness and skillset, I believe that Persson has the potential to be a top-six player at NHL level. As of today, I could see him go early in the second round. But he has first round potential.